Technical FAQs

What is gasification?
Gasification is a process that converts organic or fossil based carbonaceous materials into a hydrogen-rich syngas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and methane.  This process is performed by reacting the feedstock material at high temperatures in a controlled oxygen and steam environment.  

What is incineration?
Incineration, or Mass Burn Incineration (MBI), is the combustion (burning) of waste to generate heat and power.  Incineration produces bottom ash which can be difficult to dispose of.

What is plasma gasification?
Plasma gasification is a single stage process that uses a plasma converter to transform a waste feedstock into synthesis gas (syngas).  Single stage plasma gasification is not as efficient as the two stage Gasplasma^® process.

What is plasma?
Plasma is formed when a gas, e.g. nitrogen, is heated to over 5,000^oC by electricity.  Plasma is an ionised (electrically conductive) gas.  It is a generally accepted fact in science that Plasma is the most common phase of matter in the Universe.  It is referred to as the 4th state of matter, the other three being solid, liquid and gas.

What is a fluid bed gasifier?
A fluid bed gasifier, or FBG is a technology that converts carbonaceous materials such as biomass into carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reacting the residual waste material at high temperatures with a highly controlled amount of oxygen and/or steam. The resulting gas mixture is called syngas (from synthesis gas or synthetic gas) and is itself a fuel. Gasification is a method for extracting energy from many different types of organic materials.

What is a centralised power grid?
A centralised power grid is where a few large power stations supply the power for an entire region.  In a centralised power grid the electricity generated travels long distances from the power station to the home or business.  Transmission causes a significant loss of power, the further the power travels the more power is lost.

What is a distributed power grid?
A distributed power grid is where several smaller power stations are built throughout a region instead of one large power station for the entire region.  In a distributed power grid the power generated travels shorter distances from the power station to a home – making this type of power grid more efficient. 

What is synthesis gas?
Synthesis gas or synthetic gas, is abbreviated to syngas.  Syngas is the gas generated from carbonaceous material and contains high percentages of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

What is biogas?
Biogas is a combustible gas produced by anaerobic digestion. Biogas is usually high in methane.

What is pyrolysis?
Pyrolysis is the thermal treatment of carbonaceous materials in the absence of air to form  a pyrolysis gas, oils and char/ash.

What is combustion?
Combustion is the burning of waste materials in the presence of large volumes of air (excess air) producing heat and ash.

How does  Gasplasma^® convert waste into power?
Gasplasma^® converts a prepared waste feedstock into a clean hydrogen-rich synthesis gas (“syngas”)  that can then be directly combusted in gas engines or gas turbines to generate electricity.

How does Gasplasma^® help eliminate landfill?
Gasplasma^® converts circa 98% of the waste fuel into a hydrogen-rich syngas and a secondary aggregate – Plasmarok^® - making Gasplasma^® the most efficient energy from waste process available today.

What is Combined Heat and Power (CHP)?
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is the simultaneous generation of both electricity and useful heat.