Pollutant formation and emissions from cement kiln stack using a solid recovered fuel from municipal solid waste

The thermal decomposition of a solid recovered fuel (SRF) has been studied by two techniques. First, laboratory-scale experiments were performed in a horizontal furnace in which different atmospheres were studied to analyze the dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) evolved from the decomposition of the material. Sulfur presence was revealed to be important in PCDD/Fs formation. In the second technique, the emissions of various pollutants (PAHs, PCDD/Fs, metals, acid gases, etc.) were determined in a cement kiln fed on different proportions of SRF material, and where a maximum feed rate of 15000 kg SRF/h was achieved. In the laboratory furnace the dioxin toxicity revealed a maximum when the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere increased until approximately stoichiometric conditions. In the cement kiln, all emitted pollutants were under the legal limits. No correlation between SRF input and metal emission was observed.