title: Assessing thermal conductivity of composting reactor with attention on varying thermal resistance between compost and the inner surface.
abstract: Dynamic estimation of heat transfer through composting reactor wall was crucial for insulating design and maintaining a sanitary temperature. A model, incorporating conductive, convective and radiative heat transfer mechanisms, was developed in this paper to provide thermal resistance calculations for composting reactor wall. The mechanism of thermal transfer from compost to inner surface of structural layer, as a first step of heat loss, was important for improving insulation performance, which was divided into conduction and convection and discussed specifically in this study. It was found decreasing conductive resistance was responsible for the drop of insulation between compost and reactor wall. Increasing compost porosity or manufacturing a curved surface, decreasing the contact area of compost and the reactor wall, might improve the insulation performance. Upon modeling of heat transfers from compost to ambient environment, the study yielded a condensed and simplified model that could be used to conduct thermal resistance analysis for composting reactor. With theoretical derivations and a case application, the model was applicable for both dynamic estimation and typical composting scenario.
authors.affiliation: Huazhong Agricultural University, Department of Agricultural Engineering, 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, Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering, 1 Shi-zi-shan Street, 430070 Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Wenjuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Huazhong Agricultural University, Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering, 1 Shi-zi-shan Street, 430070 Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ai
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D013814:Thermal Conductivity; D018505:Waste Management / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
keywords: Heat transfer; Modeling; Reactor composting; Thermal resistance