Significant waste properties in terms of applicability in the power industry

The aim of the article is to present the physical and chemical properties of the refuse derived fuel (RDF) substrates, which have a significant impact on the energy recovery process in power plants. The experimental part includes technical (moisture and ash content, net and gross calorific values) and elemental analyses (sulfur, chlorine and mercury content), biomass and non-biomass concentration in the samples. In order to carry out the analysis of reactor slagging and fouling risk, chemical composition of the ash and characteristic ash fusion temperatures were determined. The waste samples are heterogeneous material and their properties are diversified – the moisture content ranges from 1.8 to 29.2 wt. %, the net calorific value from 17.231 to 28.307 MJ/kg, the ash content in the samples from 7.7 to 31.2 wt. %. The S content is in the range from 0.04 to 0.58 wt. %, the Cl content from 0.58 to 2.11 wt. % and the Hg content in the samples from 0.09 to 0.20 mg/kg. It can be observed, that the tested waste is a demanding fuel, because of its unfavorable fouling and slagging properties, which are directly related to the content of oxides with the basic properties.