pwr_august-2024 - 32

WASTE TO ENERGY
Empowering Waste-to-Energy
Solutions with Steam Turbines
Sustainable municipal waste management solutions often involve waste-to-energy
plants that can produce electricity while also providing steam to district heating
systems. Efficient steam turbines are important in these applications.
Arun Prabhakar Mote
A
s urban populations expand rapidly,
the demand for efficient waste
management systems intensifies.
Conventional systems have been extensively
utilized due to their ease of implementation
and relatively modest upfront
costs. Nonetheless, these methods carry
notable drawbacks that are becoming
progressively harder to overlook.
Waste-to-energy (WtE) technology is a
groundbreaking solution that repurposes
waste destined for landfills into valuable
assets. One of the most impressive features
of WtE is its ability to transform
waste into ash, reducing landfill volumes
by as much as 90%.
Benefits of WTE Plants
The advantages of WtE go beyond simply
diverting waste. It provides a cleaner,
environmentally friendly solution by
averting CO2 emissions for every ton of
waste incinerated. Additionally, the heat
produced in WtE facilities can be utilized
for electricity generation and district
heating, increasing profitability while reducing
harm to the environment.
The heat produced from burning waste
can be efficiently harnessed to generate
electricity (Figure 1) for the power grid
and heating for homes and business environments.
This twofold functionality reduces
the amount of waste transported
to landfills and creates fresh revenue
opportunities for operators of WtE facilities.
The dependable performance of
WtE systems is particularly valuable in
areas where energy demand is high and
resources are scarce. By integrating WtE
into current energy networks, the overall
efficiency and resilience of the energy
system are enhanced. This determines
WtE as a crucial strategy for addressing
the challenges of waste management
and energy production.
vision, strengthening resilience against
energy deficits and power fluctuations.
The inclusion of steam turbines in
WtE systems is essential for multiple
reasons. With efficiency rates often
surpassing 40%, steam turbines play a
pivotal role in scenarios where the heat
energy from waste is limited. Their capability
to maintain consistent, dependable
operation ensures a steady flow of
electricity to the grid. Additionally, steam
turbines seamlessly blend into current
energy frameworks, providing a flexible
solution for WtE implementations.
With efficiency rates often surpassing
40%, steam turbines play a pivotal role
in scenarios where the heat energy from
waste is limited.
Steam turbines play a prominent role
in WtE facilities, providing outstanding reliability
and lower operational expenses,
all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The heat produced from waste
combustion produces steam, which
propels the steam turbines to transform
thermal energy into electrical power. Incorporating
thermal renewable energy
sources, energy-efficient machinery, and
intelligent grid systems lays the foundation
for eco-friendly, sustainable energy
solutions. Triveni Turbines, renowned for
its expertise in steam turbine design up
to 100 MW, is enabling efficient energy
conversion in WtE facilities.
1. Waste-to-energy
(WtE)
power
plants
burn garbage to produce steam for use in
turbines, such as the one shown here, to
generate electricity and also to supply district
heating systems in some communities.
Courtesy: Triveni Turbines
32
Modern Facilities Operate High-Tech
Equipment
Simultaneously, connecting internet of
things (IoT) devices with steam turbines
unlocks data-driven understandings of
power
generation
and
consumption
trends, empowering utilities to make informed
choices. This method minimizes
environmental repercussions and guarantees
a steady, dependable energy prowww.powermag.com
German
Case Study
Triveni Turbines Limited (TTL), a global
market leader in the up to 100 MW
power range, has played a pivotal role
in this transition, showcasing the importance
of steam turbines in converting
waste (municipality, commercial, and
industrial) into electricity. One example
involves a power plant in Germany.
Triveni Turbines played a crucial role in a
waste-to-energy project utilizing refusederived
fuel (RDF) at a leading paper
manufacturer in Deutschland.
Triveni's steam turbine generator
(STG) unit was successfully installed and
commissioned in a biomass-based plant
in Germany, in August 2021. Despite the
challenges posed by the global pandemic,
Triveni's service engineers provided
continuous support, enabling the paper
mill's power plant to efficiently use the
heat and electricity generated from the
RDF-based WtE plant.
Since 2008, the customer has supplied
thermal energy for paper drying by
sourcing local waste materials to fuel its
operations. The RDF power plant, powPOWER
| August 2024
http://www.powermag.com
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