Use Of Municipal Solid Waste Research Articles

Renewable Power Potential from Municipal Solid Waste: A Case Study in Jiangxi, China

Development of renewable energy is important to modern society because climate change induced from fossil use has resulted in severe and possibly irreversible environmental impacts such as sea level rise, desertification, diminished land productivity, and increased possibility of extreme events. Therefore, the utilization of renewable and clean energy not only increases regional energy security but also alleviate the environmental risk. In this study, we employ the lifecycle assessment to examine the electricity generation from the use of municipal solid waste in China, and then investigate the emission reduction from this application. Different supply patterns of the wastes are also compared to make the results more robust. The results show that if recycled wastes are fully utilized, approximately 11,107 GWh can be generated, along with a profit of $1.2 billion from energy sales. In this case, the CO2 emission will reduce by 9.7 million metric tons. If the food waste is used in compositing and animal feed, the net power generation and emission reduction are about 8,216 GWh and 7.32 million metric tons, respectively. If additional 30% of recycled wastes are assumed to be utilized in their past use, the power generation, profit, and emission reduction will further decrease to 5,750 GWh, $697 million, and 5.12 metric tons, respectively. The results point out that the utilization of recycled wastes can effectively reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, improve energy security, and increase social welfare. Insights of the results and policy implications are also discussed in detail.

Conceptualization and techno-economic evaluation of municipal solid waste based microgrid

To find a sustainable municipal solid waste (MSW) management and renewable electricity generation system is need of the hour. In modern hybrid electricity generation systems, the use of MSW on priority is not evaluated yet. To satisfy this need, a small scale MSW based microgrid is proposed and evaluated in economic and reliability terms. First, the waste of the selected city is characterized considering four seasons summer, spring, autumn and winter for a complete year. Then a microgrid system is designed using MSW processing techniques namely, anaerobic digestion (AD) and gasification that are further integrated with solar photovoltaic (PV) system, battery and the main grid. The size of the microgrid is optimized using an artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm targeting the configuration that meets the desired system reliability requirements with minimum cost. The proposed system found as a sustainable approach to process the MSW of a small city (0.1 million population) and a reliable mean to fulfill the electricity demand of a village having 225 houses in India. The annualized system cost (ASC) of the proposed hybrid system found to be INR 5760919 with levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) 5.65 INR/kWh (0.0737 USD/kWh). The total MSW landfilling avoided cost is 451898.9 INR/year that is 17% of its processing cost.

Use of Municipal Solid Waste and pigment fluorescent as a medium painting

Currently the balance and sustainability of nature is an often discussed issue in contemporary art. Artists trying to increase awareness, responsibility and action for the nature and the environment through their works. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is a form of waste that is increasing every year. These wastes are the garbages that comes from our daily lives wastes. they are usually plastic bottles, product packaging, food scraps etc. Most of this materials such as plastics, styrofoam or other materials derived from synthetic polymers if not handled properly it will become a waste that endangers the environment. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and study the possibility of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) especially those made from inorganic materials such as plastic, aluminium cloth etc. into a medium for a painting. The idea of painting as expanded field has opened up the possibility of using found object materials as a medium that represents the idea of a painting. By adding fluorescent pigment as coloring pigment to turn the waste material color to be more vibrant and contrast to the eye. The expected outcome of this paper is how the process of using environmental issues and the concept of recycling into a work of art that increases awareness for the sustainability of the nature.

Techno-economic viability analysis of gasification technology as a sustainable alternative for electric power generation from municipal solid waste

Abstract: The present study has analyzed the techno-economic feasibility of applying gasification technology to the energy use of Municipal Solid Waste in an industrial plant. In that case, the obtained gas shall be used as an alternative source for electric energy generation. The technical feasibility analysis took into account the waste suitability to the gasification process, as well as the gasification process efficiency, through tests carried out in a testing plant, and an estimation of electric power was obtained. The economic viability studied the indicators Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return and Discounted Payback considering the cash flow estimation from plant installation and operation. A univariate sensitivity analysis of Net Present Value has considered the variables with influence on the cash flow, such as the Minimum Attractiveness Return Rate, energy tariff, installed power, operating and maintenance costs and the undertaking unitary cost. The results suggested the technical feasibility considering both the suitability of the waste for the process and its efficiency, which reached values of 62% allowing to reach an estimated electric power of 1.46 MW. The economic viability was verified under the studied conditions. The sensitivity analysis showed that the economic viability was sensitive to the variation of some parameters estimated on cash flow, which in turn leads to an understanding of the need for subsidies as an incentive to the technology effective viability. This study provides decisions makers with data and information on how to adopt the gasification technology in Brazil.

A sustainable cross-efficiency DEA model for international MSW-to-biofuel supply chain design

Fossil fuels, as the primary source of the energy supply in today’s global society, are being depleted much faster than expected and are raising serious environmental and social concerns for contemporary societies. To deal with issues, a global movement towards the generation of sustainable renewable energy is underway. One of the most promising sources of renewable energy alternatives is the use of municipal solid waste, as a biomass source since it does not endanger food security and considerably the biomass made by municipal solid waste will enable the appropriate management of the waste and help cities to be sustainable. The supply chain of converting the municipal solid waste to bioenergy is a challenging issue that have attracted the attention of academic and industrial research. In this direction, a three-echelon mathematical model is developed to design MSW-to-biofuel supply chain network. This supply network is a global network; hence, the international supply chain-related issues and the disruption in the raw material supply have also been studied. Identifying appropriate potential locations to site facilities is a challenge faced in the municipal solid waste-to-biofuel supply chain models. To achieve goal, in this research, the use has been made of a proposed sustainable cross-efficiency DEA model which is an effective ranking method, especially for finding potential points. To deal with sustainability, the social and environmental indicators have also been presented in the form of some criteria in this DEA method. In addition, effort has been made to improve the ecological indicators of the supply chain design in line with the sustainable development as an objective function. Finally, in order to validate the proposed model, a case study with real data is presented.

Trends in the rational use of municipal solid waste

Is not yet possible to create a full-fledged municipal solid waste management industry in Russia, as private investors currently do not consider this area promising for investment, even if there is a positive domestic experience. Since the механизмыfree market mechanisms in this industry have not worked, it is the state that has the main task of forming all the infrastructure necessary for MSW management, so the purpose of this article is to consider the main directions of MSW use in accordance with global trends and the possibility of using the experience of other countries that have achieved high results in this area. Today, Russia generates about 70 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) per year. According to the figures laid down in the national project “Ecology”, by 2024, 60% of garbage should be processed, that is, sorted, and then sent for recycling, 36% of the total volume of waste should be recycled. To do this, it is necessary to additionally build capacities capable of sorting 37.1 million tons of MSW. At the same time, enterprises operating in this segment, have a shortage of financial resources - half of the approximately two hundred operators in the country have cash gaps, accounts payable and receivables are growing, and operations are becoming unprofitable. In these circumstances, it is very important to consider the mechanisms that can increase the attractiveness of the industry for business and ensure its profitability.

The Use of Municipal Solid Waste as Secondary Energy Resources on the example of the Housing Complex Novopatrushevo, Tyumen

The article considers the feasibility of using biomethane, obtained on the basis of municipal solid waste (MSW) for the production of thermal energy. Research suggests the possibility of using biogas directly at the place of generation. The article also proposes a solution for the processing of numerous sludge of household waste water, which allows to improve the operating conditions of domestic sewage networks. The authors carry out detailed calculations for a residential complex under construction in the city of Tyumen. This paper determines the energy efficiency of a selected waste management scheme.

THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIOUR IN A COMBINED CYCLES OPERATING WITH BIOGAS AND MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE

The research and development of technologies using wastes have been advanced over the last decades. Along these lines, the use of biogas from landfills, and Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) as fuel has a relevant role in the context of energy generation and environmental protection. The use of MSW as fuel to produce energy has the advantage to abate the use of landfills, which are responsible for problems such as space loss and sanitation that large cities have to deal with. However, the MSW and biogas available in landfills have been used individually to generate power, or in systems where energy conversion is in development. Thus in this research the choosing of the technology that better fits in thermal conversion systems, using MSW and biogas, was carried out. The main technologies of thermal conversion of MSW, including gasification, pyrolysis, and incineration, were verified. Among the technologies above, incineration is the most and its present used in huge-sized facilities in the world. Regarding the most used technologies for thermal energy conversion of biogas, combustion in boilers, or engines and small turbines, can be addressed. Therefore, it is possible to verify that most of those systems can use many kinds of fuels; furthermore, there are many options to combine these technologies, for instance, using Combined Cycles. The present work aims to perform a thermodynamic analysis (energy and exergetic analyses) of a Combined Cycles composed of the internal combustion engine to burn biogas, and a gasification system of MSW combined with a system to burn syngas to produce steam and operate in a Rankine cycle. Because the MSW and biogas compositions are not singular over time, a thermodynamic analysis evaluating the influence was performed of this variation in the behavior of the power plant.

DETERMINATION OF THE PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOLID WASTE FOR USE IN THE PYROLYSIS PROCESS

Brazil is still very incipient in the use of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) for the generation of fuels and electric energy. Law No. 12.305/10 establishes the National Solid Waste Policy (NSWP), considered efficient and adequate for solving the problems caused by MSW. However, NSWP is considered a process of high cost when compared to landfill. Due to the need to seek clean and renewable forms of energy, the pyrolysis process can be an alternative in the primary energy production. This is a thermochemical conversion process, which occurs at high temperatures and involves several chemical reactions, whose liquid organic aqueous fraction is called bio-oil. This work studied the physicochemical characteristics of some types of waste (food scraps, cardboard and paper) and their potential for power generation. The samples presented similar elemental composition and the moisture content for energy generation: 7 % for food scraps (FS), 6 % for cardboard and 4 % for paper. Thermogravimetric analysis were performed to establish that the optimum temperature pyrolysis, in addition to determining the ash content, values above 20 % may cause loss of energy in the process or soot in the liquid fraction. The lowest heating value (LHV) presented typical values of biomasses, between 13 MJ/kg and 20/MJ kg. Considering the obtained results, these samples presented energetic potential for use in the pyrolysis process.

Gasification of municipal solid wastes: a review on the tar yields

ABSTRACTCurrently, due to its tremendous availability, the use of municipal solid waste (MSW) as an energy source has received significant attention in China. Moreover, when compared to coal and oil, MSW produces negligible NOx emissions in the atmosphere and generates less ash. Gasification is a promising technology for converting MSW and other low-value feedstocks into fuel gases and chemicals. In this review article, production of synthesis gas (also known as syngas) from MSW gasification is reviewed, and demonstrated to be a clean and attractive option. First, a short review of MSW treatment techniques and their advantages and limitations is presented, and then, the energy potential of MSW for gasification purposes is evaluated. Second, influencing process factors such as temperature, gasifying agents, gasifier type, particle size, and operating pressure are studied in terms of their impact on the resulting gas quality and quantity. Finally, the potential of key commercial catalysts (Ni-based catalysts, natural catalysts (dolomite), and blast furnace (BF)) in tar elimination is evaluated.

Study on Domestic Waste Treatment of Urban Residents in China

With the increase of urban population and the expansion of urban scale in China, the number of domestic waste of urban residents has been increasing year by year. The current main method of domestic waste disposal in China is landfill and incineration power generation. However, compared with foreign countries, there are still many problems in the treatment of municipal solid waste in China. For example, the nature and classification of domestic wastes make it more difficult to dispose of domestic waste, the overall level of municipal solid waste disposal is low, and some foreign waste disposal technologies are implemented in China. supervision and planning of the waste treatment industry in China need to be strengthened, and it is necessary to reduce the amount of household waste, pay attention to the classification of domestic waste, encourage the recycling of domestic waste, increase the use of municipal solid waste, and increase investment in research. The development of technology and the strengthening of the government departments' standard management of waste disposal companies will improve the scientific and resourceful treatment of municipal solid waste.

Effect of organic and inorganic amendments on amelioration of sodic soil and sustaining rice (Oryza sativa)-wheat (Triticum aestivum) productivity

Management of degradation of sodic lands in arid and semi-arid regions is a global concern. Amelioration of these soils through chemical amendments like gypsum or phosphogypsum is a costly affair for resource poor farmers having sodic lands. Combined use of municipal solid waste (MSW) compost with chemical amendments can providea realistic solution for ameliorating sodic soils and sustaining crop productivity. A field experiment was conducted during 2015 to 2016 at Shivri, Lucknow on highly sodic soil [pH 9.8, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) 78, organic carbon (OC) 1.30 g/kg and gypsum requirement (GR) 15.2 t/ha] to evaluate the influence of organic and inorganic amendments on amelioration of sodic soils and sustaining productivity of rice (Oryza sativa L.)-wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system. The treatments consisted of T1: Gypsum (G) @ 50%GR, T2: Phosphogypsum (PG) @ 50%GR, T3: G @25%GR + on-farm MSW compost @10 t/ha, T4: PG @25%GR+ on-farm MSW compost @10 t/ha, T5: G @12.5%GR + on-farm MSW compost @10 t/ha + pressmud (PM) @10 t/ha, T6: PG @12.5%GR+ on-farm MSW compost @ 10 t/ha + PM @ 10 t/ha, T7: G @ 25%GR + industrial processed (IP) MSW compost @10 t/ha and T8: PG @ 25%GR + IP MSW compost @10 t/ha. The results indicated that, application of reduced dose (25% of GR) of gypsum (T3) in combination with on-farm MSW compost @10 t/ha reduced about 14% ESP and increased 11% soil bulk density, 54% infiltration rate, 10% soil organic carbon content, and 13% available N over the recommended practice (T1). Productivity of rice and wheat crops enhanced to the tune of 4 and 12 %, respectively and thus farmers can save about ` 29444.00/ha on account of reducing the quantity of gypsum or phosphogypsum without any significant yield loss and the saved amount can be utilized to bring more area under reclamation. The maximum N content in rice and wheat grain was recorded with treatment T4.

An artificial neural network approach for the estimation of the primary production of energy from municipal solid waste and its application to the Balkan countries

Although the use of municipal solid waste to generate energy can decrease dependency on fossil fuels and consequently reduces greenhouse gases emissions and areas that waste occupies, in many countries municipal solid waste is not recognized as a valuable resource and possible alternative fuel. The aim of this study is to develop a model for the prediction of primary energy production from municipal solid waste in the European countries and then to apply it to the Balkan countries in order to assess their potentials in that field. For this purpose, general regression neural network architecture was applied, and correlation and sensitivity analyses were used for optimisation of the model. The data for 16 countries from the European Union and Norway for the period 2006–2015 was used for the development of the model. The model with the best performance (coefficient of determination R2 = 0.995 and the mean absolute percentage error MAPE = 7.757%) was applied to the data for the Balkan countries from 2006 to 2015. The obtained results indicate that there is a significant potential for utilization of municipal solid waste for energy production, which should lead to substantial savings of fossil fuels, primarily lignite which is the most common fossil fuel in the Balkans.

Power Generation from Municipal Solid Waste in Ghana

The use of municipal solid waste to generate electricity is becoming a widely accepted concept. Municipal solid wastes provide a clean source of fuel which can be used for power and steam generation. As Ghana sets out to increase its renewable energy component of the electricity generation mix by 10% by 2020, the conversion of municipal solid waste to electricity offers the country a fair opportunity to achieve this target. This paper assesses the potential of municipal solid waste in Ghana for power generation using the mechanical biological treatment process. The mechanical biological treatment presents Ghana with an added advantage of waste sorting, which is an uncommon practice in Ghana. This does not only make it easier to capture the organic component for biogas generation, but also allows the recyclable components of the residual waste to be re-used. The paper finds that the 12.3 million kg of municipal solid waste generated in Ghana daily can produce about 696,140.191MWh every year, representing 3.5% of Ghana’s total electricity demand in 2016 and 1.9% of total installed capacity. Furthermore, for every 200MW of power produced, Ghana can save up to US$5,217,622.64 every month on fuel costs if the country generates power from biogas from municipal solid waste using the mechanical biological treatment process.

Status and Opportunities for Energy Recovery from Municipal Solid Waste in Europe

This paper provides an overview of waste generation and treatment operations in the European Union (EU) and other European countries and an analysis of the possibilities for the use of municipal solid waste (MSW) for energy production. A geographic information system based methodology was developed to investigate the spatial distribution of MSW and to identify the optimal location for new potential waste-to-energy in Europe. In 2016, there were 512 plants in Europe, with 251 combined heat and power plants, 161 electricity-only and 94 heat-only plants, which provide a total incineration capacity of 93 million tonnes. The suitability analysis showed that there is a potential to implement around 248 new waste to energy plants in the EU and 330 in all Europe, with a total capacity of 37 and 50 million tonnes, respectively. This represents an additional primary energy production of 260 PJ (6.2 Mtoe) in the EU, in comparison to 406 PJ (9.7 Mtoe) already produced in 2015, and about 352 PJ (8.4 Mtoe) in all European countries considered in this analysis.

How amending calcareous soils with municipal solid waste compost affects Fe fractionation and availability to plant

The solubility of iron (Fe), as an important micronutrient for plant growth, is not high in the calcareous soils, and hence efficient methods must be used to increase its availability for plant use. Accordingly, a two-year research work was conducted to investigate the effects of composted municipal solid wastes (MSW) on Fe accumulation and fractionation in a calcareous soil. Treatments including MSW levels at (0 (control), 15 (MSW1), 30 (MSW2) and 60 (MSW3) t ha−1 dry weight) and usage time (yearly (T1) or biyearly usage (T2)) were tested in a factorial experiment on the basis of a completely randomized block design with three replications. The compost was salty and contained the total Fe of 16200 mg kg−1. The concentrations of plant available Fe fractions including the exchangeable (EX), carbonates-bound (CA), organically-bound (OM), and Fe-Mn-oxide-bound (FM) as well as the residual (RE), DTPA- and Total-Fe fraction were determined. MSW increased levels significantly enhanced Fe concentration in different soil fractions as the least and the highest Fe concentrations were resulted by the control and the MSW3 treatments, respectively. The effects of T treatment were also significant on different Fe fractions excluding CA fraction. The Fe fractionation using the Tessier consecutive extraction method indicated the following order of Fe distribution and concentration in different soil fractions: RE > FM > OM > CA > EX. Iron was mostly found in the following fractions RE (>90%), FM (>6%) and OM (>2%). Different soil properties including EC (positively), pH (negatively), CEC (positively) and organic matter (positively) were highly and significantly correlated with different Fe fractions indicating how the use of MSW can affect the properties of calcareous soils. It is possible to increase Fe availability in different soil fractions using composted municipal solid wastes, which is of agronomical, health and environmental significance.

Use of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)-Derived Hydrogen in Ecuador: Potential Applications for Urban Transportation

This paper performs an assessment of the potential energy-purposed H2 production in Ecuador from municipal solid waste (MSW). Thermochemical and electrochemical paths are considered for MSW conversion. Ecuadorian provincial MSW distribution (2016 data) provides the base information for assessing and constructing maps of the theoretical H2 production yield and its density per unit area. Additionally, the use of H2 in fuel cell-propelled urban public transportation is proposed as an end-use consumer. Results show that it is possible to fulfil urban public transportation energy demand in 91% of the country with MSW-derived H2; in fact, the three provinces that together generate 57% of the available MSW (Guayas, Pichincha, and Azuay) could satisfy their public transportation diesel fuel demand with MSW-derived hydrogen. In the case of these three provinces, H2 generation could replace by 2.57 times (on average) the local urban transportation diesel fuel demand. Finally, a possible scenario for a non-conventional H2 production path is shown, which could also represent a suitable MSW final disposal alternative with benefits to urban mobility.

Fate of metals and emissions of organic pollutants from torrefaction of waste wood, MSW, and RDF

Torrefaction of municipal solid waste (MSW), refuse-derived fuel (RDF), and demolition and construction wood (DC) was performed at 220°C and a residence time of 90min in a bench-scale reactor. The levels of toxic polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) contained in emission from the torrefaction process were evaluated. In addition, main ash-forming elements and trace metals in the raw feedstock and char were determined. The use of MSW in fuel blends with DC resulted in lower PCDD and PCDF emissions after torrefaction, compared with the RDF blends. The migration of chlorine from the feedstock to the gas phase reduces the chlorine content of the char which may reduce the risk of alkali chloride-corrosion in char combustion. However, trace metals catalytically active in the formation of PCDD and PCDF remain in the char, thereby may promote PCDD and PCDF formation during subsequent char combustion for energy recovery; this formation is less extensive than when the feedstock is used.

Use of municipal solid wastes for chemical and microbiological recovery of soils contaminated with metal(loid)s

Iron-rich water treatment residues (Fe-WTRs) and municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) were added together at two different total rates (i.e. 0.5% Fe-WTRs+0.5% MSWC and 1% Fe-WTRs+1% MSWC) to a degraded sub-alkaline soil (pH 8.0) contaminated with Sb (∼110 mg kg−1 soil), Pb (∼1200 mg kg−1), Cd (∼23 mg kg−1), and Zn (∼5400 mg kg−1). A large number of chemical and biological endpoints were evaluated to assess the efficacy of the treatments after five months of incubation. Both treatments significantly reduced the labile fractions of the metal(loid)s in soil, especially Sb, while increasing the abundance of culturable heterotrophic bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi (i.e. up to 6.3-, 1.6- and 4.1-fold higher than control respectively). Soil enzyme activities, i.e. dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase and urease, were also significantly enhanced in the treated soils (i.e. up to ∼12-, 3- and 2-fold higher than control respectively). The amendment addition affected the structure of the soil microbial community as highlighted by the higher metabolic potential and catabolic versatility of treated soils (Biolog CLPP) and by the significantly higher α-diversity values based on high throughput partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Moreover, analysis of the dominant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) showed differences in the microbial communities of untreated and treated soils. Plant growth (Helichrysum italicum) in the treated soils was greatly stimulated while metal(loid)s uptake was significantly reduced. Overall, the results indicated that the applied treatment could be ideal for the chemical and (micro)biological recovery of sub-alkaline soils contaminated with Sb and co-occurring metals, and H. italicum appears to be a promising plant species for aided phytostabilisation of such soils.

Suitability of a municipal solid waste as organic amendment for agricultural and metal(loid)-contaminated soils: effects on soil properties, plant growth and metal(loid) allocation in Zea mays L.

The use of municipal solid wastes (MSWs) as a low-cost source of organic matter for soils should be considered after discarding the environmental risks related to their metal(loid) load. The goal of this work was to assess the employment of a MSW as an organic amendment in two types of soil (an agricultural soil, A, and a metal(loid)-enriched mine tailings soil, T) attending to changes in soil properties and in plant growth, nutrition and metal(loid) translocation from roots to aerial parts of Zea mays L. (stalk, leaves, tassel, husk, cob and kernel). After a comprehensive characterisation of each soil treatment (A, A + MSW, T, T + MSW), a pot-designed experiment was carried out. Soil solution was monthly monitored throughout the experiment, and metal(loid) concentrations were measured. The MSW improved some fertility-related parameters in both soils, A and T: increased total and dissolved organic carbon, total nitrogen and soil microbiology. However, an increase in 0.01 M CaCl2-extractable metal(loid) concentration was also observed. No differences in dry biomass were found between amended and not amended treatments. A fractionation of metal(loid) concentrations among plant organs occurred. For instance, the highest Cu and Pb concentrations were found in roots, while for Zn occurred in the stalk and the cob. The amended treatments favoured the accumulation of Mn in all plant organs. Kernels showed in general the lowest metal(loid) concentrations. The addition of municipal solid wastes as organic amendment could be a suitable tool to increase soil fertility. However, due to the high metal(loid) content of this particular MSW, its use on agricultural soils would not be appropriate. By other hand, along with the improvement of soil fertility, the MSW was useful to promote plant development in the mine tailings soil which should be then considered as a potential tool to promote plant establishment in those metal(loid)-impacted soils.