CH 2 : SUMS

09 April 2023 08:17

Links :
Health-care waste (who.int)
Biomedical waste types definition and disposal management (celitron.com)
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QUE : Estimate the moisture content of municipal solid waste sample with the following composition
and explain the significance of calculating moisture content of solid waste.
Component % by mass Moisture content %
Food waste 20 70
Paper 40 6
Cardboard 10 5
Plastics 10 2
Garden Trimmings 10 60
Wood 5 20
Tin cans 5 3

Solution :
Component % by mass Moisture content % Dry weight
Food waste 20 70 6
Paper 40 6 37.6
Cardboard 10 5 9.5
Plastics 10 2 9.8
Garden Trimmings 10 60 4
Wood 5 20 4
Tin cans 5 3 4.85
Total = 100 Total = 75.75

initial weight of sample weight of sample after drying

- Moisture content % = × 100
initial weight of sample

20
- For food waste : 70 = × 100 -----> B = 6 ----> same for all.
20
 100 75.75
- Now, Moisture content on wet weight = × 100 = 24.25% Ans
100

- Rapid determination of moisture content plays an important role in guiding the recycling, treatment and
disposal of solid waste, as the moisture content of solid waste directly affects the leachate generation,
microbial activities, pollutants leaching and energy consumption during thermal treatment.

QUE : Estimation of the chemical composition of a solid waste sample.

Determine the chemical composition of the organic fraction, without and with sulfur and without and
with water, of a residential MSW with the composition shown in table 1.

Solution :
Step 1 : Set up a computation table to determine the percentage distribution of the major elements
composing the waste. The necessary computations are presented below :
 - Moisture content = 79.5 - 58.1 = 21.4 lb

Step 2 : Prepare a summary table of the percentage distribution of the element with the water contained in
the waste.

For with water calculation :

Water = (2hydrogen + 1 Oxygen)
18 gm water ---------> 2 gm Hydrogen
21.4 lb moisture content ---------> (?) = 2.38
So total hydrogen with water = 3.62 + 2.38 = 6

Water = (2hydrogen + 1 Oxygen)

18 gm water ---------> 16 gm Oxygen
21.4 lb moisture content ---------> (?) = 19.02
So total hydrogen with water = 22.97 + 19.02 = 41.99

Other component as it is.

Step 3 : Compute the molar composition of the elements neglecting the ash.

For without water : (step 2 table value/Atomic wt.)

27.39
(i) Carbon = = 2.280 same step for whole table.
12.01

Step 4 : Determine an approximate chemical formula without and with sulfur and without and with water.
Set up a computation table to determine normalized mole ratios.
(use step 3 table)
For mole ration Nitrogen = 1
2.280
(i) Carbon = 0.038
= 60 same for other components.

For mole ration sulfur = 1

2.280
(i) Carbon = 0.003
= 760 same for other components.

Now from table;

(a) The chemical formula without nitrogen are :
(i) Without water : C60 H94.3 O37.8 N
(ii) With water : C60 H156.3 O69.1 N

(b) The chemical formula without sulfur are :

(i) Without water : C760 H1194.7 O478.7 N12.7 S
(ii) With water : C760 H1980.0 O874.7 N12.7 S

QUE : Estimation of energy content of typical residential MSW with the average composition including
sulfur and water is
𝐂𝟕𝟔𝟎 𝐇𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟎 𝐎𝟖𝟕𝟒.𝟕 𝐎𝟏𝟐.𝟕 S
Determine the total energy content in Btu/lb.
Solution :

Component Number of atoms/mol Atomic weight Weight contribution of each %

element
Carbon 760 12 760 × 12 = 9,120 × 100 = 36.027
Hydrogen 1980 1 1980 × 100 = 7.82
Oxygen 875 16 875 × 16 = 14,000 × 100 = 55.30
Nitrogen 13 14 13 × 14 = 182 × 100 = 0.72
Sulfur 1 32 32 × 100 = 0.13
Total 25314 100.00
 The modified Dulong formula;
- Btu/lb = 145C + 610[𝐻 - (1/8)𝑂 ] + 40S + 10N
∴ Btu/lb = 145(36.0)+ 610(7.82 - 55.3/8) + 40(0.1) + 10(0.7)
∴ Btu/lb = 5772 Ans

QUE : Estimate the density of solid waste sample with the following composition

Component % by mass Typical density, Kg/m3

Food waste 15 290
Paper 45 85
Cardboard 10 50
Plastics 10 65
Garden wastes 10 105
Wood 5 240
Tin cans 5 90

Solution :
Component % by mass Mass/1000Kg Typical density, Kg/m3 Total mass
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) = (3/4)
Food waste 15 150 290 0.52
Paper 45 450 85 5.29
Cardboard 10 100 50 2
Plastics 10 100 65 1.54
Garden wastes 10 100 105 0.95
Wood 5 50 240 0.21
Tin cans 5 50 90 0.56
- 100% - - 11.07

- Density= 1000/11.07 = 90.33kg/m3