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Waste to Energy  Tekes Technology Programme
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GASIFICATION PLANT IN VARKAUS

Lauri Mäkipaja, Corenso Oy, P.O.Box 169, FIN-78201 Varkaus, Finland tel. +358 204 632 278, fax +358 204 632 140, lauri.makipaja@storaenso.com

Corenso United Oy Ltd has built a recycling plant in Varkaus at the end of 1995. The plant is specialized in utilising used beverage cartons. The beverage carton consists of fibre (70%) and plastic and aluminium foils (30%) . In Varkaus the fibre has been used for coreboard manufacture and the plastic/aluminium component was burnt in a steam boiler. However, the incineration had to be stopped, because the aluminium blocked the boiler. This caused an waste problem, which had to be solved in an ecologically and economically beneficial way.

In the start of development, Corenso surveyed different methods to solve aluminium problem. gasification proved to be the most realisable method. The basic studies were carried out in co-operation with VTT Processes and Foster Wheeler Energia Oy. A mill-scale test plant (10 MW) was also built. It was proved that aluminium can be recovered from plastic with the gasification process. The quality of the gas is also good,its heat value is high and it burns cleanly.

After these encouraging tests Corenso decided to build a new gafication plant in Varkaus. Its capacity is 40 MW and it will be commissioned in autumn 2000. Then used beverage cartons are utilised totally: The fibre is used in coreboard manufacture, the heat value of the plastic is recovered for electricity and heat generation, and hence, board production is more than self-sufficient in energy. Recovered aluminium substitudes for primary aluminium. and even metal impurities are separated and forwarded to recycling.

B.   Combustion and other use of recovered fuels, emissions