Waste Recycling: Waste to Energy System

Abstract

The current economic growth trend of increased urbanization has resulted in huge amounts of municipal waste and energy consumption. Many emerging countries, such as Iraq, suffer from the worsening of such a problem. Thus, an adequate municipal waste management system and the innovation of renewable energy alternatives are the fundamental issues that need to be addressed. Two test rigs were used in this study: the fi rst separates waste based on the principle of gravity and the difference in density between the constituent elements of the waste, The test rig consists of a conveyor belt (0.5 m) width and (1.5 m) length with variable height and speed that throws the waste into special containers to separate the waste. The study suggested taking samples of equal size (1 cm3) for all elements and showing the effect of the sampling process on the separation methods approved by the test rig. The second is a laboratory test rig that analyzes waste and produces combustible gas, thus producing thermal energy. The main components of the rig are a digester (0.4 m diameter - 0.64 m height), a calorimeter, and several other components. The data analysis method developed by Japanese scientist Takeuchi was used to analyze the results of the fi rst test rig ' s experimental work. The main results of this analysis showed that the height is (0.67 m), the speed is (1.9 m/s), and the distance of the samples falling ranges from about (0.53 m) to (0.58 m). The signi fi cant fi ndings of the current study for the second test rig are obtained for the amount of thermal energy and measured using a calorimeter, and it was found that the highest value of energy was obtained on the 23 day of the start of the fermentation process; the amount was (10752.88 Jules) in the second experimental test.