Incineration and pyrolysis are both ways of breaking down carbon-containing waste into different compounds. But what’s the difference between incineration and pyrolysis? It is crucial to choose the right treatment, so this must be a question of great concern to many customers want to figure out.
What are the differences between pyrolysis and incineration?
Although incineration and pyrolysis are both ways to dispose of solid waste, there are huge differences between waste incineration plant and waste pyrolysis plant.
| Descrption | Pyrolysis | Incineration |
| Equipment and Cost | A pyrolysis furnace takes advantage of the principle of high-temperature reaction to decompose organic substances into gases and liquids. | Incinerators take advantage of high-temperature acidification reactions to make waste into carbon dioxide and water vapor, |
| Reaction Environment | Pyrolysis occurs without oxygen in an inert atmosphere | Incineration requires oxygen |
| Temperature | pyrolysis occurs at lower temperatures from 400 to 1000°C. | Incineration requires high temperatures above 850 to 1000°C. |
| Environmental impact | Pyrolysis is considered more environmentally friendly to the environment. | Incineration can produce air pollutants like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter.These are harmful to the environment. |
| Applications | Pyrolysis is usually used for organic waste disposal and recycling such as tire, plastic, rubber and energy production. | Incineration is commonly used in industrial waste disposal, medical waste disposal, and hazardous waste disposal. |
| Final product | Incineration can produce air pollutants like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. These are harmful to the environment. | The final products of incineration are mainly ash, CO2, and water. |
Equipment And Cost
The most important equipment for pyrolysis and incineration is the pyrolysis furnace and incinerator. Pyrolysis furnaces and incinerators are also used for the disposal of solid waste, but the principles and characteristics of the two are different. A pyrolysis furnace takes advantage of the principle of high-temperature reaction to decompose organic substances into gases and liquids. Incinerators take advantage of high-temperature acidification reactions to make waste into carbon dioxide and water vapor, while generating heat for electricity generation or heating.
The following is the equipment used for incineration.
| Key machine | description |
| Waste crusher | It is used for waste production in the process of industrial production. |
| Waste incinerator | It disposes of waste through high temperature centralized incineration. |
| Gas cooler | It disposes of waste through high-temperature centralized incineration. |
| Dust collector | It is to ensure that the exhaust gas meets the environmental protection standards. |
- Purchasing a waste incinerator with a processing capacity of 100 tons per day is about $280000.
- Purchasing waste heat power generation equipment is a total of $140000.
- Other equipment procurement costs including warehousing equipment and transportation equipment are expected to total $7000.
- The approximate total cost is $427000.
The following is the equipment used for pyrolysis.
| Key machine | description |
| Pyrolysis feeder | It is used for material that is transported from the outside to the pyrolysis furnace |
| Pyrolysis furnace | Solid waste is heated and decomposed by an external heat source. |
| Pyrolysis cooler | After pyrolysis, it takes advantage of air generated by the blower to cool. |
| Gas treatment | It is designed to convert solid waste into reusable resources through pyrolysis. |
There are two main types of pyrolysis equipment commonly available on the market:
- Intermittent pyrolysis plant, which costs about $32,000-$75,000;
- Continuous pyrolysis plant, which costs about $300,000-$600,000.
- The cost is only an estimate, and it’s different according to the different capacities of the pyrolysis plant.
Reaction Environment
- Though both are thermal processes, pyrolysis is produced under anaerobic or anoxic conditions, It takes advantage of the heat that makes the bond of the compound broken and turns large molecular weight organic matter into small molecular weight fuel gas, liquid and solid residues.
- Incineration is produced under conditions of sufficient oxygen. It converts waste into carbon dioxide and water by combustion.
Temperature
- Incineration requires very high temperatures above 850 to 1000°C. Incineration requires a higher temperature than pyrolysis to achieve the goal of fully burning and destroying harmful substances in the garbage. During the incineration, the proper temperature not only helps the waste to burn completely, but also reduces the emission of harmful gases.
- In pyrolysis, the process occurs at lower temperatures from 400 to 1000°C. The temperature of pyrolysis should be controlled at a high level to ensure that organic matter can be fully decomposed. At the same time, the temperatures should avoid secondary reactions because of excessive temperature.
Environmental impact
- Incineration can produce air pollutants like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter, as well as toxic ash residue. These are harmful to the environment.
- Pyrolysis is considered more environmentally friendly than landfilling for contaminated mixed plastic waste. Pyrolysis is considered more environmentally friendly than incineration, it produces pyrolysis oil, combustion gas and carbon black, these products could be recycled in many ways and are less harmful to the environment.
Applications
- Pyrolysis is usually used for organic waste disposal and recycling waste tires, plastic, rubber and energy production.
- Incineration is commonly used in industrial waste disposal, medical waste disposal, and hazardous waste disposal.
Final product
- For waste tires, plastics and rubber, the final products of pyrolysis are mainly pyrolysis oil, carbon black, combustion gas, etc.
- The final products of incineration are mainly ash, CO2, and water, and the heat generated by incineration can be used for heating and electricity generation.
What do pyrolysis and incineration have in common?
- Decay of organic matter: Incineration and pyrolysis are both ways of breaking down carbon-containing waste into different compounds.
- Thermal process: Incineration and pyrolysis are heat processes. The heat is used to process the waste and trigger chemical reactions.
- Gas generation: This two-way produces gas as the final product. Synthesis gas produced by pyrolysis is used for collecting as fuel. The gas produced by incineration is harmful to health and is not used. Before it is released into the environment, it must be purified to remove pollution and particulate matter.
- Reduce rubbish: Incineration and pyrolysis could greatly reduce landfills.
Is incineration or pyrolysis right for you?
There is a big difference between incineration and pyrolysis. While incineration offers a method for solid waste treatment, It emits harmful gases and raises environmental concerns. On the other hand, Pyrolysis provides a more sustainable approach. It converts waste into energy and minimizes harm. Moreover, The cost of pyrolysis is lower, the pyrolysis equipment does not require a complex heat recovery system, and the emissions and other pollutants released by pyrolysis are few or negligible, which reduces the cost of late treatment. The decision to use pyrolysis or incineration for waste management should be based on a thorough financial, technical, and environmental analysis.
Through the above comparison, You’ve found the advantages and disadvantages of two types of solid waste disposal. AGICO GROUP is a professional pyrolysis and incineration plant manufacturer that not only provides incineration solutions and related equipment but also offers pyrolysis solutions and related equipment. If you are considering using a pyrolysis plant or incineration plant to treat solid waste, you can contact us at any time.
