Co-combustion of coal and non-recyclable paper and plastic waste in a fluidised bed reactor

Co-combustion of waste with coal was carried out using a fluidised bed combustor with the aim of achieving a fuel mixture with little variations in its heating value and simultaneously reducing the accumulation of non-toxic waste material by upgrading them for energy purposes. Results obtained indicate that the feeding of waste materials plays an important role to achieve conditions for a stable combustion. The form in which the fuel is fed to the combustor makes a significant contribution to achieve desirable combustion performance and differences were observed in results regarding the combustion efficiency and emissions when waste was fed densified or in a fluffy state when it was burned mixed with coal. Part of the combustion of waste material, contrary to that of coal, was observed to take place in the freeboard where the temperature was as much as 150 °C above that of the bed.