Formation of PCDD/PCDF - Effect of fuel and fly ash composition on the formation of PCDD/PCDF in the co-combustion of refuse-derived and packaging-derived fuels

One option of recycling used contaminated packaging is to recover its high energy content. This can be performed in a normal multifuel power plant by co-combustion of packaging-derived fuel (PDF) or refuse-derived fuel (RDF) with fossil fuels, such as coal or pear. This work includes the results of 17 co-combustion tests and an evaluation of the results by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the Partial Least Squares Projections to Latent Structures (PLS). PCA and PLS calculations showed that especially Pb, bur also Cr, and Cu correlated with lower chlorinated furans (PCDFs) in the fly ash. Correlation between Sn and lower chlorinated dioxins (PCDDs) in the fly ash was also noticed. CO and PAH emission in the flue gas correlated with total PCDD/Fs in the flue gas. In a real full-scale combustion process, a single parameter in fuel, flue gas or a combustion parameter did not provide a guide to PCDD/F formation or to a level of the total PCDD/F emission, but correlations between different parameters and PCDD/Fs could be found. Although PDFs and RDF had catalytic heavy metals and chlorine, the co-combustion results showed that they can be co-combusted with pear and coal in a fluidized-bed boiler al least up to 26% with very low total PCDD and PCDF emissions.