Harnessing waste-to-energy potential from plastic waste co-incineration

The development of civilization has resulted in increasing waste, including plastic. Strict legal regulations enforce the limitation of waste storage. The best neutralization method is thermal utilization, with the possibility of heat recovery. The primary objective of this paper is to conduct a novel analysis of the results of thermal tests in the air for selected polyamide, biomass, coal sludge, hard coal, and fly ashes wastes and their mixtures using thermo-gravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, and mass spectrometry. The focus is particularly on the exothermic effect and CO₂ emission from the combustion of these waste mixtures. This unique approach to waste management research promises to shed new light on the thermal behavior of waste materials and their environmental impact. Adding fly ashes significantly reduces exothermic effects, while including biomass, coal, and coal sludge wastes in the plastic notably amplifies exothermic effects. Adding coal sludge, biomass, and fly ash to the plastic waste substantially decreases CO₂ emissions. However, supplementing hard coal with this plastic waste leads to a marked increase in CO₂ emissions, albeit still lower than coal alone. These findings underscore the crucial role of waste composition in the exothermic effects and CO₂ emissions during combustion. The innovation of the article results from the combination of experimental thermal research with the use of artificial intelligence to model thermal effects and CO₂ emissions. The paper introduces the fuzzy logic methods-based model, which enables the estimation of total exothermic impact and CO₂ emissions. Due to the absence of such tools, the developed Single Input and Multiple Outputs model brings a new framework for managing thermal processes in waste-to-energy systems. The model delivers new optimization functionalities for sustainable development and increased energy efficiency within the net-zero emissions strategy by providing insights into the energy potential and environmental implications essential for combating climate change, which is vital in the energy discipline.