Asian Journal of Physics Vol. 33, Nos 3 & 4 (2025) 127-139

Potential of atmospheric pressure thermal plasma technology towards waste processing: A comprehensive review

Tejashwi Rana, Aishik Basu Mallick, Radhika T P, Suryasunil Rath, Pratyay Chattopadhyay and Satyananda Kar

Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110 016, India

Dedicated to Prof P K Kaw

The enhancement of living standards has significantly contributed to the rapid growth of urban populations, resulting in a substantial increase in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation. This trend underscores the critical need for sustainable, environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and highly efficient waste management solutions. This study highlights the pressing necessity for effective MSW management and examines plasma pyrolysis/gasification as an emerging technology to address this challenge. The article provides a detailed analysis of thermal plasma generation techniques employing diverse power sources, including direct current, alternating current, radio frequency inductively coupled, and microwave-based systems. A comparative evaluation of various plasma torch designs is conducted, emphasizing their applicability in waste-to-energy and waste treatment processes. A comprehensive overview of the treatment of a broad spectrum of waste materials, such as MSW, sewage sludge, coal, wood, plastics, tires, and rubber, using thermal arc plasma technology is presented. The process predominantly converts waste into a combustible gas (syngas) with a calorific value ranging from 5 to 15 MJ/Nm³ and produces vitrified slag or ash as a by-product. The findings suggest that thermal plasma pyrolysis/gasification offers a promising approach to waste management, facilitating energy generation and material recovery while addressing the challenges of increasing MSW generation. © Anita Publications. All rights reserved.
doi: 10.54955/AJP.34.3-4.2025.127-139
Keywords: Thermal plasma, MSW, DC, RF-ICP, Microwave, Syngas

Peer Review Information
Method: Single- anonymous; Screened for Plagiarism? Yes
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