Comparison Of Different Waste Management Techniques Environmental Sciences Essay

Like incineration, gasification is a thermic procedure that uses high temperatures to interrupt down waste. It is still classed as incineration in the European Unions Waste Incineration Directive and has to run into the compulsory emanation bounds that it sets.

Gasification is a procedure in which stuffs are exposed to some O, but non plenty to let burning to happen. The ensuing gas mixture of C monoxide, H and methane (with smaller measures of C dioxide and N) is called syngas and is itself a fuel. It has a calorific value so can be used as a fuel to bring forth electricity or steam or as a basic chemical feedstock in the petrochemical and refinement industries. The calorific value of the syngas will depend on the composing of the input waste waste to the gasifier.

Both gasification and incineration are capable of change overing hydrocarbon-based risky stuffs to simple, nonhazardous by-products. There is non much indifferent informations available on gasification but the companies developing gasification claim the engineering has important advantages over traditional incineration of waste. These are as follows the procedure uses less oxygen significance that fewer air emanations may be produced incorporating possible pollutants.

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Less C dioxide is produced intending less impact on planetary clime alteration. Any C dioxide produced during gasification is present at much higher concentrations and at higher force per unit areas than in watercourses produced from conventional burning, doing them easier to capture (hypertext transfer protocol: //www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/coalpower/gasification/basics/2.html)

The workss are are made up of little units (modular) which can be added to or taken off from as waste watercourses or volumes change (e.g. with increased recycling in state) and are hence more flexible and can run at a smaller graduated table than mass burn incinerators. They are quicker to construct than conventional incinerators. The procedures are claimed to bring forth a more utile merchandise than standard incineration that can be used as a fuel (syngas).

The syngas may be used to bring forth energy more expeditiously, if a gas engine ( and potentially a fuel cell ) is used, while incineration can merely bring forth energy less expeditiously via steam turbines. (Source - Eunomia Research and Consulting (2008). Greenhouse gas balances of waste direction scenarios - study for the Greater London Authority) .The syngas produced by gasification can be converted into many valuable merchandises, runing from electricity and steam to liquid fuels, basic chemicals, and H. Integration of multiple merchandises of gasification into industrial applications increases chances for added grosss.

The energy produced from gasification may be eligible for more Reclamations Obligations Certificates (ROC 's) than conventional incineration therefore increasing the possible income. The treated fluke gas from an incinerator goes straight out into the ambiance. The treated syngas from the gasification works is used as a fuel in itself.

When solid waste is incinerated one of the by merchandises is bottom ash which so has to be disposed of or treated and so disposed of depending on the content. When solid is processed in a gasifier, scoria is produced which can be can be sold, used as feedstock in chemical production processes, or recycled in other in-plant procedure operations.

Sulfur compounds ( H2S and COS ) in the particulate-free syngas, usually a by-product of liquid gasification are typically removed and recovered utilizing conventional gas intervention engineerings from the refinery and natural gas industries. The ensuing by-product is high-purity liquid S which can so be sold and reused. ( A comparasion of gasification and incineration of risky wastes. Concluding Report. Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy. March 2000 )

Emission degrees of SOx, NOx, and particulate from gasification systems are reduced significantly compared to incineration systems. In an oxidative incineration environment, S and N compounds in the provender are converted to SOx and NOx. In contrast, syngas killing systems for modern gasification systems are designed to

recover 95 to 99 % of the S in the fuel as a high-purity S by-product A comparasion of gasification and incineration of risky wastes. Concluding Report. Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy. March 2000 )

The factors impacting the pick of bag filters or ESP in waste incinerators.

• Factor one: The type of waste being incinerated

It all depends on what is being incinerated. The features of the dust produced by the incineration plays a function in the pick as the combustibleness of some all right stuffs regulations out the usage of electrostatic precipitators.

Bag filters are really efficient at roll uping all right particulates but non so good at big particulates so it depends on the merchandise of the incineration. ( Source Should I replace my Electrostatic Precipitator with a fabric filter, I. Fanthom, C. Cottingham. )

Most common ESP filtration is best used for ambient gaining control of light atmospheric dust. Unless a hob cleaning electrostatic precipitator is used, beginning gaining control or direct ducting from a heavy dust bring forthing incineration will rapidly make full up the aggregation plates. Heavy dust aggregation requires storage for a big volume of dust. The surface country of bag filters is much greater than surface country of electrostatic aggregation home bases and work better for dust gaining control of heavy dust bring forthing incineration than ESP would. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.dustcollectorexperts.com/electrostatic/ )

• Factor two: Features of the airstream

The features of the airstream can hold important impacts on the aggregator system. For illustration cotton cloth bag filters can non be used where air temperatures exceed 82 grades centigrade. Besides condensation of steam or H2O vapors can blind bags doing them uneffective. Assorted chemicals created in the airstream can respond with the H2O in the airstream and signifier caustic liquids such as sulfuric acid which can eat any metal in the bag i.e. if it is rearward jet bag filter with a metal coop. ESP 's can defy caustic stuff doing aggregation possible.

The individual most of import factor act uponing the Elecrostatic precipitator is the electric resistance of the gas being caught. Fabric filters take dust from a gas watercourse by go throughing gas through a cloth and go forthing dust on the surface of the cloth. It is hence non sensitive to dust electric resistance.

A fabric filter can work on emanation degrees of 10-20 mg/NM3 whereas an ESP needs to be sized to suit demands.

• Factor three - Cost

With most designs of ESP 's they have to close the line down in order to keep them which incurs a cost. With most bag filters they can be changed online, non incurring a cost of closing down. The power ingestion utilizing a bag filter is higher than utilizing an ESP, evidently incurring more costs for more power.

Bag filters need to be changed more often than an Electrostatic Precipitator. Typically bags need altering every 4 old ages. An ESP needs a full service every 20-30 old ages.

Bag filters are extremely efficient and cost effectual due to the dust bar which is formed on the surface. ( ( Source Should I replace my Electrostatic Precipitator with a fabric filter, I. Fanthom, C. Cottingham. ) They can accomplish a aggregation efficiency of more than 99 % for really all right particulates.

The ESP 's are more expensive to put in than the bag filters. Dust tonss may be needed to be reduced before the Electrostatic Precipitation procedure ( precleaner may be needed ) hence adding to the cost.

• Factor four - Features of the dust

Hygroscopic ( i.e. a stuff which attracts wet from the ambiance. If non protected from contact with the ambiance ( by being stored under vacuity or under a dry gas ) some hygroscopic stuffs will finally pull so much H2O that they will organize solutions ) and these can blind bag filters doing them ineffective.

• Factor Five - Conformity with Environmental ordinances and jurisprudence

In 1990the Environmental protection Act ( EPA ) introduced Integrated Pollution Control ( IPC ) necessitating higher control of emanations in most industries. More late the waste Incineration Directive was introduced and has imposed important alterations on any procedure combustion waste stuffs. For illustration the entire emanation value for Cd is 0.05 mg/Nm3. ( Source the Waste Incineration Directive ) . Hence the type of intervention demands to be chosen in order to fulfill these ordinances.

It will besides depend how near the waste incinerator is to edifices and the type of edifice i.e. is it near a residential country. Hence more ordinances need to be considered sing public wellness.

• Factor Six- Space

How much infinite is at that place for the installings. ESP 's are larger than bag filters and therefore take up more infinite.

Methods for cut downing heavy metals in landfill leachate.

There are assorted methods for cut downing heavy metals in landfill leachate -biological, biodegredation utilizing anaerobiotic and aerophilic procedures and chemical and physical methods.

One such biological intervention that has been investigated is utilizing vertiver grass ( N. Roongtanakiat, T.Nirunrach, S.Chanyotha, D. Hengchaovanich. Uptake of heavy metals in landfill leachate by vertiver grass ' Natural Science 37: 168-175. 2003 ) . They investigated the workss ability to uptake heavy metals from the leachate. The Surat ecotype vertiver workss were planted in pots and treated with landfill leachate. The vertiver grass took up more heavy metals as the strength of the leachate increased and the heavy metals were equally distributed in the shoot and the root. The consequences of the field test at the landfill site besides indicated that vertiver could be used in rehabilitating landfills and nearby countries. The vertiver workss were shown to decease after 80-85 yearss if 100 % leachate was used so they could non e straight used on immature landfills, but could be used on immature landfills if limited leachate were used. The shoot of the works should be harvested sporadically in order to take the heavy metals from the contaminated dirt and to excite new growing for more consumption.

Artificial wetlands combined with aerophilic interventions have besides been studied as a remotion method for heavy metals in leachate. The survey was undertaken at Alback landfill site in Sweden In 2003. ( Source - hypertext transfer protocol: //warrr.org/168/ ) . The leachate intervention system consists foremost of an aeration measure, followed by several wetlands with different deepnesss and flora, intermediate commixture and aeration in a ditch, and eventually deposit in a pool. An approximative sum of 120,000 M3 of leachate base on ballss through the intervention stairss yearly. Leachate samples were collected at different phases along the intervention way during a period of two months and the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Zn, nickel, lead and Cr were studied. The leachate samples were filtered with three different membranes with different pore sizes. Lead and Cr could non be detected at all in the leachate. The entire rates of decrease in the whole wetland system for Cd, Cu, and Zn concentrations were on mean - 83 % 74 % and 68 % severally. Nickel passed unchanged through the wetlands. The largest sum of metals in the leachate was already reduced during the first few metres in the wetland system, provided by deposit and aeration. Consequences of fractional process indicate that Ni and copperoccurred chiefly complex-bound to humic substances. Which are difficult to entree automatically or biologically. Zinc occurs largely in different ionic signifiers or bonded to atoms in the H2O. Harmonizing to environmental quality standards for natural Waterss in Sweden controlled by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, metal concentrations in the treated leachate are low and give rise to no or small hazard of biological effects. Further betterment to the wetland system 's heavy metal remotion rates is likely limited since a big sum of the metals appear as composites, which are difficult to entree automatically or biologically. ( Source - Persson, K. M. , Van Praahg, M and Olsberg.G, E. ( 2007 ) Removal of Heavy Metallic elements From Landfill Leachate by an Artificial Wetland During a Nordic Autumn. In: Eleventh International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium, 1-5 October 2007, S.Margherita di Pula - Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy. hypertext transfer protocol: //warrr.org/168/ )

Aerobic intervention can be used where leachate is recirculated through the waste mass and air is injected into the waste mass. An probe by M.Sartaj, M. Ahmardifar, A.Karmi Jastini ' ( Assessment of unmoved aerophilic intervention of municipal landfill leachate at research lab degree - Persian Journal of Science and Technology, Transaction B, Engineering. Vol 34 No.Bl. Pp107-116 2010 ) found that the remotion efficiency for Magnesium, Iron, Lead and Zinc was 93 % , 90 % , 43 % and 76 % severally. Leachate was collected in a container at the underside and pumped into another container at the top, from which leachate was recirculated back into the waste mass into which air was injected.

Bacterias can be used to handle leachate for heavy metals. Bacterial floc on the on the leachate surviving in an aerated system with O degrees maintained above 5mg/l. The heavy metals are taken in by the bacteriums and incorporated into their cell biomass. ( Source - Arden Quarry Landfill - www.drydenaqua.com/leachate/leachate/leachpapers/123pdf )

Chemical intervention is besides used - Three armored combat vehicles are used in which pH is adjusted, metal precipate atoms coagulate and are flocculated and foods are added to promote microbic growing The usage of ferric and ferrous oxides as coagulates separate and clot the heavy metals leting remotion. The usage of oxidizers such as H peroxide or K permanganate react with the heavy metals and pull them out of the leachate leting remotion. Simple pH accommodation of the leachate causes the heavy metals to precipitate from the leachate and therefore be removed. ( Source - www.epa.gov/nrmrl )

Other methods include revolving biological contractors, drip filters, aerated lagunas, up flow anaerobic sludge cover reactors, chemical oxidization, surface assimilation, deposit, floatation, rearward osmosis and air denudation.

Techniques for the separation of plastic types originating from municipal wastes

Plastics can be separated by their rosin designation codification, a method of classification developed by the Society of the Plastics Industry in 168. See below:

Pet

Polyethylene phenolphthalein - Fizzy drink bottles and oven-ready repast trays.

HDPE

High-density polythene - Bottles for milk and washing-up liquids.

Polyvinyl chloride

Polyvinyl chloride - Food trays, cleaving movie, bottles for squash, mineral H2O and shampoo.

LDPE

Low denseness polythene - Carrier bags and bin line drives.

PP

Polypropylene - Margarine bath, microwaveable repast trays.

PS

Polystyrene - Yoghurt pots, foam meat or fish trays, beefburger boxes and egg cartons, peddling cups, fictile cutter, protective packaging for electronic goods and playthings.

OTHER

Any other plastics that do non fall into any of the above classs. - An illustration is melamine, which is frequently used in plastic home bases and cups. (Source hypertext transfer protocol: //www.wasteonline.org.uk/resources/informationsheets/plastics.htm)

The first point of separation can be at the clip of aggregation. The rosin codification is identified, as seen above, by a trigon formed by three trailing pointers with a figure indoors. This system allows segregation by what is desirable for a municipal recycling segregation system and what should non be included.

Other types of separation include:

DRY SEPARATION, utilizing the following techniques:

• Air classifiers -Air separation is used to divide different plastics, or even the same plastic, by the difference of the ratio between the surface of the flake and its mass. This is done by an air counter-flow, - an air flow lifts up plastics of light denseness material and the high denseness plastic corsets down utilizing gravitation.
• Mechanical classifiers -These are used on flakes of plastic and are largely used to divide flakes by size. Classifiers can be round, level, inclined, with slow or high frequence quivers etc.
• NIR (Near Infrared Rays) - These give a certain measure of energy to every individual piece of plastic and step the response ; this happens in footings of msecs. Its bound is the fact it can be used merely on crystalline points ( chiefly to screen PVC from PET bottles and flakes)
• Laser spectral analysis -This penetrates the surface and steps emission spectra which depends upon heat capacity and thermic conduction so color doesn't count. The response clip is long on this method so it is non mostly used.
• Polarized visible radiation -This used to look into differences of crystallinity and applies chiefly to the sorting of PVC from PET bottles but it can be used to screen any mixture of two plastics.
• UV light - This is used to divide polymers that exhibit different UV induced fluorescence. To human eyes, PET will remain clear while PVC turns black therefore this is a really common manner to manually screen bottles.
• Electrostatic separation is a system to pull or repel different plastics harmonizing to their charge.

WET SEPARATION, utilizing the following techniques

• Hydro cyclones heighten the difference of specific weight by centrifugal force, so seperating the plastics. It can be used on plastics of really similar weights
• Sink-float by preferable solvent soaking up is used when two polymers with same specific weight demand to be separated ; a dissolver ( intoxicant, ketone, etc ) makes one of the two lighter hence they can be separated.
• Hydrophobicity is the disfavor of H2O ; some polymers react in a different manner when traveling into H2O under certain conditions therefore separation becomes possible.
• Froth floatation means air bubbles attach to one solid advancing natation in a liquid and leave the other ( s ) to drop.
• Chemical Separation can besides be used including Hydrolysis, Glycolysis, hydroglycolysis
• Pyrolysis

A new separation technique for assorted plastics using selective wetting features has been developed. The surface of specific plastics can be selectively changed from hydrophobic to hydrophilic by utilizing a wetting agent. Then, when little air bubbles are introduced into a separation cell, they adhere to the surface of the hydrophobic plastics and drift them to the H2O surface. The new separation technique is wholly different from conventional methods based on lone differences in denseness. Plastics with the same denseness can be separated by this procedure. The fictile centrifuge can be used for many intents: for dividing plastics from mixtures, riddance of foreign affair such as paper, fibres, aluminum foil, Cu wire french friess, sand, and glass from plastics ; elucidation of waste H2O incorporating all right rosin pulverization ; etc. ( Source K.Saitoh, I. Naguna, S.Izuni. ' New Separation technique for waste plastics. Central Research Laboratory, Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company. 1976 )

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