Thermocycling process transforms solid waste into synthetic gas
Gasosyn Energy Canada, a Quebec-based firm of consultants and experts in heat transfer and renewable energy, recently introduced a new “made in Quebec” technology called Thermocycling. The process involves transforming Municipal Solid Waste into a synthetic gas called SYNGAS (hydrogen and carbon oxide). SYNGAS is used to replace fossil fuels, such as natural gas, oil or coal, used in steam boilers in major industries for the production of energy. With this process, Gasosyn says 25 tons of MSW can produce up to 25 megawatts of electricity.
The core of the Thermocycling process is a high-powered thermal reactor called GASOSYN. This type of reactor operates at more than 1,200 degrees C in order to treat organic waste from municipal, industrial, agricultural or hospital sources. A single reactor can handle up to 25 tons of waste per hour and 200,000 tons per year. Using several GASOSYN units on a site gives multiple capacities of 50, 75 or 100 tons/hour.
Thermocycling can also result in carbon credits, helps eliminate GHG emissions, and by using a catalytic reforming unit, SYNGAS can be transformed into synthetic fuel, diesel or gasoline (for aircraft, automobiles or trucks). Gasosyn says twenty five tons of biomass per hour can produce 1,000 barrels per day of synthetic petroleum product.
In addition to the energy produced directly in the SYNGAS, there is a certain amount of heat that can be sold to industries located in the proximity of a thermocycling plant. Heat can be sold in the form of steam, thermal fluid (500- to 100 degrees C) or hot water (100- to 40 degrees C). In cases where it is not possible to sell all the heat available, it can be used to produce distilled water, then mineralized and/or gasified to be bottled. It can then be sold to local or international markets, providing another source of revenue.
Gasosyn says thermocycling plants are a source of steady energy, support the installation of other industries that require energy, and can recycle their residues and/or wastewater. In fact, according to Gasosyn, a thermocycling plant, with a lower total investment, can operate a wastewater treatment plant at a lower cost than a conventional one.