Plasma Arc - Waste to Resources

Of particular interest to wastenotIOWA is Plasma Arc technology. It uses an electric arc much like lightning that creates high temperatures which virtually destroy waste and convert it to clean gases containing energy and inert materials that can be used to make useful products. This is done using only part of the energy from the waste itself. The rest can be used for external renewable energy. Inorganic waste can be reused into other products. Metals can be tapped and recycles. Other inorganics form into slag that does not leach and can be used for other products.

Why bury energy?

Locked up in the waste we send to landfills is an enormous amount of BTUs. These BTUs can be recycled into useful forms of energy. This can be in the form of heat, gases, liquid fuels and electricity. Citizens and local governments all over the world are getting excited about the possibilities technology can bring, especially with high energy prices and reliance on unstable foreign governments. There are successful existing applications and new ways to use proven technologies that have moved past the research stage being and are being implemented in waste treatment facilities.

Economic study completed and a company selected to proceed with development of a plasma facility

WastenotIOWA is teamed with the City of Marion, Iowa, to implement plasma arc technology for waste treatment. They, in cooperation of other interested parties, selected SCS Engineering of Tampa, Florida, to conduct an economic analysis to determine the best feed stocks and products for a plasma-based facility in our area. Funding for the study was an appropriation to Marion from the Iowa Legislature. The study was overseen by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. After completion of the study, Marion released a Request for Submittal (RFS) for development of a local plasma solid waste treatment capability. Four companies responded to the RFS. Plasma Power, LLC was selected for further efforts in developing such a facility. A contract for waste has been signed with the City of Marion in the Spring of 2012. Engineering and site selection is underway. Energy produced by the industrial scale facility is expected to be highly efficient and priced competitively with alternate sources that customers currently use.