Novel and innovative thermal process for energy efficient and environmentally sound fluff disposal

Car manufacturers recycle many of the materials from wrecked vehicles, but the landfill disposal of the lighter components (Automobile Shredder Residue or fluff) is increasingly difficult and new effort is necessary to found alternative pathways for fluff disposal. In addition the ASR waste stream itself is so variable that it cannot be automatically assumed that processes developed for one typology of ASR are suitable for the other similar waste streams. The main objective of the present research work was thus to evaluate both the process performance and characteristics of the products obtained from the thermal treatment of different automobile shredder residue using a full scale thermal valorization plant. The plant, initially designed for tyres thermo-valorization, was appositively modified in order to also treat fluff. ASR samples, and evolved gas composition were analyzed through both on-line monitoring (gas) and laboratory analysis. Energy recovery, mass reduction balance, and organic and inorganic contaminants characterization of flue gas were carried out as well.