Ricerc@Sapienza

Waste conversion into valuable chemical products seems to be a good overcoming strategy both for the fossil fuel resources employment and for the current inefficient waste management. The main step related to the production of chemical from waste is its thermochemical conversion via gasification process. Taking into account the variable composition of waste and its high ash amount, among others, the high temperature melting gasifier is the most suitable system for ensuring the required flexibility.

Currently the production of methanol from Refuse Derived Fuel, a derived product of Municipal Solid Waste, can be deemed as an excellent example of circular economy, by representing a promising alternative both to conventional methods of waste disposal and methanol production from fossil resources. High-temperature conversion of waste in syngas is the main step of the Waste-to-Methanol process. Unfortunately, produced syngas does not directly comply with the requirements for methanol synthesis, in that syngas purification and conditioning steps are required.