Objective

Solid waste management in the combat theatre is a persistent challenge for the Department of Defense (DoD). Common solutions, such as open-pit burning, are detrimental to soldier health, safety, and the environment. MSW Power has developed a novel waste-to-energy system which provides a solution to open-pit burning and waste management in the combat theatre. The objective of this demonstration program was to demonstrate MSW Power’s solution in a realistic setting and validate its performance against of a variety of performance criteria.

Technology Description

MSW Power’s Battalion-Scale Waste-to-Energy Conversion (BWEC) system is a containerized, small-scale waste processing system which is capable of processing 2-4 tons/day of commingled waste materials, while producing electricity and heat for onsite use. The system conditions unsorted waste inputs to produce stable fuel pellets which are processed within a proprietary downdraft gasification system to convert the pellets into synthetic gas. This gas is combusted in a diesel generator to produce electricity. The system is energy positive and produces a net 60kWh of electricity at full-scale operation.

Demonstration Results

MSW Power shipped, deployed, and operated the BWEC system for three-months at Ft. Jackson, SC, processing real waste, generated by soldiers conducting training exercises. The system was evaluated for solid waste throughput, net electricity production, solid waste reduction, deployment speed/manpower, gaseous emissions, and system maintenance/ease of use. Economic analysis was performed to evaluate system lifecycle costs and return on investment. The BWEC system met the majority of its performance objectives, however performance gaps were identified in total solid waste reduction, system maintenance/ease of use, and system economics. Emissions results indicated passing scores across all metrics aside from oxides of nitrogen (NOx). MSW Power has identified what steps are necessary to overcome these performance gaps, including changes to system design to decrease maintenance costs and manpower which will improve system economics, and updates to the exhaust cleanup system to decrease NOx emissions.

Implementation Issues

The primary stakeholders affected by this demonstration are the members of the Weapons Systems & Platforms program of ESTCP and the U.S. Military, including product manager force sustainment, the DoD waste to energy workgroup, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and DoD Operational Energy. MSW Power expects the primary driving requirements for acceptance of a waste-to-energy system such as the BWEC to be four-fold: successful demonstration of waste reduction, ability to produce power for local use, ability to set up and teardown the BWEC system with limited manpower, and the ability for the system to operate for extended periods of time reliably with limited maintenance. While the BWEC currently meets most of these requirements, some engineering improvements are needed to reduce maintenance costs and improve system economics. The system will also need to meet environmental and safety regulations, and MSW Power will need to enhance manufacturing and production capabilities to support technology transfer in the future.