Thermal treatment and sanitation of waste to yield chars and gaseous fuels

Purpose and goal

The main aim of the project was to promote Dr. Stina Jansson´s scientific qualifications and future career development. In 2018, she spent a total of 6 months at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and at the University of Central Florida (UCF). This stay has laid the foundation for a well-established and long-term cooperation with NASA/KSC, UCF and the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), and is conducted within three main areas of collaboration.

Expected results and effects

The project is linked to NASA´s ´Trash-to-Gas´ project, which is part of their preparations for the journey to Mars and where the purpose has been the conversion of waste to gas. The VINNMER project has focused on the production of both char and gas, and the introduction of new technologies (torrefaction and microwave-assisted pyrolysis) to the evaluation made within ´Trash-to-Gas´. The research visit has already strengthened Dr. Jansson´s qualifications as a researcher and PI.

Planned approach and implementation

Thermal treatment of sorted waste fractions has been carried out at UmU. The sorting fractions have been based on so-called ´waste generation events´. In addition to the technologies we planned to use (torrefaction, microwave-assisted pyrolysis) we have treated wet/moist waste with hydrothermal carbonization. Material characterization and chemical analysis have been performed on all products (solid, liquid and gas) generated during thermal treatment.