The Burning of Automotive Shredder Residue (ASR) Using Fluidised Bed Technology

The objective of this work was to demonstrate the feasibility and the environmental performance of FBC technology to burn a fluff fraction of an ASR from a Portuguese vehicle dismantling plant. The combustion studies were carried out on the pilot installation of INETI. The results obtained suggest that the Portuguese ASR has a very high mineral content (70%) and the combustion had to be sustained with the use of an auxiliary fuel (propane); the combustion efficiency was very high; the gaseous pollutants could easily be controlled below the permitted limits and sulphur and chlorine emissions were low. ASR could give rise to some fluidizing problems due to the accumulation of ashes in the bed, therefore, it is essential that a more efficient metal separation method to be used during dismantling process; there was an enrichment of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Mn and Zn) on ashes retained in the cyclones, specially in the smaller particle size range (less then 10 μm); however the ashes did not have tendency for leaching.