BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE – PILANI

K K BIRLA GOA CAMPUS

Mid Sem September 29th 2019
Course No & Name: BIOF 216Course WATER,SANITATION & SOLID WASTE MGMT
Duration : 1.5 hours Marks: 60

OPEN BOOK

1. A community produces the following on an annual basis:

The recyclables are collected separately and processed at a materials recovery

facility. The mixed household waste and the commercial waste go to the landfill.
The leaves are composted, and the C & D wastes are processed and used on the
next project. Calculate the diversion.? (8)

2. Ideally, the production of methane and carbon dioxide in anaerobic digestion can
be calculated using the following equation:

Estimate the production of CO2 and CH4 during the anaerobic decomposition of
Glucose where CaHbOcNd is C6H12O6N0. (8)

3. Glass is a recyclable waste. Glass can be divided into Clear glass, Brown glass
and Green Glass. Clear glass fetches more money than Brown and Green glass ?
Design an automatic separation system that can be used in the solid waste
management plant? (8)

4. What is the difference between a landfill and a dump and what makes
a safe and efficient landfill? What are the ingredients required for good
compost and why do you try to keep yard waste/tree limbs out of the landfill?
What type of soil is best suited for a landfill and why? (6)
5. What are the two main reasons or advantages of separating Urine and faeces ?
Which is more beneficial urine or faeces? Why? (6)

6. Explain in detail anyone decentralized aerobic sewage or septage treatment

system with diagram? (8)

7. Explain in detail anyone decentralized anaerobic sewage or septage treatment

system with diagram? (8)

8. What is “Fossa Alterna”? Why is it better than double Ventilated Improved Pits
technology? What do you understand by “User interface” as a functional group in
sanitation system? What are the major disadvantages of single pit system
technology? (8)

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Answers

1.

2.

3.
 4. What is the difference between a landfill and a dump and what makes a safe
and efficient landfill?

Landfills are designed and operated to control potential disease vectors (public
health), protect surface and ground water (environmental), control litter (public
health and environment), and protect air quality [no open burning as toxins may
be released to the air from trash] (public health and environment). A safe and
efficient landfill has a subbase liner (cell liner); intermediate and final cover (over
the trash); final cover (approximately 4 feet deep or equivalent); leachate (liquid)
collection and treatment; litter control; management; inspection programs; safety
programs; and methane gas collection/utlitization.

What are the ingredients required for good compost and why do you try to keep
yard waste/tree limbs out of the landfill?
Carbon (yard waste), Nitrogen (Sludge, Manure), Water, Oxygen (Air), and
Temperature (110 to 120 degrees F). Carbon compounds decay and cause liquid
(leachate) and methane gas to form plus carbon is fuel for fires. In addition, limbs
are bulky and take away space from the landfill. By making product usable on site
for reclamation and final cover improvements, we can reduce the need for off site
products as well as decreasing herbicide, pesticide and irrigation water to
maintain vegetative final cover.

What type of soil is best suited for a landfill and why?

Fine grained soils with high clay content which have low permeability (doesn’t
allow water to “leak” or drain). These soils are common in the Southwest region
and make great pottery.

5. Today the alternatives to the conventional wastewater system include systems

that separate or divert urine and faeces in order to utilise the nutrients more
efficiently. In regions without piped sewerage, nutrient utilisation as well as
improved sanitation is possible to achieve by avoiding mixing the fractions. If
the faecal fraction is kept dry there will be less leaching from e.g. pit latrines
and in many places the faeces are also reused. Thus, the two main reasons to
separate urine and faeces are to recycle the plant nutrients in urine and to
obtain a faecal fraction that is more practical and safer to handle. Facilitating
the composting of faeces might be another reason for keeping the liquid
separate from the solids. In the Clivus Multrum™ toilet the urine and leachate
drains to the bottom of the composting chamber where it is collected in a
separate tank.
Urine : faeces - urine 5 times and faeces 1 time

6. Activated sludge system

7. Septic tank
 8. Fossa Alterna is very similar to the double VIP. Compared to the double VIP,
however, which is basically just designed to collect, store and partially treat
excreta the Fossa Alterna is actually designed to make higher quality earth-
like product that can be used as a valuable soil conditioner. This is achieved
by adding soil, ash, or leaves as cover material after each defecation which
absorbs the liquids inside the pit and increases the porous space allowing for
aerobic conditions. The cover material also reduces smells and introduces a
variety of microoganisms which help in the degradation process. The pits are
dug to a maximum depth of 1.5 meters, and therefore, often do not require a
lining on the entire side walls allowing for soil organisms to enter and do their
job.
Like in the double VIP, the full pit degrades while the second pit is filling which ideally
should take one year. Because of the added carbon-rich bulking material, the degradation
process is accelerated and the content is ready for excavation and use much faster than in
a double VIP.

Ans: The User Interface describes the type of toilet, pedestal, pan, or urinal with which
the user interacts. It is the way by which the user accesses the sanitation system. The user
interface must guarantee that human excreta is hygienically separated from human
contact to prevent exposure to fecal contamination.
Ans: Disadvantagse of single pits is that the emptied sludge is still very pathogenic and
leakage can contaminate groundwater resources.
Also, odors are normally noticeable and flies hatching in the pit can be a vector for
disease transmission.