The Alter Nrg Plasma Gasification Process - Turner Valley Presentation.ppt

Alter Nrg and Westinghouse Plasma Corp.The Plasma Gasification Process

Calgary & Region WasteReduction Partnership

Feb. 13, 2008

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About Alter Nrg

Alter Nrg is a Canadian-based company providing clean efficient alternative energy

solutions through gasification. Alter Nrg owns the world-leading plasma gasification

technology.

Alter Nrg can provide project developers with a fabricated plasma gasification system

or we can limit our involvement to the design of the plasma gasifier and the delivery of

the plasma torch systems.

The Basics of a Waste-to-Energy Project

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WPC STRENGTHS

• Commercially proven facilities (three in Japan, one in Canada and one in US)

• WPC plasma technology developed with an estimated $100 million in R&D funding

• Over 30 years experience in the design and application of plasma technology

• WPC has completed more than 100 pilot tests on a multitude of feedstocks

Westinghouse Plasma Corporation

Alter Nrg purchased Westinghouse Plasma Corporation (WPC) in April 2007

WPC Plasma Cupola

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Plasma Gasification

Plasma gasification converts low-value feedstocks into high-value energy products.

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THE WPC PLASMA PROCESS

• By controlling gas through the plasma torch and with the aid of a magnetic field, energy from the electric arc is transferred to the process gas

• The superheated gas then exits the plasma torch up at temperatures up to 10,000oC.

PLASMA

• Plasma, often referred to as the “fourth state of matter,” is the term given to a gas that has become ionized.

• An ionized gas is one where the atoms of the gas have lost one or more electrons and has become electrically charged.

• The sun and lightning are examples of plasma in nature.

What is Plasma?

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• Westinghouse developed plasma over 30 years– Started with high

temperature research• NASA and gas turbine

blade coatings

– Expanded to metal melting in 1980’s

– Tested for waste processing in 1990’s

– Proven in waste processing in 2000

• Available today to address our world’s growing waste storage & energy needs

WPC – Development Experience

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WPC PLASMA TORCHES

• Self-stabilized arc system • Non-transferred arc• Flexible process heater - used for heating process gas

to high temperatures, 1,500oC - 10,000oC• Can operate on most gases - Air, pure Oxygen,

Nitrogen, Carbon-monoxide, Hydrogen, etc.• Nominal Power 300 kW – 3,000 kW

• Industrially-rugged design

• Proven in tough commercial environment

Projects using WPC Plasma

Torches

• WTE facilities in Japan• GM Foundry in Defiance, Ohio• Alcan Aluminum Facility in Quebec• Two hazardous waste facilities in India (2008)

WPC Plasma Torch Systems

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WPC PLASMA REACTOR• The Proprietary Alter Nrg Plasma Gasifier (PG) design is based on the Iron-Melting Cupola Furnace

– Proven in harsh operating environments

– Refractory lined steel vessel• Lower section is water cooled

– Able to generate high operating temperature, reducing gas velocities

– Ash produced as vitreous non-leaching slag

• Typical reactor capacities vary by feedstock:

Alter Nrg Plasma Gasifier

500-750 tpdBiomass

500-750 tpdMSW

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Alter Nrg Plasma Gasification System

Plasma Gasification System

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Typical Alter Nrg WTE Facility

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TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES

• Minimal feedstock preparation– Very little shredding or crushing– Very little segregation or sorting

• Handles a wide range of feed compositions– High moisture content– High Inert content– Low calorific value feed– High calorific value feed like Auto-Shredder

dust

• High reliability– Operates in rugged industrial applications

• Scalability– Allows for modular development

Advantages of the APG

WPC Plasma Torch in Cupola

• High Thermal Efficiency – Almost all carbon in MSW is converted into gas for energy recovery– Slag does not contain carbon

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TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES

• Direct Melting Reactor– Pyrolysis/Melting in one reactor– Metals/Slag discharged at the bottom– Pyrolysis of feed into combustible off-gas

ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES

• Low capital and operating costs

ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES

• Environmentally benign slag– Particulate matter can be recycled back or

injected into slag

• Virtually no reforming of combustion by-products

Advantages of APG

Hitachi WTE FacilityUtashinai Plasma Gasification Reactor (PGR) pictured below

Photo courtesy of Hitachi

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• Plasma gasification is a potential solution to municipal waste problems facing populated centres.

• Before waste is gasified recycling or waste diversion is always the initial step in waste management.

• Plasma gasification compliments a well-developed waste diversion program by converting the remaining waste into useable energy and also capturing renewable resources such as:– water – ferrous and non-ferrous metal– sulphur.

Plasma Gasification:

Part of the Waste Diversion Solution

“Communities with WTE facilities are likely to have higher recycling rates than the national average. Far from competing with recycling, WTE is part of an integrated approach to solid waste management that includes recycling as a core component. The average recycling rate for WTE communities across the US is 33%, while the national average is 28%.”

- Integrated Waste Services Association

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• Low emissions:– Less than 0.01 NG/NM3

of Dioxins/Furans

– Sulfur reports as Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)

• Easier to clean than Sox

– Tars are cracked prior to leaving APG

Emissions

Comparison on Waste-to-Energy

Criteria Pollutants

94.6

17.1

6.39

31.05

192.06

5.3

53

68

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

NOx SO2 PM

Em

issio

ns,

g/t

on

ne o

f w

aste

pro

cessed

Gasif ication

Incineration

Landfill

“One technology which potentially can use various types of waste, produce electricity and hydrogen

without emitting dioxin, furan and mercury, is plasma arc technology. Municipalities can install a plasma

arc facility which will eliminate land filling …” - EPA

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A plasma gasification

WTE facility avoids:

1. The release of methane that otherwise would be emitted when trash decomposes in landfills

2. The displacement of CO2 that would have been emitted had the electricity been generated from fossil fuels such as coal.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Net climate change emissions are negative compared to other waste management options

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• Hitachi Metals Ltd. chose the WPC technology for two commercial-scale Waste-to-Energy facilities in Japan.

• The largest facility is names Eco-Valley and is located in Utashinai, Hokkaido. It was constructed in 2002 and has been fully operational since 2003.

– The Eco-Valley facility can process up to 280 tpd of MSW and auto shredder residue. On its two acre site, the facility can deliver 1.5 MW of net electricity output to the grid.

WPC WTE in Japan - Utashinai

Eco-Valley WTE Facility

WPC PLASMA TORCHES

• 8 Marc-3a plasma systems

• Torches are rated for 300 KW each

• 2 Operating gasification islands with 4

torches each

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• Hitachi Metals 2nd project with WPC– Serves the 2 cities of Mihama &

Mikata, Japan

– Plasma gasification of 24 tpd of MSW and4 tpd of waste water sludge

– Commissioned in 2002

• 2 Marc-3a plasma systems

• Syngas is burned after the APG, cooled & cleaned– Heat is provided to waste

water treatment facility

WPC WTE in Japan – Mihama-Mikata

Hitachi Metals’ Mihama-Mikata WTE Facility

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Shyam V. Dighe, Ph.D., M.S., MBA - President & Chief Technology Officer, WPC

• 32 years experience in chemical and high-temperature plasma engineering research

• Program Manager in development of plasma-fired cupola for melting foundry scrap and processing excavated landfill materials

• Experience in toxic and hazardous waste treatment and conventional coal gasification

• 12 patents and has published research in plasma gasification

Rick Bower, P.Eng. – VP Engineering, Alter Nrg

• Founder of engineering consulting firm, Bower Damberger Rolseth (BDR) Engineering

• More than 30 years engineering experience in the energy industry focused on the design of plants and facilities

• Industry leader in application of modular engineering methodologies

Pieter van Nierop, D.Sc., MBA – Senior Gasification Lead, Alter Nrg

• 15 years experience with Sasol - world leader in gasification technology, based in South Africa

• Managing Director responsible for the Sasol-Lurgi Technology Company

• Lead gasification roles with Alberta Research Council, Bantrel and Shell Canada

Alex Gorodetsky, P.Eng., MBA – Staff Gasification Engineer, Alter Nrg

• Monetization of coal reserves via gasification technology

• Evaluation and piloting of entrained flow low rank coal gasification and development of feed conditioning process for slurry fed gasification (Luscar)

• Experienced in developing and commercializing high temperature plasma based coatings processes (Westaim)

Key Technical Staff

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Suite 700, 910 – 7th Avenue S.W.Calgary, Alberta T2P 3N8

Phone 403.806.3875Fax 403.806.3701

www.alternrg.ca