Continued global energy consumption, population growth and accelerated urbanization are forcing us to seek innovative solutions to the challenge of depleting traditional fossil fuel resources. Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) and Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) are not only able to meet our energy needs, but also to recycle resources by converting combustible solid waste into energy.
Importance of calorific value in alternative fuels:
Calorific value is a key indicator of fuel quality. The higher the calorific value, the more heat is produced during combustion.RDF and SRF are created by sorting and pulverizing combustible materials from garbage, such as plastics, fibers, rubber, wood, and food waste, into alternative fuels. By removing most of the inert material, their calorific value is significantly increased.
According to EN ISO 21640:2021, SRF are graded according to their calorific value, chlorine and mercury content. typical calorific value of SRF is around 18 MJ/kg, while higher grades of SRF can have a calorific value of up to 20 MJ/kg. the calorific value of RDF is typically around 23 MJ/kg, which is comparable to the calorific value of coal.
This shift not only maximizes energy recovery, but also promotes sustainable waste management practices.
Domestic waste contains a large number of raw materials that can be recycled, such as high calorific value combustibles that can be used to prepare alternative fuels (RDF/SRF), organic materials that can be made into compost or used for digester fermentation, as well as plastics, glass, and metals that can be recovered for direct refurbishment and use or processed as raw materials.
The amount of renovation waste is increasing, and a large portion of it consists of combustible materials such as wood, foam, plastics, and other high calorific value items. These materials provide valuable opportunities for energy recovery and reuse, making renovation waste an important resource for sustainable development.
Industrial solid waste can be converted into high calorific value “alternative fuels (RDF/SRF)” through pre-processing, replacing fossil fuels as fuel for waste-to-energy generation.
The development of waste tires as an alternative fuel (TDF) for cement production can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the consumption of non-renewable resources. Tires produce as much energy as oil when burned. The high calorific value of waste tires makes them a good alternative fuel for energy-intensive industries such as cement plants, power plants and paper mills.
Waste textile pollution mainly originates from leather trimmings, cloth trimmings in textile processing and used clothes in post-consumer stage. Among the ways of resource utilization of waste textiles, the preparation of RDF/SRF alternative fuels is the more adaptable and cost-effective way.
The biomass straw processing market is expected to grow steadily in the coming years with the increasing availability of agricultural by-products such as crop residues. Biomass is a renewable energy source and an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fossil fuels, contributing to sustainable waste management and energy production.
Fuel | Calorie | CO2/Tonne of Fuel Produced |
Coal | 25MJ/kg | 2.41 |
Oil Coke | 33MJ/kg | 3.34 |
Fuel Oil | 42MJ/kg | 3.16 |
SRF | 20MJ/kg | 0.64 |
Table of alternative fuel use per unit of coal and CO2 emissions:
0 | SRF | SRF | SRF | SRF |
Lower Calorific Value (MJ/kg) | 12 | 15 | 18 | 25 |
Substitution Required | 210% | 170% | 140% | 100% |
Fossil CO2 Emissions | ~30% | ~30% | ~30% | 100% |
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