2024-08-30 
Lithuanian Energy Institute, Breslaujos st. 3, Kaunas. 330-AK aud. Author, Institution: Mindaugas Aikas , Lithuanian Energy Institute
Dissertation title: Investigation of solid waste treatment by utilising atmospheric pressure thermal plasma
Science area, field of science: Technological Sciences, Energetics and Power Engineering, T006.
Defense of the dissertation: 2024-08-30, 10:00 a.m., Lithuanian Energy Institute, 330-AK auditorium, Breslaujos st. 3, Kaunas, Lithuania.
Scientific Supervisor: Dr. Andrius Tamošiūnas (Lithuanian Energy Institute, Technological Sciences, Energetics and Power Engineering, T006).
DDissertation Defense Board of Energetics and Power Engineering Science Field:
- Chairperson – Prof. Dr. Hab. Algirdas Kaliatka (Lithuanian Energy Institute, Technological Sciences, Energetics and Power Engineering, T006)
- Dr. Robert Lewtak (Institute of Power Engineering – National Research Institute, Poland, Technological Sciences, Energetics and Power Engineering, T006)
- Prof. Dr. Juozas Padgurskas (Vytautas Magnus University, Technological Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, T009)
- Dr. Inna Pitak (Lithuanian Energy Institute, Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, T004)
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Robertas Poškas (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Energetics and Power Engineering, T006)
The doctoral dissertation is available online M. Aikas el. dissertation (PDF) and at the Library of Kaunas University of Technology (Gedimino st. 50, Kaunas) and at Lithuanian Energy Institute (Breslaujos st. 3, Kaunas).
Annotation:
Due to the increasing human population (6.97 billion in 2010, 7.82 billion in 2020), the demand and consumption of various consumer goods/products and the amount of generated waste are increasing. The need for public authorities to provide sufficient and sustainable waste management and disposal services is becoming increasingly important. EU waste management is based on the waste hierarchy principle (Directive 2008/98/EC). According to this directive, the aim is to reduce the amount of waste by reusing or recycling it. However, not all waste can be recycled or reused. Recycling or reusing waste also has a limited life cycle; after that, it must still be disposed of. At this stage, there is an opportunity for sustainable waste management through applying plasma gasification, where secondary higher-added value products (e.g., synthetic gas) are obtained from unsuitable reused or recycled waste while avoiding the formation of harmful secondary pollutants. These products can provide additional benefits in the further production of various chemicals, biofuels, electricity or thermal energy. The performed experimental research on solid waste (wood, refuse-derived fuel, and polypropylene from FFP2-type respirators) conversion using thermal plasma allowed determine the influence of the plasma-forming gas (water vapour) flow on the waste conversion process. The efficiency of the proposed plasma technology was also evaluated by calculating the energy and mass balance of the plasma gasification process for each selected material.