Environmental Technology: Solid Waste Treatment

Qualitative and quantitative characteristics of solid wastes. Integrated solid waste management. Special wastes. Source sorting and recycling. Design of solid waste collection systems. Mechanical separation into fractions. Landfill design, operation and closure. Thermal conversion processes (incineration, pyrolysis, gasification). Biological conversion processes (composting, anaerobic digestion). Economic and environmental assessment of alternative integrated solid management scenarios.

Objectives

After completing this course a student should be able to: 1.understand the characterization of solid wastes in terms of contained materials (qualitative and quantitative). 2.have a greater fundamental understanding of the systems for temporary storage, collection and transportation of municipal solid wastes 3.understand and select the most appropriate physical processes for designing a material recovery facility 4.understand, select and design the fundamental mechanical, thermal and biological processes for the management of solid wastes 5.understand the fundamental principles for the design, construction and operation of a municipal landfill Competences At the end of the course the student will have further developed the following skills/competences: 1.ability to identify and measure the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of solid wastes 2.ability to design a collection system for municipal solid wastes and optimizing the routes for cost minimization 3.ability to select, analyze and design the most appropriate mechanical, thermal and biological processes for the management of solid wastes 4.ability to design and operate a municipal landfill

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course. However, students should have basic knowledge of mass and energy balances and unit operations.

Syllabus

Qualitative and quantitative characteristics of solid wastes. Integrated solid waste management. Special wastes. Source sorting and recycling. Design of solid waste collection systems. Mechanical separation into fractions. Landfill design, operation and closure. Thermal conversion processes (incineration, pyrolysis, gasification). Biological conversion processes (composting, anaerobic digestion). Economic and environmental assessment of alternative integrated solid management scenarios.