Advanced Waste Predator: Integrated Incineration and Air Pollution Control for Residual Waste Management at TPST Scale

Abstract

Rapid urbanization and population growth in developing regions have significantly increased municipal solid waste generation, intensifying pressure on existing landfill systems. A substantial fraction of this waste consists of inorganic residual materials that cannot be effectively recycled or composted and therefore require alternative treatment technologies. This study proposes and evaluates the Advanced Waste Predator, an integrated thermal waste treatment system designed at the Integrated Waste Management Facility (TPST) scale, combining an incinerator with a high-efficiency cyclone and a packed-tower wet scrubber for emission control. The system was designed based on field-derived waste characterization, proximate and ultimate analyses, and stoichiometric combustion calculations. Emission formation and control performance were quantitatively assessed through mass balance analysis and post-treatment emission evaluation. Results indicate that the incinerator operates stably at an average combustion temperature of approximately 1,025 °C with a waste processing capacity of 885.9 kg h⁻¹. The cyclone achieved a particulate removal efficiency of 47.5%, while the wet scrubber further reduced pollutant concentrations with removal efficiencies of 72% for NO₂, 92% for SO₂, and 98% for CO. Following air pollution control, stack emission concentrations complied with the Indonesian emission standards for thermal waste treatment. These findings demonstrate that integrating incineration with appropriately designed air pollution control devices at the TPST scale can significantly reduce landfill dependency while maintaining regulatory compliance. The proposed system offers a technically feasible and environmentally sound solution for managing residual inorganic waste in developing urban areas.