Power Generation by Incineration: Fluid Bed or Multiple Hearth Incinerators?

Owners of POTWs that use wastewater solids incinerators have expressed considerable interest in implementing green energy projects. Many of them are inquiring if energy production by incineration can be implemented at both new and existing incineration facilities. Two plants are implementing waste heat recovery using steam turbines to generate electric power from incineration of wastewater solids. The two plants are the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant operated by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewerage District (NEORSD) that serves the Cleveland, Ohio, area, and the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) Hartford Water Pollution Control Facility located in Hartford, Connecticut. The NEORSD plant is integrating power production with new fluid bed incinerators and the MDC is adding power production to existing multiple hearth incinerators.Many utilities that operate incineration facilities are asking whether the addition of power generation facilities is practical and cost-effective. This paper presents design information, performance and cost data for “green” power generation facilities using fluidized bed and multiple hearth incinerators. It also provides planning information for plants that are considering, or will be considering adding incineration for wastewater solids processing.