Sep 29, 2026Technology
Waste Heat Recovery: Steam for Heating, Disinfection and Drying
How waste-to-energy plants recover incineration heat as steam for heating, hospital and hotel disinfection, and agricultural drying.
Recovering energy from combustion
High-temperature flue gas from incineration carries useful heat that would otherwise be wasted. Waste heat boilers recover this energy to produce steam.
Practical applications
The recovered steam is used for heating, disinfection in hospitals and hotels, and drying of wood or agricultural products, integrating waste treatment with local energy use and boosting efficiency and economic returns.
Closing the energy loop
High-temperature flue gas is also reused to treat leachate and wastewater, achieving zero discharge while reducing extra costs, so the plant produces value instead of only disposing of waste.
