ES 200 MODULE C

1ST ASSIGNMENT

M Vishnu Sankar
18B030013

Homework # 1

Q1) What is the advantage of segregating solid wastes at the source?

The solidwastes are generally segregated into 3 categories

• Wet wastes or bio-degradable (green bin)
• Dry wastes or non-bio degradable (blue bin)
• Domestic or hazardous wastes (black bin)

There are various advantages for segregating solid wastes at the source itself.

• Effective segregation at the source means that less waste goes to landfill which
in turn will have a less harful effect on the public health and environment.
• It is easier and cheaper to dispose segregated wastes than mixed wastes, hence
cost saving is also a motivation to segregate wastes
• Bio-degradable wastes can be turned into organic fertilizers which then later
can be used instead of inorganic fertilizers.
• Non-biodegradable wastes can go through industrial process like melting,
smelting, shredding and pulping, and it can be finally used to make raw
materials for industrial applications
• Manufacturers of Hazardous wastes like E-wastes, laptop batteries etc. request
their customers to return the old or over used e-wastes and the manufacturers
take care of the recycling process.
• At the end of the day if segregation can reduce a lot of unnecessary man power
and cost which can be re-directed to focus on other problems, and thus
segregation plays a crucial in waste management
 Homework # 2

Q1) Estimate the energy content of a solid waste sample with the composition
given below. Also, calculate the energy content on a dry basis and on an ash-free
dry basis.

Components % by mass % Moisture

Food waste 15 70
Paper 45 6
Cardboard 10 5
Plastics 10 2
Garden 60
10
trimmings
Wood 5 20
Tin cans 5 3
Calculation using the Formulae

The dry energy content is given by the formula-

Where F, CP and PLR are % mass-fractions of food waste; cardboard and paper;
plastic, leather and rubber. In the given problem

F = 15; CP = 55; PLR = 10

Hence the Energy content as discarded = 15115.5 kJ/kg

The conversion from dry energy content to wet energy content can be done by the
following formula

Net moisture percentage = ∑(𝑀𝑜𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒%) ∗ 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠%/100 Type equation here.

= (15*70 + 45*6 + 10*5 + 10*2 + 10*60 + 5*20 + 5*3)/100 = 21.05%

Net moisture percentage = 21.05%

Hence the Energy content on dry basis = 19145.6 kJ/kg

Assuming a standard ash % as 6% , the formula is given by

Ew(ash-free dry basis) = 15115.5*100/(100 – 6 – 21.05) = 20720.36 kJ/kg

Hence the Energy content on ash-free dry basis = 20720.36 kJ/kg

Calculation using the Empirical Data given in the appendix

From the empirical data given in appendix , the energy content as discarded
= 4650*0.15 + 16750*0.45 + 16300*0.1 + 32600*0.1 + 6500*0.1 + 18600*0.05 +
700*0.05 = 14740 kJ/kg. As we can see it is close to the value calculated above.
Ew (dry basis) = 18670.04 kJ/kg
Ew (ash-free dry basis) = 20205.62 kJ/kg
 Homework # 3

Q1) A contractor agreed to haul the solid wastes from a commercial district of a
city. The commercial establishments agreed to store their wastes in large
containers located at strategic points. Due to the sizes of the containers, the
hauled container system is to be used. Based on a traffic study t1, t2, and dl were
found to be 20, 25, and 8 min respectively. If the round-trip haul distance
averaged 60 km at a speed limit of 90 kmph. How many containers can be
serviced on a collection day of 8 hrs., assuming 15% of work time is lost. (Assume
m+u = 0.4 hr/trip; s = 0.133 hr/trip)

Converting everything to SI units

t1 20 mins 1200 s
t2 25 mins 1500 s
dl 8 mins 480 s
Haul distance 60 km 60000 m
Total working 8 hrs 28800 s
hours
Speed limit 90 km/hr 25 m/s
s 0.133 hr/trip 480 s/trip
m+u 0.4 hr/trip 1440 s/trip

h = Total time = haul distance / speed limit = 2400 s

Tnet = (m+u)+ dl + s + h = 4800 s

Number of containers that can be serviced is given by the formula -

Where W = 0.15 is the work time lost and H is the total working hours

Nt = ((1 – 0.15)*(28800) – 1200 – 1500) / 4800 = 4.5375

Since containers can be a fraction the number of containers is 4

Q2) A solid waste processing plant has two classifiers that produce a refuse-
derived fuel (RFD) from a mixture of organic (A) and inorganic (B) refuse. A
portion of the plant schematic and the known flow rates are shown in the
Figure.
(a) What is the flow of A and B from Classifier I to Classifier II [QA2 and QB2]

(b) What is the composition of the Classifier II exit stream [QA3 and QB3]?

(c) What is the purity of the RFD and the recovery of component A

a)

Consider component A,
A0 = A1 + A2
10 = 1 + A2, hence A2 = 9 ton/hr

Similarly consider component B,

B0 = B1 + B2
30 = 25 + B2, hence B2 = 5 ton/hr

b)

Consider component A2,

A2 = A3 + A4
9 = 1 + A3, hence A3 = 8 ton/hr

Consider component B2,

B2 = B3 + B4
5 = 3 + B3, hence B3 = 2 ton/hr

c)

Purity of the RFD is given by the average of purity of A and B

Purity of A = A3/A0 = 8/10 = 4/5

Hence recovery of component A = 80%

Purity of B = B3/B0 = 2/30 = 1/15

Purity of RFD = (4/5 + 1/15) / 2 = 13/30

In terms of % purity = 43.33%

 Homework # 4

Q1) Determine the break-even time for a stationary-container system and a

separate transfer and transport system, for transporting wastes collected from a
metropolitan area to al landfill disposal site. Assume the following cost and
systems data are applicable:

Transportation costs:
Stationary-container system using an 18 m3 compactor = $20/hr
Tractor-trailer transport unit with a capacity of 120 m3 = $25/hr

Other costs:
Transfer station operating cost, including amortization = $0.40/m3
Extra cost for unloading facilities for tractor-trailer transportation unit =
$0.05/m3

Other data:
Density of wastes in compactor = 325 kg/m3
Density of wastes in transport units = 150 kg/m3
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠(𝑚)
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦(𝜌) =
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒(𝑉)

vs = 18 m3, 𝜌s = 325 kg/m3

ms = 325 x 18 = 5850 kg

vt = 120 m3, 𝜌t = 150 kg/m3

mt = 150 x 120 = 18000 kg

Break-even time is given by

Since the units of coefficients are given in $ per unit mass per unit time, let’s convert
the costs to $/hr-kg

Hence 18m3 container carries 5850 kg which costs $20/hr, which when divided by its
mass gives
= $(20/5850)/hr-kg

Similarly, 120m3 container carries 18000 kg which costs $25/hr, when divided by its
mass gives
= $(25/18000)/hr-kg

Operating cost with amortization = $ (0.4/150)/hr-kg

Extra cost = $ (0.05/150)/hr-kg
0.4 0.05 0.45
𝑘𝑓𝑡 = + =
150 150 150
20
𝑘ℎ𝑑 =
5850
25
𝑘ℎ𝑡 =
18000
Substituting everything in the formula above we get 𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 = 𝟏. 𝟒𝟕𝟕𝟖 𝒉𝒓𝒔
 Homework # 5

Q1) Estimate the theoretical volume of methane gas that would be expected
from the anaerobic digestion of 1 tonne of solid waste having the chemical
formula 𝐶50 𝐻100 𝑂40 𝑁

As per the formula above

a = 50
b = 100
c = 40
d=1

Coefficient of 𝐻2 0 = 23/4

Coefficient of 𝐶𝐻4 = 217/8

Coefficient of 𝐶𝑂2 = 183/8

Molar mass of 𝐶50 𝐻100 𝑂40 𝑁 = 50*12 + 100*1 + 40*16 + 1*14 = 1354 g

Molar mass of 𝐶𝐻4 = 16 g

1 tonne = 106 g

1354 g of 𝐶50 𝐻100 𝑂40 𝑁 releases (217/8) *16 = 434 g of 𝐶𝐻4

Hence 106 grams releases (434/1354)*10^6 = 3.2 x 105 grams of 𝑪𝑯𝟒

Density of methane = 0.657 kg/m3 (wiki) at STP or at 25 degree celcius

Hence volume of methane = 487.06 m3 at STP or at 25 degree Celsius

 Homework # 6

Q1) Determine the air requirement (kg per tonne, and m3 per tonne of waste)
for complete combustion of a MSW sample with chemical formula 𝑪𝟓𝟎 𝑯𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝑶𝟒𝟎 𝑵

For any combustion process the following generalized formulae can be written
4𝑎 + 𝑏 − 2𝑐 𝑏 𝑑
𝐶𝑎 𝐻𝑏 𝑂𝑐 𝑁𝑑 + 𝑂2 → 𝑎𝐶𝑂2 + 𝐻2 𝑂 + 𝑁2
4 2 2
Coefficient of 𝑂2 = 55

Coefficient of 𝐶𝑂2 = 50

Coefficient of 𝐻2 𝑂 = 50

Molar mass of 𝐶50 𝐻100 𝑂40 𝑁 = 50*12 + 100*1 + 40*16 + 1*14 = 1354 g

Similar to the above homework, 1 mole of 𝐶50 𝐻100 𝑂40 𝑁 uses 1760 g of 𝑂2 , hence 1
tonne of 𝐶50 𝐻100 𝑂40 𝑁 requires 1299.85 kg of 𝑶𝟐

Density of 𝑶𝟐 at STP is 1.4286 kg/m3

Hence volume requirement of 𝑶𝟐 = 909.87 m3

Technically if we consider air as the composition of oxygen, nitrogen and other gases,
then we need air of about 4.34 times the mass of oxygen, which gives mass of air
required as 5651.52 kg , hence the volume requirement of air is 4613.49 m3