Municipal Solid Waste

500 MILLION TONS ANNUALLY AND GROWING!

Both industrialized and developing nations produce vast amounts of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Among major industrialized countries, more than 500 million tons of MSW was generated annually by the mid-1990s.

In the United States, it grew 235% during the last 40 years.

In America, for example, many states are passing statutes limiting how much of the MSW stream can be buried in landfills.

Costs to consumers are rising. As a result, there is a critical need for new methods and technologies to manage and convert MSW.

Three primary types of waste disposal technologies exist: incineration/gasificationchemical decomposition, and landfill burying.

These technologies have substantial economic and environmental impact—including toxic ash, toxic water, and noxious air emissions. These lethal by-products are expensive to dispose of, not to mention the harm they cause to the environment.

Feedstock
Tonnage
Diesel
gallons out*1)
Feedstock
t/gal per hour
Minimum Yield
Residual material out
This chart contains only estimated reference values based on 1 ton of dry mass*2). Actual results can deviate substantially, as water contents is unpredictable. Results based on a CC500 unit as an example
Waste oil from vehicles 100 gallons 80 gallons 165 gallons 80% 10% ashes, salt

Waste organic oil 
(from deep-frying)

100 gallons 75 gallons 176 gallons 70% 10% ashes, salt
Plastic mixed waste 1 US ton 212 gallons 0.63t dry mass 80% 10% ashes, salt
Slaughter house waste 1 US ton 106 gallons 2.5t dry mass 40% 42% CO2 + water
Press Cake from Energy plants (canola, etc.) 1 US ton 106 gallons 2.5t dry mass 40% 47% CO2 + water
Hay, straw 1 US ton 92 gallons 3.7t dry mass 30% 57% CO2 + water +3% ashes
Wood chips 1 US ton 92 gallons 3.7t dry mass 30% 57% CO2 + water + 3% ashes
Bagasse 1 US ton 97 gallons 3.1t dry mass 35% 50% CO2 + water + 5% ashes, salts
Glycerine 100 gallons 19 gallons 695 gallons 19% 70% CO2 + water +1% ashes
Municipal Waste materials 1 US ton 138 gallons 1.1t dry mass 50% unpredictable
PET bottles 1 US ton 212 gallons 0.63t dry mass 80% 10% ashes, salt
Foil (market shopping bags) 1 US ton 212 gallons 0.63t dry mass 80% 10% ashes, salt
Paper - newsprint-cardboard 1 US ton 92 gallons 3.7t dry mass 30% 57% CO2 + water +3% ashes
  1. A given, 10% yield deducted for co-generation electric plant
  2. For example, slaughter house waste with 80% water content will provide 200 pounds of dry mass, 5 tons of raw waste is necessary to provide 1 ton of dry mass.
  3. Municipal waste is not homogenous material with diversified water contents. Assumed is an average mix of paper, plastic and other residual material and a safe yield.
Fuel to run the unit 10% of output 13 gallons per hour (for waste oil)    
Electricity to power the 8 motors, etc 45kw x 8 = 360kw per hour        
CC 500 = needs from 0.5 to 1.8 tons of feedstock, and produces approximately 132 gal per hour
           
CC 1000 = needs from 1 to 3.6 tons of feedstock, and produces approximately 264 gal per hour
           
CC 2000 = needs from 2 to 7.2 tons of feedstock, and produces approximately 528 gal per hour 

 

Feedstock

Following is a table with some representative feedstock and the required number of tons and gallons (if fluid) for each of the 3 standard sizes we have at the moment. The estimated operation time is 8000 hours per year.

Feedstock (tons or gallons per year)
CC200
CC500
CC2000
Paper, wood, straw
5000
12500
50000
Typical MSW
2800
7000
28000
Plastic
1720
4300
17200
Slaughter house residue (fat, skin, etc.)
3500
8750
35000
Waste oil, yellow & brown grease
1.530.000 gal
3.822.000 gal
15.300.000 gal
Glycerol (biodiesel residue)
6.880.000 gal
17.200.000 gal
68.800.000 gal