**6. Future perspectives and knowledge gaps**

The present chapter aims for an investigation, understanding, and analysis of the factors that lead to unsustainable treatment of MSW in incinerators. Several research directions have been identified that may help in the improvement of waste treatment in the waste to energy incinerators.

High temperature corrosion is a problematic issue that is hindering the sustainable and efficient treatment of waste in incinerators. The general theory of the corrosion process is the active oxidation. Most researchers studied the global corrosion reaction process. However, studies on the elementary reactions and their reaction rate constant which actually shows how the corrosion process occurs are scarce and this can be achieved via kinetic modeling of corrosion on various alloys as well as various operating conditions which needs to be validated by full-scale experimental investigations. Nonetheless, the operation conditions in full scale set up are difficult to control. In light of that, lab scale experiment can be used to validate the modeling. This may help plant operators to select the operating conditions that result in low corrosion rate as well as on alloy which can be used as superheater thereby improve the treatment efficiency of waste.

More research is needed on the optimization of the incineration conditions through the use of various technologies including Ecotube and Segher boiler prism which reduces corrosion and ash deposition by ensuring high turbulence and optimal mixing within the boiler but studies showing these technologies are rare.
