title: Using thermal balance model to determine optimal reactor volume and insulation material needed in a laboratory-scale composting reactor.
abstract: A comprehensive model of thermal balance and degradation kinetics was developed to determine the optimal reactor volume and insulation material. Biological heat production and five channels of heat loss were considered in the thermal balance model for a representative reactor. Degradation kinetics was developed to make the model applicable to different types of substrates. Simulation of the model showed that the internal energy accumulation of compost was the significant heat loss channel, following by heat loss through reactor wall, and latent heat of water evaporation. Lower proportion of heat loss occurred through the reactor wall when the reactor volume was larger. Insulating materials with low densities and low conductive coefficients were more desirable for building small reactor systems. Model developed could be used to determine the optimal reactor volume and insulation material needed before the fabrication of a lab-scale composting system.
authors.affiliation: Huazhong Agricultural University, College of Engineering, 1 Shi-zi-shan Street, 430070 Wuhan, China. Electronic address: wangyongjiang@mail.hzau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yongjiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Huazhong Agricultural University, College of Engineering, 1 Shi-zi-shan Street, 430070 Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: Huazhong Agricultural University, College of Engineering, 1 Shi-zi-shan Street, 430070 Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Xinyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Huazhong Agricultural University, College of Engineering, 1 Shi-zi-shan Street, 430070 Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Yuansheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Huazhong Agricultural University, College of Engineering, 1 Shi-zi-shan Street, 430070 Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Kexun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Huazhong Agricultural University, College of Engineering, 1 Shi-zi-shan Street, 430070 Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism; D018481:Convection; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007753:Laboratories; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil; D012995:Solubility; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides; D012987:Soil; C007916:hemicellulose; D002482:Cellulose; D008031:Lignin
keywords: Composting; Degradation kinetics; Modeling; Simulation; Thermal balance