Typical hydrothermal treatment process characteristic is described in Figure5. Two main periods
of heating and holding periods are present. The first term is defined as the period to heat up the
reactor and raw MSW and physically alter the components in MSW. The second is defined as
the period to maintain the temperature and chemically alter the MSW.
It can be seen from Figure 5 that most of the water and fuel were consumed in the heating period,
along with motor power. In the holding period, only some steam required to maintain the
temperature, and in the end of holding period more steam was consumed as the MSW density
was decreased, thus increasing the available volume inside the reactor and further altered the
MSW inside the reactor.