ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

ASSIGNMENT NO. 8: SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Name:

Prepare clean and clear solutions to the following problems.

1. Nonlegume vegetable wastes have a moisture content of 80% and are 4% N of a dry mass basis. The vegetable wastes
are to be composted with readily available sawdust. The sawdust has a moisture content of 50% and is 0.1% N on a dry
mass basis. The desired C:N ratio for the mixture is 20. The C:N ratio for vegetable wastes is 11 and the C:N ratio for
sawdust is 500. Determine the weight of sawdust required per kilogram of vegetable waste that results in an initial C:N
ratio of 20.

Given:
C:N ratio for vegetable waste = 11
C:N ratio for sawdust = 500
C:N ratio for the mixture = 20

Soln:
Let x be the weight of sawdust

For mixture:
11+500 x
=20
1+ x

Solving for weight for sawdust:

11+500 x=20+20 x

x=0.01875−kg

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 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

2. Equal amounts of two types of waste are disposed into a section of a landfill. They both start producing gas at t=0, so
there is no lag time. Assume first order decay for gas production. Each type of waste can produce 150 L methane per kg
of waste. Waste A produces gas with a half-life of 6 years, and waste B produces gas with a half-life of 3 years. How long
until 90% of each gas has been produced?

Sol’n:

V A ( 1−e−kst ) +V A ( 1−e−kst )

150 ( 1−e−kxt ) + 150× ( 1−e−kst ) ( 0.9 )( 150 x +150 x ) =150 x ( 1−e−kst ) +150 x( 1−e−kst )

0.693
k=
tV2

Solving for t (time):

−t ( 0.693 ) −t ( 0.693 )
270=150 1−e ( 6 ) +150 ( 1−e 3 )
t=15.3− years

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 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

3. The mass composition of dry paper is 43% carbon, 6% hydrogen, 44% oxygen and 7% others. Estimate the volume of air
required to burn 1 kg dry paper. Assume carbon dioxide and water are the only products of combustion of carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen. Assume a temperature of 20 C and a pressure of 1 atm.

Given:
T = 20C = 293.15K
P = 1 atm

Req’d: V of air

Element Mass Molar weight Mol

Carbon 43% 12 35.8

Hydrogen 6% 1 60
Oxygen 44% 16 27.5

Solution:
Solve for mol of O2:

mol O 2 mol O2 mol O2

( mol C ×
mol C )(+ mol H ×
mol H )(
− mol O×
mol O )
Substitute all given data:

1 1

)( )( )
mol O2 mol O2
1 mol O2 4 2
( 35.8 C ×
1 mol C
+ 60×
1 mol H
− mol O×
1 mol O
=37.05 mol O2

Using Ideal gas equation solve for the V of O2:

PV =nRT

L−atm
1 atm (V )=37 mol 0.082( mol−K )
( 293.15 K )

V =888.962liters
Solve for Volume of air:

1liters of air
V a =888.962−L O2 ×
0.21−L

V a =4233.15 liters of air

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