Plasma gasification & vitrification

The team is currently engaged in 2 programs funded by the French national research agency (ANR)

Waste to Energy

In the field of power production from waste and biomass through a gasification process and a plasma reactor Turboplasma ®, Europlasma wishes to become a relevant actor of the sector. The very high-temperature brought by the plasma torch of the Turboplasma ® reactor allows to obtain higher output than with conventional equipments.

Europlasma has launched in 2009 its ANR TBPL 2009 program which aims at:

• optimizing the Turboplasma ® reactor associated with a gasifier,
• finalizing an almost nonstop measurement system of tars,
• validating the process for different types of entrants,
• developing a plasma torch introducing no outside element in order to increase the process efficiency,
• developing and validating the created codes of simulations.

The implementation of this program will take place end of 2011 by the installation of dedicated equipments on the R&D platform of Morcenx.

Hazardous waste treatment

Within the ANR SESCO program (2010/2013), Europlasma develops manufacturing processes to value the COFALIT material (*) in the sector of solar heat energy storage.

After first year spent to qualify the COFALIT towards this new application, the program is going to continue with the realization of finished product (shape and dimensions) adapted to the thermal storage.These products and their huge storage capacity will then be validated in various processes appealing to solar energy.

Development of plasma torches

To adapt its plasma torches in the processes above, Europlasma invests permanently to

• optimize the definition of its plasma systems,
• increase the life cycle of electrodes,
• adapt its torches to new plasmageneous gases,
• develop new ranges.

All these developments are subject to patent registrations and licenses aiming to protect Europlasma know-how.

Future developments

Of course, other processes using advantageously high temperatures brought by the plasma torch are studied and will be the object of R&D program if the perspectives of development of the associated markets seem interesting.