Examination of Oxygen-Enriched Gasification Process for Municipal Solid Wastes in South China

Theoretical and experimental research on the MSW gasification using oxygen is conducted to determine the favorable conditions for the production of increased syngas production of higher heating value. The technology utilizes oxygen enrichment of air for minimum combustion of the waste to increase heating value of the fuel due to decreased amounts of nitrogen in the syngas. The results showed that increase in equivalence ratio (ER) decreased CO and CH₄ content in the syngas while H₂ content increased at ER = 0.25 and then decreased. When the ER is greater than 0.30, the gasification controlled reaction change to combustion controlled. The equivalence ratio of in the range of 0.2–0.3 is the most suitable range for oxygen-enriched gasification. The calculated and experimental results showed good agreement. The equivalence ratio is crucial in oxygen enriched gasification of MSW since it impacts the heating value and gas phase components of the syngas produced.