An electric arc is an electrical breakdown of a gas which produces an ongoing plasma discharge, resulting from a current flowing through normally nonconductive media such as air. Arc-plasma gasification is a waste treatment technology that uses high electrical energy and high temperature created by an electrical arc gasifier. This arc breaks down waste primarily into elemental gas and solid waste (inert ash), in a device called a plasma converter. The process has been intended to be a net generator of electricity, depending upon composition input wastes, and to reduce the volumes of waste being sent to landfill sites.

Relatively high voltage, high amperage electricity is passed between two electrodes, spaced apart, creating an electrical arc. Inert gas (air or inert gases under pressure) is passed through the arc into a sealed containment containing waste material, temperatures as high as 3,000°C (5,500°F) are reached in the arc. At these temperatures most types of waste are broken into basic elemental components in a gaseous form, and complex molecules are atomized separating them into individual atoms.

The reactor operates at a slightly negative pressure, meaning that the feed system is complemented by a gaseous removal system, and later a solid removal system. Depending on the input waste (plastics tend to be high in hydrogen and carbon), gas from the plasma containment can be removed as Syngas, and may be refined into various fuels at a later stage. From Wikipedia.

The adaptiveARC Solution

Though the science is old and the problem of landfill seemingly large, there have been few implementations of this technology to date. We believe there are several largely economic reasons for this:

• Systems for municipal scale are typically single-point solutions. That is, a team of contract engineers design a single site with little opportunity for the cost reductions associated with mass production and implementation.
• Single-point solutions do not accommodate for refinements in the technology. Upgradability is not built into these systems.
• Return on investments are not calculated to benefit the primary beneficiaries.
• There is little opportunity to take small steps. Single-point solutions require large investments and massive commitments. There's no opportunity to "test the waters".
• Ongoing maintenance and operations lie completely with the landfill. It's not likely that a landfill will have the ongoing resources that this high-technology approach will require in the indefinite time frame.

Inert Ash

The solid material that is produced as a by-product of the conversion of Municipal Solid Waste is an inert, sand-like material that is valuable and saleable as a construction material which can be used as road aggregate, asphalt or in the production of concrete.

By weight, 1 tonne of MSW is expected to generate approximately 150 kg of solid residue. On a volumetric basis, the facility will generate approximately 1 truck of ash for every 125 trucks of waste coming into the plant!

Plasma gasification achieves a very high waste volume reduction regardless of waste type, requires no fossil fuel input, and results in lower pollution than conventional incineration. It produces two useful by-products — inert ash for use as a construction material, and syngas for power generation. Currently with limited commercial use, there is potential for widening its foothold in waste management.

Simple & Friendly

Arc Plasma gasification of MSW is an environmentally friendly process that provides waste destruction while producing energy. The process uses electricity and high-pressure air to create plasma, the fourth state of matter, with temperatures reaching 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, exceeding temperatures at the surface of the Sun. These high temperatures promote rapid and complete gasification of all feed materials, resulting in gases that are then used to generate electricity.