James W. Garthe¹, Bruce G. Miller²,and Ronald W. Wasco^3
 1Agricultural Engineer and Instructor, ²Research Associate, ³Research Assistant
The Pennsylvania State University
246 Agricultural Engineering Building
University Park, PA  16802

Keywords:  Plastic; Combustion; Boiler; Fuel; Waste-to-Energy

Abstract:  A process has been developed to form used agricultural film and rigid thermoplastics into dense fuel nuggets.  These fuel nuggets can be used as supplemental fuel in coal-fired boilers.  While conforming to EPA test conditions, nuggets were burned in a coal-fired stoker combustor at Penn State’s Energy Institute.  The test combustor was a traveling-grate stoker simulator.  Characterization of the plastic / coal blend included investigating combustion efficiency, relative ignition energy, rate of ignition plane travel, ash clinkering potential, and criteria pollutant and PAH emissions.  A gas chromatograph / mass spectrometer (GC / MS) system was used for PAH emission analyses.  The gas analyzers and the data acquisition system continuously monitored emissions in the exhaust stack and the coal bed.  Temperatures, gas concentrations at various locations, and pressures in the simulator were monitored.  A total of 16 priority compounds were monitored.  Dioxin analyses was also conducted using an immunoassay technique. 

Also part of this paper are survey results of farmers who were surveyed from several states in the northeast US to determine their interest in the nugget process as a way to manage their plastic wastes.  The survey was designed to help researchers convince legislators and funding agencies that used plastic is a problem for farmers to dispose of.  In addition to data depicting farmer interest in converting their wastes to energy, typical weights of plastic waste generated on these farms is cited. 

There is no full paper associated with this abstract.