Producing high quality RDF to enhance waste-to-energy plants efficiency

The project involves the production of a high quality Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) from municipal solid waste to maximise energy efficiency and minimise environmental impact. An experimental study was undertaken to examine the physiochemical properties and heating values of common waste types in Singapore. Optimum composition of RDF was formulated by combining individual waste types in various fractions. Four RDF prototypes were produced, with their physiochemical properties and heating values estimated based on the percentage composition of individual waste types. Incineration was conducted on individual waste types such as landfill and chicken manure, as well as RDF prototypes to investigate the migration of heavy metals to fly ash and bottom ash. The results show that the properties of the produced RDF meet the requirements given in the European standards and exhibit higher heating values when compared with that in literature. It is believed that power plants or dedicated incinerators could be potential end-users of RDF. Looking forward, the scale of the project could be expanded and cost benefit analysis be conducted to ensure the representativeness and economic feasibility for the real life application of the project.Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental Engineering