Abstract: The production of medical waste (MW) is a growing concern, particularly in light of the increasing annual generation and the exacerbating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional techniques such as incineration and landfilling present significant limitations. In this study, a self-designed 50 kW arc plasma reactor was employed to conduct gasification experiments on nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) which served as a model of MW and a mixture of NBR/SiO₂ which served as a model of glass-containing MW, using CO₂ as the working gas. The CO₂ thermal plasma gasification process not only ensures the safe and efficient disposal of MW, but also facilitates its effective conversion into H₂ and CO, achieving a carbon conversion efficiency of 94.52%. The yields of H₂ and CO reached 98.52% and 81.83%, respectively, and the specific energy consumption was as low as 3.55 kW·h·k·g^-1. Furthermore, the addition of SiO₂ was found to inhibit the gasification of NBR and cause damage to the reactor. Therefore, it is recommended that glass waste should be removed prior to the treatment of MW. The CO₂ thermal plasma gasification technology can not only eliminate environmental and health risks posed by MW, but also convert it into syngas for further utilization. This provides a promising approach to the harmless and resource disposal of MW, while also contributing to the comprehensive utilization of greenhouse gases.

Key words: Thermal plasma, Gasification, Medical waste, Syngas, CO₂

摘要： The production of medical waste (MW) is a growing concern, particularly in light of the increasing annual generation and the exacerbating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional techniques such as incineration and landfilling present significant limitations. In this study, a self-designed 50 kW arc plasma reactor was employed to conduct gasification experiments on nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) which served as a model of MW and a mixture of NBR/SiO₂ which served as a model of glass-containing MW, using CO₂ as the working gas. The CO₂ thermal plasma gasification process not only ensures the safe and efficient disposal of MW, but also facilitates its effective conversion into H₂ and CO, achieving a carbon conversion efficiency of 94.52%. The yields of H₂ and CO reached 98.52% and 81.83%, respectively, and the specific energy consumption was as low as 3.55 kW·h·k·g^-1. Furthermore, the addition of SiO₂ was found to inhibit the gasification of NBR and cause damage to the reactor. Therefore, it is recommended that glass waste should be removed prior to the treatment of MW. The CO₂ thermal plasma gasification technology can not only eliminate environmental and health risks posed by MW, but also convert it into syngas for further utilization. This provides a promising approach to the harmless and resource disposal of MW, while also contributing to the comprehensive utilization of greenhouse gases.

关键词: Thermal plasma, Gasification, Medical waste, Syngas, CO₂