RDF Fuel Production and Feeding Lines

RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel), also known as solid recovered fuel, is a processed waste-derived fuel containing high-energy components including plastics, paper products, cardboard, textiles, rubber materials, leather, wood, and other combustible waste fractions.

RDF Fuel Specifications:

• Calorific value: 20,000 ± 2,000 kJ/kg
• Particle size: ~20-25 mm
• Hazardous components: Strictly controlled below permissible limits
• Energy equivalent: 1.7 kg RDF = 1 m³ of natural gas

Industrial Applications:

• RDF serves as primary or supplementary fuel in:
  • Cement kilns
  • Power plants (CHP)
  • Metallurgical furnaces

Cement Industry Case Study. Cement production requires extreme temperatures (>2000°C) with substantial energy inputs:

• Traditional fuels: 60-130 kg of heavy fuel oil (or equivalent gas) + 105 kWh electricity per ton of cement
• Energy costs: Up to 40% of total production expenses

RDF implementation benefits:

• Replaces 30-60% of natural gas in operational kilns
• Reduces cement production costs
• Maintains product quality standards

Environmental Advantages vs MSW Incineration. Cement kilns' ultra-high temperatures (~1700°C):

• Virtually eliminate harmful emissions
• Outperform waste incineration plants in emission control
• Achieve complete combustion of organic compounds

Production Requirements:

Waste Preprocessing:

• Essential for homogenizing mixed MSW into RDF feedstock
• Requires advanced sorting systems for consistent quality

Automated Sorting Advantages:

• Optical scanning technology delivers: 98% material recovery accuracy, exclusion of hazardous components (e.g., chlorinated materials)

Superior to manual sorting in:

• Throughput (10M identifications/second)
• Final RDF purity

Implementation Recommendation

Retrofitting existing MSW sorting facilities with automated systems:

• Ensures RDF meets cement industry specifications
• Optimizes recovery of high-calorific fractions
• Eliminates non-combustible contaminants