Experimental Study of Absorbent Hygiene Product Devolatilization in a Bubbling Fluidized Bed

Barbara Malsegna, Andrea Di Giuliano and Katia Gallucci
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Barbara Malsegna: Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics (DIIIE), University of L’Aquila, Piazzale E. Pontieri 1-loc. Monteluco di Roio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Andrea Di Giuliano: Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics (DIIIE), University of L’Aquila, Piazzale E. Pontieri 1-loc. Monteluco di Roio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Katia Gallucci: Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics (DIIIE), University of L’Aquila, Piazzale E. Pontieri 1-loc. Monteluco di Roio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-21

Abstract: This paper aims to investigate the usage of waste from Absorbent Hygienic Products (AHP) as a fuel for gasification or pyrolysis, two attractive routes to obtain valuable products and dispose of this kind of waste. The study experimentally investigated the devolatilization of coarsely shredded materials from diapers, in a laboratory-scale bubbling fluidized bed made of sand, as a representative preparatory step of the above-mentioned thermochemical conversions. Two versions of shredded materials were considered: as-manufactured diapers (AHPam, as a reference), and the cellulosic fraction of sterilized used diapers (AHPus). Results were presented, obtained from physical-chemical characterization of AHPam and AHPus (TGA, CHNS/O, proximate and ultimate analyses, XRF, ICP-AES, SEM-EDS), as well as from their devolatilizations at 500–600–700–800 °C under two different atmospheres (air plus nitrogen, or pure nitrogen as a reference). Generally, temperature influenced syngas composition the most, with better performances under pure nitrogen. At 700–800 °C under pure nitrogen, the highest syngas quality and yield were obtained. For AHPam and AHPus, respectively: (i) H 2 equaled 29.5 vol% and 23.7 vol%, while hydrocarbons equaled 14.8 vol% and 7.4 vol% on dry, dilution-free basis; (ii) 53.7 Nl and 46.0 Nl of syngas were produced, per 100 g of fuel. Overall, AHP emerged as an interesting fuel for thermochemical conversions.

Keywords: absorbent hygiene product; waste; gasification; devolatilization; pyrolysis; fluidized bed; diapers; cellulosic fraction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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