الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in Egypt is generated in huge amounts and has become one of the most serious current environmental problems. Egypt is suffering from waste disposal problems and fuel shortages. In a way to partially solve both waste and energy problems, some types of waste can be utilized as alternative fuels (AFs) in energy intensive industries such as cement industry. With limited fossil fuel resources and high energy costs combined with the fight against climate change and mismanagement of wastes, AF represents a real substitution to conventional fuels. This study aims at the determination of optimum mix of non-hazardous MSW to be utilized as AF. Survey on different types of waste in the Egyptian market, their availability and applicability to produce AF is conducted, and eight SW materials are selected: rice straw, cotton stalk, olive pomace oil, used tires, wood, paper, plastics, and dried digested sludge. Waste analysis is carried out on each type of waste to determine their characteristics: calorific value (CV), moisture content (MC), density, and gas emissions. The optimum AF mix is determined based on technical and financial evaluations. Technical evaluation is based on the maximization of CV, and minimization of MC, density, and gas emissions; whereas financial evaluation is based on the market price of SW material. The optimal mix is found to be: rice straw (22.36%), wood (19.04%), plastics (24.25%), cotton stalks (17.90%), and used tires (16.45%). The optimum mix is found to have CV of 5353 cal/g, moisture content of 1.90%, and density of 330.70 kg/m3. Economic feasibility study is conducted for an AF plant with production capacity of 50 ton/d. The study considered capital, operation and maintenance costs with NPV of 38,647,565 EGP. At a proposed selling price of 1500 EGP/ton, the plant can achieve IRR of 29%, B/C ratio of 1.163, and payback period of 4 years. |