Experimental investigation of medium-temperature drying behavior of MSW matrix

The drying behavior of typical municipal solid waste (MSW) matrix in a muffle incinerator was experimentally studied including the potato block, office waste paper, pure cotton cloth block and so on. The drying performance curves were obtained, with the influence of the drying temperature, dimension and species of waste matrixes on the drying process analyzed. The results show that the drying rate increases with specific surface area of the waste matrixes with drying temperature having a considerable influence on the variation of the drying rate with moisture content or the drying time. When the drying temperature increases from 100°C to 200°C, the maximum drying rate of selected waste matrixes is enhanced by two times or above. At low drying temperatures, there is a definite constant-rate period of drying in wet paper cards and wet cotton fabric pieces. Definite constant rate period exists during drying watermelon husks at experimental drying temperatures. Initial period and falling rate period can be only observed during drying wet wood blocks and wet office paper. Potato blocks are the matrix most difficulty to dry, while branches are the matrix easiest to dry.