Exercise 3.

7
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ENV111
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Name:
AND ENGINEERING
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Prepare clean and clear solutions to the following problems. Highlight the final answer.

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 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.

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?

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.

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