Why Gasification
Carbon-based molecules, or ‘carbonaceous’ molecules are the source of the energy in waste.
Extracting the energy means oxidising the carbonaceous molecules. To extract the maximum amount of energy, all the carbonaceous molecules in the waste have to be oxidised.
Gasification is special because it extracts the energy from the waste using two separate stages; (1) carbon removal from the waste and (2) carbon combustion. This is the safest way to extract the maximum energy from the waste and produce a stable, inert ash.
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Carbon Removal from the Waste
New Energy’s slow-cooking process takes all the carbonaceous molecules in the waste and converts them from a solid to a gaseous state. They leave the waste as a free-flowing gas, with only the solid ash remaining. We allow a long time for this process, and when the gas leaves behind the solid ash, it rises gently and does not carry solids with it.
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Carbon Combustion
The carbonaceous gas is collected and ignited in a separate gas burner. Because there are no solids to interfere with the gas burner, this process is very efficient. The burner can reach very high temperatures, and all the molecules can oxidise completely.
This two-stage approach means that the carbon is thoroughly removed and combusted, releasing the maximum energy from the waste. The carbonaceous molecules are destroyed, minimising the release of organic pollutants like dioxins and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Gasification - A Two-Stage Oxidation Process
Standards
The facility will adhere to the most stringent international standards for environmental performance. These include the European Union Directive 2000/76/EC. This Directive is considered World’s Best Practice in emissions performance. A diagram indicating the 2000/76/EC limits in grey, and the New Energy performance in green, is pictured below. It illustrates that the New Energy emissions are routinely less than half the allowed limit.
Due to these low emissions, the plant will readily comply with the National Environmental Protection Measures (NEPM) for Ambient Air Quality, ensuring that ground-level concentrations of pollutants are many orders of magnitude lower than the allowable limits.
Comparison of ‘Typical Plant Performance’ against ‘World’s Best Practice Emissions Standard’.