The influence of biomass temperature on biostabilization-biodrying of municipal solid waste.
A laboratory study was carried out to obtain data on the influence of biomass temperature on biostabilization-biodrying of municipal solid waste (initial moisture content of 410 g kg wet weight (w.w.)(-1)). Three trials were carried out at three different biomass temperatures, obtained by airflow rate control (A = 70 degrees C, B = 60 degrees C and C = 45 degrees C). Biodegradation and biodrying were inversely correlated: fast biodrying produced low biological stability and vice versa. The product obtained from process A was characterized by the highest degradation coefficient (166 g kg TS0(-1); TS0(-1) = initial total solid content) and lowest water loss (409 g kg W0(-1); W0 = initial water content). Due to the high reduction of easily degradable volatile solid content and preservation of water, process A produced the highest biological stability (dynamic respiration index, DRI = 141 mg O2 kg VS(-1); VS = volatile solids) but the lowest energy content (EC = 10,351 kJ kg w.w.(-1)). Conversely, process C which showed the highest water elimination (667 g kg W0(-1)), and lowest degradation rate (18 g kg TS0(-1)) was optimal for refuse-derived fuel (RDF) production having the highest energy content (EC = 14,056 kJ kg w.w.(-1)). Nevertheless, the low biological stability reached, due to preservation of degradable volatile solids, at the end of the process (DRI = 1055 mg O2 kg VS(-1)), indicated that the RDF should be used immediately, without storage. Trial B showed substantial agreement between low moisture content (losses of 665 g kg W0(-1)), high energy content (EC = 13,558 kJ kg w.w.(-1)) and good biological stability (DRI = 166 mg O2 kg VS(-1)), so that, in this case, the product could be used immediately for RDF or stored with minimum pollutant impact (odors, leaches and biogas production).
Adani
Fabrizio
F
Dipartimento di Produzione Vegetale, sez. FCA, Milano, Italy. fabrizio.adani@unimi.it
Baido
Diego
D
Calcaterra
Enrico
E
Genevini
Pierluigi
P
D000332:Aerobiosis; D000392:Air Movements; D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors; D009111:Local Government; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism*
D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014867:Water; D010100:Oxygen