Since the 1980 ́s the use of waste as a fuel has been an appealing idea to stakeholders involved in waste management. Whereas recovery and recycling of materials in waste has well developed over the years, remaining fractions still contain valuable energetic content. The energetic content is well used in modern mass burning incinerators (waste-to- energy plants). Alternatively, certain wastes can be used as fuel in dedicated plants such as cement kilns, lime plants, steelworks, CHP and other power plants. For such waste derived fuels there is an increasing need for methods that enable a clear and uniform description of the quality of secondary fuels and of environmental aspects of their thermal application. This can be achieved by standardization.

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Norm EN 15590

It specifies the method determining the current rate of aerobic microbial activity of solid recovered fuel using the real dynamic respirator index (RDRI). The rate of aerobic microbial activity is an indication of the biological stability under the actual chemical and physical properties of the solid recovered fuel.

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UN 11184

Waste and Refuse Derived Fuels – Determination Of Biological Stability By Dynamic Respirometric Index.

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Solid recovered fuels

Determination of the current rate of aerobic microbial activity using the real dynamic respiration index.

Following the UNI EN 15590 and UNI 11844 norms, the ECHO respirometer determines the current rate of aerobic microbial activity using the real dynamic respiration index. The measuring system has adiabatic vessels and is equipped with temperature probes. The system has been tested and approved by the Italian National Accreditation Laboratory (ACREDIA) and since then it has been used in many laboratories for testing waste degradation.

ECHO Instruments offers unique multi-channel system for economical testing more than one sample at the same time. The system comes completed with a solid stand with measuring unit, adiabatic reactors and computer with installed software for on-line controlling and measuring the main respirometry parameters.