A new structured mathematical model of the composting process

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Life cycle assessment (LCA) of a pneumatic municipal waste collection system compared to traditional truck collection. Sensitivity study of the influence of the energy source

The study of waste management strategies is increasing worldwide due to the necessity of a more sustainable environment. In this framework, guaranteeing cleaner energy is the key parameter for cleaner production, especially for reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants to the environment, which are directly related to the types of the energy sources used. Through the methodology of LCA it can help in the study of the environmental part. This study is based on the methodologies ISO 14040 and 14044 for obtaining quantitative results on the environmental impact, from cradle to grave, of different waste collection systems. A sensitive study of the influence of the energy source on the life cycle assessment (LCA) is analysed for six different waste collection systems (trucks - electric, gas, diesel, diesel-electric, gas-electric - and stationary pneumatic waste collection) and five energy sources (Spanish energy mix 2008, hydropower, photovoltaic, wind, and a renewable energy mix). The results show that the energy source has a big impact in the results of the LCA with variations up to 80%. The environmental impact of each collection system depends strongly on the source of the energy used and thus, decision-makers should consider the energy source and the expected evolution of energy mix when considering the best waste collection systems from an environmental point of view. In a framework with a majority of fossil-sourced energy, the truck collection shows lesser environmental impact, due to its lower electricity use, whereas in a renewable energy environment, the stationary pneumatic waste collection shows better performance.The authors would like to thank the following companies for providing the real data used in this study: Urban Refuse Development, Urbaser S. A, and Ros Roca S.A, and the company Ilnet UTE (Romero Polo, SA and Valoriza-Sacyr, SA) for showing their installations and for their explanations about the truck operation and maintenance. The authors would like to thank the Catalan Government for the quality accreditation given to their research group (2017 SGR 1537). GREiA is a certified agent TECNIO in the category of technology developers from the Government of Catalonia. Aran Solé would like to thank Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España for Grant Juan de la Cierva, FJCI-2015-25741

Guía de técnicas de gestión ambiental de residuos agrarios

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Guia de tècniques de gestió ambiental de residus agraris

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Estudio de procesos biológicos de tratamiento de residuos basado en la modelización

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Estudio de procesos biológicos de tratamiento de residuos basado en la modelización

Los modelos matemáticos se han convertido en una herramienta básica para aumentar la comprensión de los procesos biológicos relacionados con el tratamiento de residuos orgánicos. En este sentido, la modelación permite crear un lenguaje de comunicación común, orientar el diseño experimental, evaluar resultados, contrastar hipótesis, revelar relaciones entre variables, prever la evolución de sistemas y, en definitiva, diseñar estrategias de gestión y tratamiento optimizados. En el presente artículo se presenta esta línea de trabajo y resultados concretos en dos ámbitos de aplicación: compostaje de mezclas de residuos y eliminación biológica de nitrógeno en purines de cerdo.Peer Reviewe

Desenvolupament d’un simulador numèric del procés de compostatge i aplicació a l’optimització del compostatge de llots i mescles amb altres residuos orgànics

L’objectiu principal del present projecte és l’obtenció d’un simulador, basat en un model estructurat, que permeti optimitzar les condicions del procés de compostatge de llots de depuradora, així com predir-ne l’evolució. L’esmentat simulador i el model associat hauran de ser aplicables al compostatge d’altres residus orgànics com la fracció orgànica de residus municipals, els residus ramaders i, en general, les mescles de residus de composició coneguda (cocompostatge).Postprint (published version