Refuse Derived Fuel
HTL is proud to announce the opening of our fully operation Refuse Derived Fuel processing facility at Deptford Recycling Centre. The plant represents a significant commitment by HTL in terms of both investment and to our stated aim of giving our customers real alternatives to landfill.
The production of Refuse Derived Fuels involves the mechanical processing of household waste using screens, shredders and separators to recover recyclable materials and to produce a combustible product. Systems involve the removal of inert and compostable materials followed by pulverisation to produce a feedstock which can be incinerated in power stations, pyrolysis and gasification systems, or co-incinerated in other industrial combustion processes.
Recently there has been a resurgence of interest in this area due to the Landfill Diversion targets of the EU Landfill Directive and the enhanced interest in residual waste treatment technologies such as MBT, which may be configured to produce RDF.
RDF source product can be used by power generation companies, such as Fibre Fuel, Cement companies such as Cemex as a fossil fuel replacement, and also used to substitute coal, gas and oil and can produce lower CO2 emissions than fossil fuels as well as reducing reliance on them.
RDF is not generally used at 100% but blended with fossil fuels with a substitution rate in the region of 30-40%. However, this level of substitution is increasing all the time as and when the Environment Agency permit such increases.
RDF consists mostly of paper, cardboard, low grade polyolefin's such as LDPE (Low Density Polythene) film and other light fraction materials which would normally go to landfill as MRF residue. The 'light fraction' material is so called as the bulk density of material which we take out of the wind sifter to go for shredding is 150kg/m3 and less.
Materials which cannot be present in the RDF are metals, inert fractions (sand, glass, stone etc) and some rigid plastics are removed. The aggregate content is sent to our associated company Recycled in Orsett Ltd for grading and recycling. Other materials are sent for recycling wherever possible.
As mixed materials can be processed to produce RDF in our system, HTL can advocate co-mingled bins rather than separating out all waste streams our clients have an easier task in preparing waste for collection.
Some of the main benefits of the process are
- Integrated system which offers front end recycling activity, with energy recovery of balance
- The organic fraction can be recycled aerobically (composting) or anaerobically
- If densified, RDF can be stored for extended periods (coarse RDF is more suited for direct on-site use and cannot be stored)
- RDF can be processed to half the calorific value of coal
- Lower level of heavy metals in the RDF
- RDF can be co-fired with other fuels in a variety of industrial boilers For more information on our RDF service please click here to contact us.