OBJECTIVE

 To calculate the volatile matter content of the solid waste sample.

 To determine the ash and fixed carbon content in the sample

INTRODUCTION

The volatile matter is a conversion of sample waste to gas during the combustion as the as
rapid combustion is occur. The volatile matter content can be determined by using this
formula:-

Ash content can be defined as the sample that burned until the non-combustible residue waste
left. The ash content also can measure the total amount of mineral that present in the sample.
The sample is prepared can determined moisture content, volatile matter content and also the
ash content.

Meanwhile, the residue that remains after the volatile matter content experiment can
determine the fixed carbon content. The fixed carbon content or can be called as the fixed
carbon yield of the burned waste the produced during the devolatization process. The fixed
carbon is determined by equation 3.
ABSTRACT

The volatile matter content, ash content and fixed carbon content will be determined in this
experiment and the sample that used is a solid waste sample that are mainly food waste
sample. This experiment is achieved by the sample go through burning process or can be
called combustion process in a furnace. As for the first one that is the volatile matter content,
the sample was placed in the furnace for 7 minutes under 950 ̊C. Then the sample was cooled
down in desiccator and weight. The weight of sample will be used to calculate the volatile
matter content. As for the ash content, the sample will undergo furnace for 1 hour under
750̊C. The sample was cooled down and reweighed. The weight of sample will be used to
calculate the ash content. The result give us 5.79% of volatile matter content, 5.66% of ash
content and 0.66% of fixed carbon content.

PROCEDURE
RESULT AND CALCULATION

Weight of sample after 1

Weight of sample after 7
Dry sample weight, g hour dried in furnace, g
minutes dried in furnace, g
(from exp 5) (ash and fixed carbon
(volatile matter content)
content)

10.55+6.89+5.8 9.70+6.66+5.56
24.76 g
= 23.24 g = 21.92 g

Volatile matter content

Percent volatile matter % Percent ash content % Wet basic %

% VM % Ash = 100 – (wt%

moisture content +
(𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡−𝑎𝑠ℎ 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡) (𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡−𝑎𝑠ℎ 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡) wt% ash + wt%
= ×100 = ×100
𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 volatile content)

(24.67−23.24) (24.67−21.92) = 100 – 87.89% -

= × 100 = × 100 5.79 – 5.66%
24.67 23.24

= 5.79% = 5.66% = 0.66%

DISCUSSION

There are many categories in the municipal of solid waste for examples paper, food residue,
plastics, glass, and also textile. The first one that will examine in this experiment is the
percentage of volatile matter content as it is occur during the combustion of the sample with
high temperature. Volatile matter content can be range from less than 5% as it on the moist
and ash free content and more than 50% which can contain carbon oxides, and much more
compounds. The second thing that was determined in this experiment is the percentage of ash
content. The ash content can be defined as the residue left after combustion process as it
removed the water and organic matter that are present in the sample. The residues of the
sample contain the total amount of minerals. As the last one is fixed carbon content as it
represent the carbon left in the residue. The effect of sample that has a high carbon contents
need longer time in the furnace to get a complete combustion which means the sample is hard
to discard.

The volatile matter content was get by the combustion of the sample weight that have been
triplicate that used before in moisture content determination at 950 ̊C for 7 minutes. After
combustion, the samples were weighed to determine the ash dry weight, with volatile solids
being the difference between the dried solids and the ash. The sample then dried at 750 ̊C for
1 hour as the excess left from the sample can be calculated to get the percentage of ash and
the fixed carbon content. There are many minerals or natural substance left at the end of
combustion which are carbon, oxygen, sulfur and etc. The fixed carbon content calculated at
the end which it is indicate the carbon left in the material after all the test and it can be
calculated by removing all the calculated mass such as volatile matter content, ash content,
moisture content from the original mass of the sample.

From the experiment, the result that got shows the percentage of volatile matter cont, ash
content and the fixed carbon content. The dry sample from experiment 5 that is from moisture
content is 24.76g. Weight of sample after 7 minutes dried in furnace, is 23.24g and the
percentage of sample is 5.79%. The weight of sample after 1 hour dried in furnace is 21.92g
and the percentage of ash content is 5.66%. The percentage of fixed carbon content is 0.66%.
This shows that the sample do not contain a high volatile matter content, ash content and also
the fixed carbon content in the sample is very low which shows that the sample is easy to
discard.
CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, the objective of this experiment is achieved as to find out the percentage of
volatile matter content, ash content and fixed carbon content. The dry sample from
experiment 5 that is from moisture content is 24.76g. Weight of sample after 7 minutes dried
in furnace, is 23.24g and the percentage of sample is 5.79%. The weight of sample after 1
hour dried in furnace is 21.92g and the percentage of ash content is 5.66%. The percentage of
fixed carbon content is 0.66%.

REFERENCES

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from Metallurgy Matters: Carbon content, steel classifications, and alloy steels:
http://www.thefabricator.com/article/metalsmaterials/carbon-content-steel-
classifications-and-alloy-steels

2. Carlo S. Alburo, R. H. (2010). Calorific Values and Proximate Analysis of Sargassum

spp.

3. H. Z. Sarakikya, J. K. (n.d.). Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Characteristics,

Composition and Plastic Potential in Murieti Landfill, Arusha – Tanzania. Municipal
Solid Waste Generation, Characteristics, Composition and Plastic Potential in
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