Municipal solid waste gasification/polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell integrated CHP system

Abstract

Secured, cheap and clean energy sources are very vital for economic growth and development. The current fossil fuel dominated energy scene is not sustainable. There is increasing interest in biomass as a sustainable energy source to arrest the fast depletion of the global fossil fuel reserves and the attendant environmental challenge posed by its end uses. Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) is continuously generated with no threat of depletion. Over 70% of MSW is composed of combustible materials ideal for energy production. Gasification of the MSW via the refuse derived fuel (RDF) route will generate heat for power generation and synthesis gas rich in hydrogen as feed to fuel cell in a combined heat and power (CHP) systems. This study proposed a MSW treatment and processing strategy for energy and hydrogen production. It explores waste-to-energy approaches to eliminate the environmental footprints of the current MSW treatments and disposal methods in South Africa.