[Gasification] [Bioconversion] Conserve -- Run an Arcreformernow!!

[Tom Miles]

Peter,

Some of us are studying, designing, testing, installing or fixing operating
systems. For me that currently includes melters and plasma systems for
refuse derived fuel for utility clients, biomass gasifiers and pyrolysis
systems for industrial heat and power and small scale gasifiers. My opinions
are usually based on extensive research and direct experience.

Our comedian and journalist Will Rogers often prefaced his remarks by
saying, "All I know is what I read in the papers." Today many people would
have to say "all I know is what I read on the Internet." The internet and
internet sources don't have all the answers but discussions like this can
point to useful sources of experience and information. One serious problem
with internet sources, including promotional "white papers," is that they
are usually placed for public view by advocates for a system or technology
and have not been tested extensively in industry or subjected to critical
review. There's a lot of useless and misleading information on the internet.
(It would help if you and others would carefully review and synthesize
information rather than simply plastering URLS and news articles all over
the list.)    

As for plasma for gasification or reforming there are many technical
challenges to using plasma or arc furnaces for refuse or biomass
gasification starting with fuel feeding, gasification or pre-gasification,
separation of gas, solids and condensed vapors, gas cleanup, and catalysts
for synthesis to liquid fuels. There are no pilot systems in operation today
that can convince a power generator that plasma is not still in a very early
phase of development. If you can make a gas the weakest link in the
synthesis gas to liquid fuels field is the lack of catalysts that can be
used economically. 

There are people on this list who have much more direct experience with
melters and arc gasification than I do. They are not likely to comment
because they cannot. Their systems and technologies are proprietary. Over
the last 15 years our clients have built melters for special wastes -
medical, hazardous and electronic parts - which have a high enough disposal
cost to justify melting them and recovering the energy available in the gas.
The recovered electricity sometimes amounts to only about 60-80% of the
energy required to decompose the waste. There is a net energy cost to
building, owning and operating these systems that must be paid for by
something besides the electricity revenues. So while they may be fun to talk
about I don't think we'll see many in operation unless they promise to
reduce disposal costs.

Keep the faith and don't be so generous with the opinions. We'll all pretty
saturated with Peter posts. After a while people simply tune out the mass of
messages. When people stop listening you don't get answers no matter what
you say. 

Tom
                

> Oops -- if he is already "opined" against it -- will that effect
> potential
> ability to research this out??
> 
> Tom -- what is it with everyone running on faith and opinions these
> days --
> eh??
> 
> Peter/Belize
>