Introduction
With an increase in population and affluence during the past years, the amount of refuse generated in Singapore had increased rapidly. Refuse incineration was found to be the most effective method of disposal because of its high volume reduction.
The Ulu Pandan Refuse Incineration Plant was commissioned in December 1987 and is the first refuse incineration plant. It had 3 incineration units with a total incineration capacity of 1,200 tonnes of refuse per day. Its capacity was increased to 1,600 tonnes of refuse per day with the addition of addition of another incineration unit in 1982.
The heat released from the combustion of refuse is recovered by a boiler system to generate electricity. Ferrous scrap is extracted from the ash and sold to a local steel mill.
Electrostatic precipitators and flue gas cleaning units have been installed to control dust and smoke emissions to comply with the Clean Air Act. A high chimney has also been constructed to disperse the flue gases. The bunker is kept at a sub-atmospheric pressure to control smell from the refuse stored in the bunker. This is done by drawing air for the combustion from the refuse bunker.
In Singapore, because of the shortage of land, the most viable means of refuse disposal is incineration. Incineration can reduce the volume of waste by 90% and therefore reduces the amount of land required for disposal.
Singapore’s first incineration plant
at Ulu Pandan started operations at 1979.
With the increasing amount of waste
generated, two other incineration plants have been built. They are Tuas Incineration Plant
and Senoko Incineration Plant. To cope with the amount of waste, our three incineration
plants have to operate continuously throughout the year.
Incineration produces flue gases which can
cause air pollution. To minimise such a possibility, these gases are cleaned beforethey
are released into the atmosphere. Acidic gases are removed using lime powder while smoke
particles are removed by electrostatic precipitators.
The incineration process in Singapore also
helps to conserve our scarce resources. No fuel is used in the burning. Instead, heat
released from the burning refuse is used to generate electricity to run the incineration
plant. Excess electrical energy is sold to the Singapore Power. Steel scrap extracted from
the incineration ash is sold to a local steel mill, Nat steel, for recycling.
All our incineration plant are located in
the Northern and Western parts of the island. If refuse from the East is to be transported
directly there, it will result in the need for more vehicle, greater man power and
therefore, higher operating cost. To minimise such cost, the Kim Chuan Transfer Station
was built in 1986. Since then , refuse from the Eastern part of Singapore has been first
compacted at the station before it is transferred via 20-tonner container trailer to the
incineration plant.
— Ulu Pandan Incineration Design Data
__ Maps - Where are they located
__ Conclusion
__ Glossary