Technological and economical analysis of the heat recovery system from flue gas in a thermal waste treatment plant

A heat recovery system from flue gas increases the overall efficiency of a district heating or CHP plant, as the system recovers the waste energy contained in the flue gas at the chimney outlet. This makes it possible to increase thermal energy production with the same fuel consumption. A method for calculating the thermodynamic parameters of municipal waste incineration plants was developed as part of the work carried out. The mathematical models prepared made it possible to analyse the impact of the heat recovery system from flue gas on technical and economic parameters and the environment, including, among other things, an estimate of the annual amount of heat recovered, the amount of additional electricity consumed, the amount of condensate treated, the estimated capital expenditure, operating profits and operating costs. The results of the analyses were the basis for designing and constructing a heat recovery system from flue gas equipped with a condensation heat exchanger for the municipal waste incineration plant in Cracow. The calculation results were compared with the measurement results obtained during the test run of the constructed installation. •Technical description of the heat recovery system from flue gas.•A method for calculating the parameters of municipal waste incineration plants.•The impact of the heat recovery system on technical and economic parameters.•An analysis of the Thermal Waste Treatment Plant operation.•The calculation results were compared with experimental data.