Small waste incinerators generate power by first burning waste to create heat, which then boils water in a boiler to produce high-pressure steam. This steam drives a turbine connected to a generator, producing electricity, and is a common method of waste-to-energy (WtE) conversion.
Here's a step-by-step breakdown of the principle:
- Waste Combustion: Waste is fed into a combustion chamber where it burns in the presence of oxygen at high temperatures.
Key Components & Concepts:
- Boiler:
- A crucial component that uses the heat from waste combustion to generate steam.
Heat Generation: The combustion process releases a significant amount of heat.
Steam Production: This heat is used to boil water in a boiler, converting it into high-temperature, high-pressure steam.
Turbine Operation: The steam is then directed to a steam turbine, causing its blades to spin.
Electricity Generation: The rotating turbine is connected to an electric generator, which converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Steam Condensation: After passing through the turbine, the low-pressure steam is condensed back into water to be reused in the boiler, completing the cycle.
Heat Exchanger:
A device that captures the heat from the incinerator's hot gases to heat the water in the boiler.
Steam Turbine:
A device with spinning blades that convert the energy of the steam into mechanical (rotational) energy.
Generator:
Attached to the turbine, this converts the mechanical energy into electricity.
Energy Recovery:
The entire process is a form of energy recovery, turning the chemical energy stored in the waste into useful electricity.
