Incineration
Where infrastructure requires it or recycling and composting are unavailable, another end-of-life scenario used globally is incineration. In certain areas, waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities are used to burn municipal solid waste (MSW) or refuse derived fuel (RDF). Various types of waste combustors exist including mass burn moving grate, mass burn fixed grate, RDF fluidized bed systems, and rotary kilns.
Incineration and Waste-to-Energy Testing
To help our customers, partners & stakeholders understand the energy valve of Ingeo in WTE facilities, NatureWorks conducted testing at the optimum incineration temperature of approximately 1100°C (2000°F).
Comparing Energy Values
Ingeo's heat content was determined to be 8,368 Btu/lb, which is higher then cellulosic-based materials & suitable for incineration.
| Material | BTU/lb |
| Fuel Oil | 20,900 |
| HDPE | 18,700 |
| Rubber & Leather | 12,800 |
| PET | 10,900 |
| Wyoming Coal | 9,600 |
| Textiles | 9,400 |
| INGEO | 7,982 |
| Newspaper | 8,000 |
| Wood | 7,300 |
| Corrugated Boxes (paper) | 7,000 |
| Average MSW | 5,900 |
| Yard Waste | 2,900 |
| Food Waste | 2,900 |
Further analysis showed no volatiles & low residue when burning Ingeo.
Elemental Analysis
| Element | % Avg. |
| Carbon | 48.22 |
| Hydrogen | 5.81 |
| Oxygen | 45.95 |
| Nitrogen | 0.01 |
| Sulfur | <0.01 |
| Phosphorus | ND (<0.10) |
| Chlorine | ND (<0.05) |
Decomposition Products
| Compounds | mg/g |
| Carbon Monoxide | ND (<0.1) |
| Carbon Dioxide | 2020 |
| Water | >260 |
| Volatiles | ND (<0.001) |
| Semi Volatiles | ND (<0.01) |
| Residue | 0.01 |