Anything but Waste: Substitute Fuels

The growing importance of economic and ecological sustainability affects all companies in Germany. Companies from the raw materials industry are particularly in demand: their efficient and responsible use of waste as a resource is crucial to achieving greater sustainability along the various value chains. The way to achieve this is through the production of refuse-derived fuels (RDF) or secondary fuels. The biggest challenge in RDF production? The inhomogeneity of the waste streams to be treated and the different requirements for the fuel to be produced.

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Producing Substitute Fuels from Waste Step by Step

Whether household, industrial or commercial waste: Waste of all these types and different consistencies can be specifically processed as RDF at different processing depths. Which processing depth is used depends on the application or purpose of the fuel and the different quality requirements of the thermal process. The basic processing steps for high-calorific fractions from commercial waste and household waste include: pre-sorting, coarse shredding, screening, sifting and ferrous and non-ferrous metal separation.

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Objective Quality testing and use as an Energy Source

The product quality of substitute fuels can be objectively tested and confirmed using various parameters. In addition to the emission-relevant parameters, the calorific value, chlorine content and ash content are decisive for classification. Their areas of application show just how valuable substitute fuels are for a well-functioning energy industry. Together with conventional fuels, refuse-derived fuels as so-called co-combustors ensure greater efficiency, especially in cement, lime and lignite-fired power plants and to a large extent in industrial power plants. Substitute fuels also make an important contribution to conserving natural resources in waste incineration plants or as the sole fuel in special power plants.

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Conclusion: Energy-efficient substitute fuels are particularly useful.

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The Question remains:

When is the use of substitute fuels particularly appropriate? The answer is simple and obvious: when they meet all the quality criteria, i.e. when they can be produced and used sustainably - in other words, when they achieve maximum energy efficiency from energy and material recycling. This is precisely why we offer not just one, but a wide range of fully thought-out solutions to meet the requirements placed on us.

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Visit our website for substitute fuels: https://www.allreco.de/en/application-areas/refuse-derived-fuel