Management of the organic fraction of urban solid waste using anaerobic procedures will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and using biogas, which is a carbon neutral energy, to generate electrical energy will... more
Management of the organic fraction of urban solid waste using anaerobic procedures will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and using biogas, which is a carbon neutral energy, to generate electrical energy will eventually help in reducing the combustion of fossil fuel. Energy recovery in the form of biogas from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generated in three different locations is studied. The present status of the biomethanation plants at these locations is reviewed and analysed, in order to understand the prospects of biomethanation as a technological option for managing the increasing urban solid waste sustainability. In spite of the fact that biomethanation is an established technology worldwide, including India, the scale-up of the same has become an uphill task, both for the Central Government and the Urban Local Bodies. Biomethanation for processing the organic fraction of urban solid wastes needs a lot of planning, not only with respect to the design, construction and operation, but also with institutionalising the concept of integrated solid waste management, without which biomethanation would not be a viable option.
With the success of Swachh Bharat Mission in building toilets for all, faecal sludge is an undeniable outcome of the intervention. The faecal sludge from the on-site sanitation systems such as septic tanks and pits has to be safely... more
With the success of Swachh Bharat Mission in building toilets for all, faecal sludge is an undeniable outcome of the intervention. The faecal sludge from the on-site sanitation systems such as septic tanks and pits has to be safely managed to convert it to resource-recoverable by-products. From the sanitation circular economy, management of faecal sludge should benefit the environment by the generation of less waste, promote innovation and develop markets for reuse of the by-products. The chemical characteristics of faecal sludge show high nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon, moisture as well as high gross calorific value. The paper presents the case study of faecal sludge treatment plant (FSTP) based on thermal technology in context with a circular economy. The recovered resources are evaluated in terms of economy and assessments are made to make it a case for economic model through revenues by exploring new avenues for its resource utilization. With more research and development in the field of utilization of the FSTP output resources in diversified areas, FSTPs can play a pivotal role in the sanitation circular economy, especially in addressing the sanitation value chain on the whole. Thermal FSTP utilizes the process thermal energy to achieve biosafety of the by-products, and the design is innovatively integrating nutrient recovery, water recovery and energy recovery during the faecal sludge treatment. The thermal treatment process converts faecal sludge into biochar, treated water and thermal energy. These recovered resources have the potential to positively contribute to the circular economy, which is scientifically analysed in this paper.
... Reaction Free energy (MJ/Kmole) Fermentative bacteria ( ) 6 10 5 2 2 6 CH O HO CHO + ??? ???17.7 ... A hydrolysis reaction where organic waste is broken down into a simple sugar, glucose, can be represented by the following equation:... more
... Reaction Free energy (MJ/Kmole) Fermentative bacteria ( ) 6 10 5 2 2 6 CH O HO CHO + ??? ???17.7 ... A hydrolysis reaction where organic waste is broken down into a simple sugar, glucose, can be represented by the following equation: 6 10 4 2 6 12 6 2 CHO 2H O CHO 2H + ??? + ...
