Solució LIFE ABATE

Important information

This project is co-funded by the European Union (EU). However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held liable.

The LIFE ABATE solution

In order to reduce the environmental and economic impact of mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) plants for municipal waste, the LIFE ABATE project proposes implementing an innovative scheme.

A large volume air stream (20,000 m3/h) but with a low VOC concentration is blown through a filter and a rotoconcentrator (RC), which concentrates the VOCs in the waste gas stream and reduces the flow requiring treatment by up to 10 times. This means that, for every 100,000 m3/h, only a concentrated stream of 10,000 m3/h need be treated. 

This concentrated stream is then treated in a regenerative thermal oxidiser (RTO), resulting in lower natural gas consumption in the MBT plants due to the greater VOC concentration. This reduces the use of natural resources, energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. 

Alternatively, the concentrated gaseous emissions after the RC can be treated in a two-phase biotrickling filter (2P-BTF). This approach improves the enhancement of hydrophobic VOCs compared to conventional biofilters, and also requires less space.

Finally, to close the process cycle, the CO2 emissions produced are used for greenhouse farming to store the CO2 and prevent emission into the atmosphere. 

Outline of the technological solution


 

Demonstration sites

Sites where the project will be implemented

  • Ecoparc 3, Barcelona


     

    Ecoparc 3, in Sant Adrià de Besòs, is the first site where the LIFE ABATE solution will be implemented, operated and demonstrated. 

    This MBT municipal waste plant has been in operation since 2006 and has a treatment capacity of 192,000 tonnes of MSW from the non-segregated fraction (grey container) per year. This means that it treats about 100,000 Nm3/h of VOC-laden gases.

    Although the solution will be demonstrated with a flow rate of 20,000 Nm3/h, once the project is completed, the intention is to scale it up to industrial levels where the air flow requiring treatment can be reduced tenfold. Thus, in Ecoparc 3, only 10,000 Nm3/h would need to be treated, instead of 100,000 Nm3/h.

  • Las Dehesas, Madrid


     

    Once the LIFE ABATE system has been tested at Ecoparc 3, the solution will be replicated at the Las Dehesas waste treatment centre, in Madrid. 

    This waste treatment centre, which opened in 2000, includes an MSW sorting plant for the source-separated organic fraction (brown container), which needs to treat approximately 165,000 Nm3/h of air. 

    As at Ecoparc 3, the semi-industrial scale demonstration will have a flow rate of 20,000 Nm3/h, the aim is to reduce tenfold the airflow requiring treatment. Thus, only about 16,000 Nm3/h would need to be treated at Las Dehesas instead of 165,000 Nm3/h.