Activated carbon production from RDF and its use for dioxin removal from flue gas of waste incinerators

 The aims of this study were to produce activated carbon from refuse derived fuel (RDF) and to examine its efficiency in dioxins and furans (PCDD/F) removal for application in the adsorptive processes of waste incineration. 

 In the present study the RDF was carbonized at 600°C to produce char and the char was then steam activated at 900°C to generate activated carbon (AC). The efficiency of the produced AC in PCDD/F removal from simulated flue gas was investigated using a bench scale static-bed reactor. Experiments were conducted under flue gas stream at 275°C using a standard flyash (BCR-490) as a source of PCDD/F. The PCDD/F content of the exhaust gas was trapped by XAD-II resin, and after extraction and clean-up processes, were analyzed using a GC coupled with a triple quadrupole mass spectrophotometer (MS). 

 The results showed an overall reduction of 85% and 43% in the flue gas concentration of PCDD and PCDF, respectively, which compared favourably with a commercial AC. In addition, reduction was varied throughout the congener groups of these compounds. 

 The AC derived from the pyrolysis of RDF therefore shows potential as a control material for dioxins and furans in waste combustion process.