Solid Recovered Fuel: Difference between revisions

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[[Category:Tonnage & Waste Types]]

[[Solid Recovered Fuel]] ([[SRF]]) is distinct from [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] ([[RDF]]) in that its quality as a fuel is far superior. It is typically used in processes that require a high quality, small particle size, high [[Calorific Value]], low [[Moisture Content]] material – such as [[Cement Kilns]] and new-generation [[ATT]] plants. There is a move in the UK towards the production of pellets from [[SRF]] for subsequent use in industrial processes.

[[Solid Recovered Fuel]] ([[SRF]]) is a type of [[Waste Derived Fuel]] but is distinct from [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] ([[RDF]]) in that its quality as a fuel is far superior. It is typically used in processes that require a high quality, small particle size, high [[Calorific Value]], low [[Moisture Content]] material – such as [[Cement Kilns]] and new-generation [[ATT]] plants. There is a move in the UK towards the production of pellets from [[SRF]] for subsequent use in industrial processes.

==Context==

[[Solid Recovered Fuel]] ([[SRF]]) is distinct from [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] ([[RDF]]) in that its quality as a fuel is far superior. It is typically used in processes that require a high quality, small particle size, high [[Calorific Value]], low [[Moisture Content]] material – such as [[Cement Kilns]] and new-generation [[ATT]] plants. There is a move in the UK towards the production of pellets from [[SRF]] for subsequent use in industrial processes.

[[Solid Recovered Fuel]] ([[SRF]]) is a type of [[Waste Derived Fuel]] but is distinct from [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] ([[RDF]]) in that its quality as a fuel is far superior. It is typically used in processes that require a high quality, small particle size, high [[Calorific Value]], low [[Moisture Content]] material – such as [[Cement Kilns]] and new-generation [[ATT]] plants. There is a move in the UK towards the production of pellets from [[SRF]] for subsequent use in industrial processes.

Solid Recovered Fuels are covered by international technical specifications which set, amongst other parameters, the chemical and physical parameters of an [[SRF]] <ref>[https://www.iso.org/committee/5960430.html] ISO/TC 300 Solid Recovered Fuels </ref>

Data for [[Cement Kilns]] in UK suggests that around 400,000 tonnes of [[SRF]] was used as a [[WDF]] in 2019 and 2020.

Solid Recovered Fuels are covered by international technical specifications which set, amongst other parameters, the chemical and physical parameters of an [[SRF]] <ref>[https://www.iso.org/committee/5960430.html] ISO/TC 300 Solid Recovered Fuels </ref>. For the purposes of legislation, though, [[SRF]] remains a waste (unless stringent End of Waste Criteria can be met) and so users of the fuel have to comply with the [[IED]] which has superseded [[WID]].

==Composition of Solid Recovered Fuel==

The composition of [[SRF]] is defined in the international specification set out above, but often an [[SRF]] in the UK can be a more refined [[RDF]] rather than something that complies entirely with the specification standard. The main chemical parameters that vary between an [[RDF]] and [[SRF]] ~~mentioned above~~ are ~~broadly as follows (for more detail see page on~~ [[~~Refuse Derived Fuel~~]]:

The composition of [[SRF]] is defined in the international specification set out above, but often an [[SRF]] in the UK can be a more refined [[RDF]] rather than something that complies entirely with the specification standard. The main chemical parameters that vary between an [[RDF]] and [[SRF]] are [[Calorific Value]] and [[Moisture Content]], and the table below shows a comparison between [[RDF]] and [[SRF]] based upon a range of specification sheets for illustration.

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! ~~Parameter~~ !! [[RDF~~]] Example~~ !! [[SRF~~]] Example~~

!Measure!!Units!!RDF!!SRF</th></tr>

|-

|Net Calorific Value||MJ/kg (as received)||10 - 15||>18.5

|-

|Moisture||wt% (dry basis)||<25||<15

|-

|Biomass Content<ref>Not generally defined for exports to EU (no biomass requirements.)</ref>||wt% (dry basis)||>65||>65

|-

|Ash Content||wt% (dry basis)||<20||<15

|-

|Sulphur||wt% (dry basis)||<0.5||<0.5

|-

|Nitrogen||wt% (dry basis)||<0.8||<0.8

|-

|Lead||mg/kg||<100||<80

|-

|Chlorine CI||wt% (dry basis)||<0.1||<0.6

|-

|Zinc<ref name="rdf1">Not generally defined in a fuel spec</ref>||wt% (dry basis)|| || 

|-

|Sodium and Potassium<ref name="rdf1"/>||wt% (dry basis)|| || 

|-

|Mercury||mg/kg||<1||<0.6

|-

|Nickel||mg/kg||<100||<100

|-

|Thallium||mg/kg||<10||<10

|-

|Ferrous and non-ferrous metals||wt% (dry basis)||<3||<1

|-

|Non combustible material||wt% (dry basis)||<10||<5

|-

|Glass||wt% (dry basis)||<2||<1

|-

|Dust <1mm||wt% (dry basis)||<5||<5

|-

| ~~Net [[CV]]~~ || ~~11 MJ~~/kg || ~~18 MJ/kg~~

|Bulk Density (loose)||kg/m3||100 - 175||185

|-

| [[~~Moisture Content~~]] || ~~25% |~~| ~~15%~~

|Particle Size (max dimension)||mm||300||<40

|}

Chlorine is a particular issue due to its tendency to form [[wikipedia:Hydrochloric acid | Hydrochloric Acid]] in an energy recovery process, which then requires specific abatement/clean-up technologies. With limited such arrangements in [[Cement Kilns]] this means that they generally have a lower tolerance for Chlorine closer in spec to an [[SRF]]. In addition, the use of any [[Waste Derived Fuel]] in [[Cement Kilns]] has the potential to impact the final quality of the cement produced, and so the composition is critical in the decision to use it in such an application in terms of the ash content of the [[SRF]] fuel.

==Background to Export of Refuse Derived Fuel and Solid Recovered Fuel ==

The movement of [[WDF]] from the UK, primarily in the EU, commenced in c.2010 and progressively grew up until around 2016 driven by supply-demand and [[Landfill Tax|landfill tax]] in the UK and the economics and spare capacity of [[EfW]] plants in the EU. From around 2017 tonnages for export started to drop, with more pronounced drops from 2018 as the supply-demand patterns changed in the UK, some EU countries started to implement taxation on [[EfW]] and the cost and complexities of transportation following [[wikipedia :brexit|Brexit]] increased. The two charts below show the overall patterns of export and whilst the data clearly shows the drop in [[RDF]] tonnage, the tonnage of [[SRF]] shows a more stable export position from 2018 of around 400,000 tonnes a year.

{|class="wikitable"

|-

| ~~Chlorine~~ || ~~<1%~~ || <0.6%

|[[File:CIWM Curve.png|500px|center|CIWM Presidential Report 2018 – RDF Trading in a Modern World]]|| [[File:RDF and SRF Export.png|450px|center|RDF and SRF Export - analysis of EA data by Monksleigh]]

|-

| ~~Particle Size~~ || ~~300mm || 40mm~~

| '''[[CIWM]] Presidential Report (2018) Showing Grow in [[RDF]] and [[SRF]] Export'''<ref>[https://www.circularonline.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/downloads/RDF-Trading-in-a-Modern-World-Summary-Findings.pdf CIWM Presidential Report 2018 Summary of Findings pdf]</ref>|| '''Analysis by Monksleigh of [[RDF]] and [[SRF]] Exports from England from [[EA]] Data'''

|}

Chlorine is a particular issue due to its tendency to form [[wikipedia:Hydrochloric acid | Hydrochloric Acid]] in an energy recovery process, which then requires specific abatement/clean-up technologies. With limited such arrangements in [[Cement Kilns]] this means that they generally have a lower tolerance for Chlorine closer in a final specification [[RDF]] or [[SRF]]. In addition, the use of any [[Waste Derived Fuel]] in [[Cement Kilns]] has the potential to impact the final quality of the cement produced, and so the composition of an [[RDF]] or [[SRF]] is critical in the decision to use it in such an application in terms of the ash content of the [[RDF]]/[[SRF]].

~~==Export of Solid Recovered Fuel==~~

Moving [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] and [[Solid Recovered Fuel]] from the UK abroad requires compliance with the [[Transfrontier Shipment Regulations]] ([[TFS]]) and in simple terms requires an application for movement to be made to the relevant authorities that requires a number of key measures to be satisfied before this can occur. It also requires the user of the fuel to be classified as an [[R1]] facility.

~~Whilst the data reported for 2019 suggests in excess of 400,000 tonnes of~~ [[~~RDF~~]] and [[~~SRF]] were used in [[Cement Kilns]] in the UK, there has been a growing and steady export market since 2014 for [[SRF]] into cement kilns. Whilst the export of [[SRF~~]] from the UK ~~is often reported within~~ the ~~overall~~ [[~~Waste Derived Fuel~~]]/[[~~RDF~~]] ~~statistics, data~~ for ~~England alone from~~ the ~~[[EA]] shows~~ a ~~proportional growth in [[SRF]] export in~~ the ~~context~~ of ~~a reduction in~~ [[~~RDF~~]]~~, as shown in the graph below~~.

~~[[File:RDF and~~ SRF Export~~.png|450px|center|RDF and SRF~~ Export ~~- analysis of EA data by Monksleigh]]~~

==Annual SRF Export from England==

to add

===Month on Month Export===

to add

===Year on Year Differences===

to add

===Exporters===

to add

==Nascent [[SRF]] Pellet Market==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Category:Tonnage & Waste Types]]
-[[Solid Recovered Fuel]] ([[SRF]]) is distinct from [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] ([[RDF]]) in that its quality as a fuel is far superior. It is typically used in processes that require a high quality, small particle size, high [[Calorific Value]], low [[Moisture Content]] material – such as [[Cement Kilns]] and new-generation [[ATT]] plants. There is a move in the UK towards the production of pellets from [[SRF]] for subsequent use in industrial processes.
+[[Solid Recovered Fuel]] ([[SRF]]) is a type of [[Waste Derived Fuel]] but is distinct from [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] ([[RDF]]) in that its quality as a fuel is far superior. It is typically used in processes that require a high quality, small particle size, high [[Calorific Value]], low [[Moisture Content]] material – such as [[Cement Kilns]] and new-generation [[ATT]] plants. There is a move in the UK towards the production of pellets from [[SRF]] for subsequent use in industrial processes.
 [[File:Picture of SRF.png|200px|left|Picture of loose SRF, source Geminor all rights reserved]]__TOC__
 <br clear='left/>
 ==Context==
-[[Solid Recovered Fuel]] ([[SRF]]) is distinct from [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] ([[RDF]]) in that its quality as a fuel is far superior. It is typically used in processes that require a high quality, small particle size, high [[Calorific Value]], low [[Moisture Content]] material – such as [[Cement Kilns]] and new-generation [[ATT]] plants. There is a move in the UK towards the production of pellets from [[SRF]] for subsequent use in industrial processes.
+[[Solid Recovered Fuel]] ([[SRF]]) is a type of [[Waste Derived Fuel]] but is distinct from [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] ([[RDF]]) in that its quality as a fuel is far superior. It is typically used in processes that require a high quality, small particle size, high [[Calorific Value]], low [[Moisture Content]] material – such as [[Cement Kilns]] and new-generation [[ATT]] plants. There is a move in the UK towards the production of pellets from [[SRF]] for subsequent use in industrial processes.
-Solid Recovered Fuels are covered by international technical specifications which set, amongst other parameters, the chemical and physical parameters of an [[SRF]] <ref>[https://www.iso.org/committee/5960430.html] ISO/TC 300 Solid Recovered Fuels </ref>
+Data for [[Cement Kilns]] in UK suggests that around 400,000 tonnes of [[SRF]] was used as a [[WDF]] in 2019 and 2020.
+Solid Recovered Fuels are covered by international technical specifications which set, amongst other parameters, the chemical and physical parameters of an [[SRF]] <ref>[https://www.iso.org/committee/5960430.html] ISO/TC 300 Solid Recovered Fuels </ref>. For the purposes of legislation, though, [[SRF]] remains a waste (unless stringent End of Waste Criteria can be met) and so users of the fuel have to comply with the [[IED]] which has superseded [[WID]].
 ==Composition of Solid Recovered Fuel==
-The composition of [[SRF]] is defined in the international specification set out above, but often an [[SRF]] in the UK can be a more refined [[RDF]] rather than something that complies entirely with the specification standard. The main chemical parameters that vary between an [[RDF]] and [[SRF]] mentioned above are broadly as follows (for more detail see page on [[Refuse Derived Fuel]]:
+The composition of [[SRF]] is defined in the international specification set out above, but often an [[SRF]] in the UK can be a more refined [[RDF]] rather than something that complies entirely with the specification standard. The main chemical parameters that vary between an [[RDF]] and [[SRF]] are [[Calorific Value]] and [[Moisture Content]], and the table below shows a comparison between [[RDF]] and [[SRF]] based upon a range of specification sheets for illustration.
 {| class="wikitable"
 |-
-! Parameter !! [[RDF]] Example !! [[SRF]] Example
+!Measure!!Units!!RDF!!SRF</th></tr>
+|-
+|Net Calorific Value||MJ/kg (as received)||10 - 15||>18.5
+|-
+|Moisture||wt% (dry basis)||<25||<15
+|-
+|Biomass Content<ref>Not generally defined for exports to EU (no biomass requirements.)</ref>||wt% (dry basis)||>65||>65
+|-
+|Ash Content||wt% (dry basis)||<20||<15
+|-
+|Sulphur||wt% (dry basis)||<0.5||<0.5
+|-
+|Nitrogen||wt% (dry basis)||<0.8||<0.8
+|-
+|Lead||mg/kg||<100||<80
+|-
+|Chlorine CI||wt% (dry basis)||<0.1||<0.6
+|-
+|Zinc<ref name="rdf1">Not generally defined in a fuel spec</ref>||wt% (dry basis)||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
+|-
+|Sodium and Potassium<ref name="rdf1"/>||wt% (dry basis)||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
+|-
+|Mercury||mg/kg||<1||<0.6
+|-
+|Nickel||mg/kg||<100||<100
+|-
+|Thallium||mg/kg||<10||<10
+|-
+|Ferrous and non-ferrous metals||wt% (dry basis)||<3||<1
+|-
+|Non combustible material||wt% (dry basis)||<10||<5
+|-
+|Glass||wt% (dry basis)||<2||<1
+|-
+|Dust <1mm||wt% (dry basis)||<5||<5
 |-
-| Net [[CV]] || 11 MJ/kg || 18 MJ/kg
+|Bulk Density (loose)||kg/m3||100 - 175||185
 |-
-| [[Moisture Content]] || 25% || 15%
+|Particle Size (max dimension)||mm||300||<40
+|}
+Chlorine is a particular issue due to its tendency to form [[wikipedia:Hydrochloric acid | Hydrochloric Acid]] in an energy recovery process, which then requires specific abatement/clean-up technologies. With limited such arrangements in [[Cement Kilns]] this means that they generally have a lower tolerance for Chlorine closer in spec to an [[SRF]]. In addition, the use of any [[Waste Derived Fuel]] in [[Cement Kilns]] has the potential to impact the final quality of the cement produced, and so the composition is critical in the decision to use it in such an application in terms of the ash content of the [[SRF]] fuel.
+==Background to Export of Refuse Derived Fuel and Solid Recovered Fuel ==
+The movement of [[WDF]] from the UK, primarily in the EU, commenced in c.2010 and progressively grew up until around 2016 driven by supply-demand and [[Landfill Tax|landfill tax]] in the UK and the economics and spare capacity of [[EfW]] plants in the EU. From around 2017 tonnages for export started to drop, with more pronounced drops from 2018 as the supply-demand patterns changed in the UK, some EU countries started to implement taxation on [[EfW]] and the cost and complexities of transportation following [[wikipedia :brexit|Brexit]] increased. The two charts below show the overall patterns of export and whilst the data clearly shows the drop in [[RDF]] tonnage, the tonnage of [[SRF]] shows a more stable export position from 2018 of around 400,000 tonnes a year.
+{|class="wikitable"
 |-
-| Chlorine || <1% || <0.6%
+|[[File:CIWM Curve.png|500px|center|CIWM Presidential Report 2018 – RDF Trading in a Modern World]]|| [[File:RDF and SRF Export.png|450px|center|RDF and SRF Export - analysis of EA data by Monksleigh]]
 |-
-| Particle Size || 300mm || 40mm
+| '''[[CIWM]] Presidential Report (2018) Showing Grow in [[RDF]] and [[SRF]] Export'''<ref>[https://www.circularonline.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/downloads/RDF-Trading-in-a-Modern-World-Summary-Findings.pdf CIWM Presidential Report 2018 Summary of Findings pdf]</ref>|| '''Analysis by Monksleigh of [[RDF]] and [[SRF]] Exports from England from [[EA]] Data'''
 |}
-Chlorine is a particular issue due to its tendency to form [[wikipedia:Hydrochloric acid | Hydrochloric Acid]] in an energy recovery process, which then requires specific abatement/clean-up technologies. With limited such arrangements in [[Cement Kilns]] this means that they generally have a lower tolerance for Chlorine closer in a final specification [[RDF]] or [[SRF]]. In addition, the use of any [[Waste Derived Fuel]] in [[Cement Kilns]] has the potential to impact the final quality of the cement produced, and so the composition of an [[RDF]] or [[SRF]] is critical in the decision to use it in such an application in terms of the ash content of the [[RDF]]/[[SRF]].
-==Export of Solid Recovered Fuel==
+Moving [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] and [[Solid Recovered Fuel]] from the UK abroad requires compliance with the [[Transfrontier Shipment Regulations]] ([[TFS]]) and in simple terms requires an application for movement to be made to the relevant authorities that requires a number of key measures to be satisfied before this can occur. It also requires the user of the fuel to be classified as an [[R1]] facility.
-Whilst the data reported for 2019 suggests in excess of 400,000 tonnes of [[RDF]] and [[SRF]] were used in [[Cement Kilns]] in the UK, there has been a growing and steady export market since 2014 for [[SRF]] into cement kilns. Whilst the export of [[SRF]] from the UK is often reported within the overall [[Waste Derived Fuel]]/[[RDF]] statistics, data for England alone from the [[EA]] shows a proportional growth in [[SRF]] export in the context of a reduction in [[RDF]], as shown in the graph below.
-[[File:RDF and SRF Export.png|450px|center|RDF and SRF Export - analysis of EA data by Monksleigh]]
+==Annual SRF Export from England==
+to add
+===Month on Month Export===
+to add
+===Year on Year Differences===
+to add
+===Exporters===
+to add
 ==Nascent [[SRF]] Pellet Market==