Improving Stabilization or Mass Reduction

Effect for an Existing MBT Plant

Francesco Di Maria, Alessio Sordi, Caterina Micale, Francesco Castellani, LAR-Department
of Industrial Engineering, University of Perugia, Italy

Moreno Marionni, VUS Spa, Spoleto, Italy

CONTACT
Francesco Di Maria
LAR-Department of Industrial Engineering
Via G. Duranti 67, 06125
Perugia, Italy
Tel.: +39 0755853738
Fax: +39 0755853703
e.mail: fdm@unipg.it

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The aerobic stabilization process performed in the Biological Treatment (BT) section of an existing
Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) facility, operating since 1994, has been analyzed. It
consists of an aerobic continuous flow basin, in which the waste is straddled by screws moved by a
crane bridge, with an aerated floor through which process air is supplied by electrical fans. The
experimental investigation performed on several samples withdrawn from the continuous flow BT
basin at different Retention Time (RT) periods shows a strong Humidity (H) loss of the Waste
Organic Fraction (WOF) from the inlet to the outlet section. This strong H reduction produces
positive effect on the WOF weight loss, more than 40%, but inhibits stabilization process. The
Dynamic Respirometer Index Potential (DRIP) shows that the main stabilization effect occurs in the
first half part of BT basin length. Further Volatile Solids (VS) reduction results negligible showing
that the BT operates mainly a bio drying of the WOF. For removing the stabilization inhibition
effects it is necessary to add water to the WOF under treatment for maintaining the H > than 40-
45% w/w. On the basis of a simulation model developed by the aid of the experimental analysis
results, the increase in H content is able to increase significantly the DRIP reduction increasing the
stability of the WOF at BT section outlet. On the other hand, even if the VS concentration results
also reduced, the increase in the H content of the WOF at BT outlet causes a reduction of the weight
loss that results about of 20%.

INTRODUCTION
During the last twenty years, waste management has undergone a continuous process of
modification and improvement, aimed at reducing environmental impact and increasing material
reuse, recycling and recovery (WFD, 2008).
Even if the new goals imposed by the WFD 2008/98/EC are strictly followed, there will still be a
not negligible fraction of MSW continued to be collected in a non-differentiated way.
Currently, the most common way for managing Non-Differentiated Waste (NDW), excluding
landfilling, is by incineration with energy recovery (WtE) and/or Mechanical Biological Treatment
(MBT) plants.
The MBT plants are mainly operated in two different ways:
1) By enhancing the production of Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) (UNI CEN/TS, 2006);
 2) By enhancing the reduction and stabilization of the final mass of landfilled waste and
enhancing material recovery (De Gioannis et al., 2009; van Praagh et al., 2009).

In the first case the MBT plants are generally based on the Mechanical Biological and Stabilate
Method (MBS) (Wiemer and Kern, 1995), consisting of a drying process that exploits the heat
generated by the aerobic treatment of the Organic Fraction (OF) (Di Maria et al., 2008). After
moisture reduction, the biodried waste generally undergoes metal separation followed by a further
refining process to achieve the quality required for SRF. The most suitable destination for the SRF
is co-combustion in thermoelectric power plants or in cement factory kilns, even if, in some cases, it
is burned in incineration plants (Friege and Fendel, 2011).
In the second case, the aim of the MBT plants is to increase waste material recovery. This is
generally more common in waste treatment systems that lack WtE. Hence, the NDW is usually
initially mechanically sorted to separate the dry components (i.e. plastic, paper, textiles) from the
Waste Organic Fraction (WOF) with a high amount of OF.
The dry components stream can be further treated by mechanical and physical devices to increase
the amount of recyclable materials (i.e. metal, paper, plastic) and for other recovery issues such as
energy recovery. After ferrous and non- ferrous metal separation, the WOF stream is generally
aerobically stabilized or composted in dedicated biological treatment sections.
These MBT plants were the first ones to be implemented in waste management, starting in the
1980s, and are currently the most common. More than 80% of the entire NDW processed in the
Italian MBT facilities is treated in about 85 aerobic MBT plants (i.e. about 65% of total Italian
MBT facilities) (ISPRA, 2008) operating mainly to reduce and stabilize the mass of NDW before
landfilling (Leikam and Stegman, 1999; Amlinger et al., 2008; Zach et al., 2000).
During these years both the amount and the quality of the waste treated by the facilities have been
changed significantly (Di Maria and Marionni, 2011). For this reason some of them need to be
upgraded for being able to operate in a more efficient and effective way in the present and future
waste management scenarios. On of the main MBT section needing modification is represented by
the Biological Treatment (BT) one as a consequence of the increase in Source Selected OF and in
variation of WOF composition.
In this study, an existing Italian MBT plant was analyzed as a real case study. Treatment efficiency
both of the mechanical and of the biological section has been analyzed. Further, on the basis of the
experimental results concerning the aerobic biological process, possible optimization aiming mass
reduction or stabilization efficiency increase have been suggested by the aid of a simulation model
expressly developed.

THE MBT PLANT

The MBT facility considered in this study (Fig. 2) treats about 67,000 tonnes of NDW per year
(2010) (Table 1), together with a small fraction of Source Segregated OF (OFSS), about 6,000
tonnes (2010). The NDW stream that enters the plant is processed in three main treatment sections:
1) Inlet section;
2) Mechanical sorting section (Fig. 1a);
3) WOF stabilization BT section (Fig. 1b).
The NDW is directly discharged by collection lorries in the bunkers of the inlet section. Using an
orange peel crane bridge, the waste is then moved to a conveyor that takes it to the bag opener, at
the mechanical sorting section inlet (Fig. 1a).
Figure 1: Schematics of MBT sorting section a) and BT basin b).

Then, after the bag opener, the waste is sieved in a 100 mm hole drum-screen. The WOF (Table 1)
consists of the material that passes through the sieve holes and is then conveyed to the aerobic
stabilization basin (Fig. 1b). This basin has an aerated floor through which the process air is
supplied by electric fans. The basin is straddled by a mobile crane bridge with screws that stir and
move the WOF from the inlet to the outlet section. Before the BT basin inlet, there are three metal
separation systems, two for steel and one for aluminium recovery.
The ferrous metal content of the dry fraction (i.e. oversize) remaining on the drum screen is
separated by a magnetic belt system. Then, the dry fraction is further separated by an air classifier
for the production of SRF with a high calorific value from the lighter fraction. The OFSS follows a
dedicated path and is treated in a dedicated area of the composting basin (Fig. 1b). In any case, the
amount of OFSS is currently treated for the production of a high quality organic fertilizer and for this
reason has not been included in this analysis.

Table 1: Amount and composition of the waste treated by the MBT plant.
Parameter Component Amount Unit
Dry 34,456 t year-1
NDW
Total Rate WOF 32,894 t year-1
OFSS 6,000 t year-1
NB 21.85 %
Mean
OF 58.45 %
composition
Paper & Cardboard 8.60 %
of the WOF
Textile 2.90 %
20S 8.20 %

METHODS
Sampling and Characterization

The sorting efficiency of the Mechanical Treatment (MT) section of the analyzed MBT facility has
been performed manually by several analyses performed on the NDW entering and exiting this
section. The several samples withdrawn from the inlet and outlet waste streams have been manually
sorted for separating all the main components. The each component weight has been measured and
the average composition of the Dry and WOF streams, expressed as percentage, have been
calculated.
For evaluating the process inside the BT section of the considered MBT, the evolution of a given
waste mass has been followed from the inlet until the discharge instant. WOF samples have been
withdrawn from the basin at a given distance from the inlet section, corresponding to a mean
Retention Time (RT) period.
For doing this, the sampling points on the whole basin surface have been determinate by the
creation of a virtual grid. The grid is composed of two vertical and five horizontal lines (Fig. 2).
The intersection of these lines determines two series of five sampling points Ai and Bi, with i
ranging from 1 to 5. At each point two samples of about 15 kg each one have been withdrawn, Ai,j
and Bi,j, with j ranging from 1 to 2, at a deep of about 0,5m starting from the surfaces of the WOF
bed. For a better comprehension of the process evolution, sampling operation has been
synchronized by the mean RT estimated for waste inside the basin (i.e. about 14 days).
The sample humidity (H) has been determinated by weight loss after heating at 105°C for 24h.
Volatile Solids (VS) concentration has been evaluated by heating at 550°C for 24 h the dry residues
(TS) of the H test. The temperature in the sampling points has been manually measured by a
thermocouple about 1 m deep related to the WOF surface. In the same points the exhaust air quality
has been measured by a portable gas analyzer measuring the gas composition %v/v. CH4 and CO2
concentrations have been measured by infrared sensors whereas the O2 and H2S concentrations have
been measured by electrochemical cells.
A given amount of the withdrawn samples, about 10kg, has been wetted until achieving the 75%
w/w of water hold capacity, according to UNI/TS 11184-2006 procedure, and then inserted in the
Dynamic Respirometer Index Potential (DRIP) apparatus for the evaluation of the oxygen uptake
(mgO2/kgVSh).
Experimental Apparatus
The evaluation of the stability achieved by the WOF at different positions along the basin length has
been determined by the DRIP (Scaglia et al., 2000) performed by an experimental apparatus
developed by the LARn laboratory of the University of Perugia (Fig. 3a).
The apparatus has been developed according to the UNI/TS 11184-2006 along with a control
system implemented by LabView NI (Fig. 3b). Oxygen uptake, internal and external temperatures
are continuously monitored along with the air mass rate entering the respirometer. Minimum
oxygen concentration in the exhaust air has been imposed at 16% v/v during all the runs. The inlet
air rate regulation, if require, is performed by a similar PID logic based on the prevision of the
expected oxygen consumption rate. In this way the mass rate regulation is changed dynamically
instead of the fixed steps imposed by other commercial apparatus. The respirometer body has been
realized in AISI 304 steel for the higher mechanical restistance and for being able to achieve a
higher gastight level among the different device components. Infact, for a more correct measure, it
is important an absence of external air leakage but also constrain the inlet air flow to pass entirely
through the WOF sample avoiding internal bypass paths and leakage. This aim is more difficult to
be efficiently and effectively achieved by plastic structures instead of steel ones.

Figure 2: Biological Treatment section basin plant schematic with sampling points.
 Figure 3: DRIP experimental apparatus schematic a) and control panel b) developed by
LARn.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Experimental Analysis

The temperature measured at different times in different points of the basin (Figure 2a) results quite
constant (Figure 4) with peaks of more than 70°C generally achieved in the middle of the basin. For
the VS evolution (Figure 5) is not possible to individuate a definite trend. There is a variation in a
quite narrowed range, from 40 to 60%, for all the examined samples. More regular trend is shown
by the samples H values that are continuously reduced, from about 50% to 10%, passing from the
inlet section until the outlet one (Fig. 6). These experimental results points out some interesting
questions concerning the aerobic basin operating features. The irregular trend of some parameters as
VS and Temperatures is mainly due to the mixing and stirring effect of the screws moved by the
crane bridge. Infact the screws produces a progress but also a considerable mixing among the
different waste volumes with different age (i.e. inlet period), under treatment. This phenomenon
together with the biological process produces a not easily controllable variation of the waste
physical features and of the process parameters. Further, the strong H reduction is mainly due to a
relevant biodrying effect caused by the process air passing through the waste mass, whereas the
high temperatures in the inlet section are a consequence of the mixing effect among hot and cold
masses of waste masses. This means that the stabilization effect is inhibited as a consequence of the
H reduction under 30-40% w/w, generally achieved around the middle of basing width has shows
by the DRIP profiles (Figure 7).
These results show that currently the BT section operates mainly as biodrying process with a very
high humidity reduction, by keeping quite constant VS concentration. This allows a significant
mass reduction, from 40 to 50%, but a not so efficient stabilization of the treated WOF. For
allowing a further stabilization it is necessary to remove the aerobic process inhibition caused by
the strong H reduction. For this reason it is necessary to add water for increasing the H to values not
lower than 45% until the basin outlet.
In this way the WOF biodegradable materials (i.e. VS) can be reduced even if the amount of waste
discharged by the basin will increase.
For evaluating the possibility of increasing stabilization level of the WOF a simulation model has
been developed both for establishing the WOF RT inside the BT section and the theoretical
biodegradation rate k (day-1) of the first order kinetics biodegradation model.
 90

80

70

60

T (°C)
50

40

30 A
B
20

10
1 2 3 4 5
IN OUT
sampling point

Figure 4: Temperature profiles along the different sampling points (i.e. basin width).

100

90
Ai,1 Bi,1
80
Ai,2 Bi,2
70

60
VS (% ST)

50

40

30

20

10

0
1 IN 2 3 4 OUT 5
Sampling point

Figure 5: VS concentration profile along the different sampling points (i.e. basin width).

60

55

50

45

40

35
H (% w/w)

30

25

20 Ai,1 Bi,1
15 Ai,2 Bi,2
10

0
1 IN 2 3 4 5
OUT
Sampling point

Figure 6: Humidity profile along the different sampling points (i.e. basin width).
 5000

4500

4000
Ai,1 Bi,1

DRI P (mgO2/kg SV h)
3500
Ai,2 Bi,2
3000

2500

2000

1500

1000
1 IN 2 3 4 OUT 5
Sampling point

Figure 7: IRDP profile along the different sampling points (i.e. basin width).

Numerical Analysis

For trying to better understanding the evolution of the given volume of waste entering the basin at
given instant, a simulation model has been developed. The main assumptions made are represented
by the following:
1) The profile of the waste height in different basin section is determined by the line joining the
inlet and outlet basin sections maximum height (Figure 8a). This hypothesis is quite
acceptable as a consequence of the action that the screws have on the waste and implies a
constancy of the volumetric rate. Each day the screws causes a discharge from the basin of a
waste volume corresponding to the one introduced Vin=Vout.
2) The waste humidity and density reduction follows the main shape of the H profile
determined experimentally (Figure 6). Considering the VS variation (Figure 5) the
hypothesis of considering the density reduction proportional only to the H one seems quite
acceptable. On the basis of several experimental evaluation the mean density of the waste at
basin inlet results of about 0,65 tonnes/m3, whereas at the basin outlet it results of about 0,45
tonnes/m3.
3) The volume of waste entering the basin varies its values along the basin width depending on
H and density reduction, but no mixing effect occurs with the other waste volumes present
in the basin. This is the weakest assumption even if the aim of this model is to quantify the
effective mean RT of the considered waste amount in the basin.
On the basis of these assumptions, the RT of the four examined samples is shown in Figure 8b. The
RT ranges from 14 up to 16 days and is strongly influenced by the daily waste rates entering the
basin. Higher is the daily rate higher is the movement of the different volumes along the basin
width.
 26
24
WOFout
22
20
18

Basin width (m)

16
14
12
b)
10
8
Ai,1 Bi,1
6
Ai,2 Bi,2
4
2
WOFin
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
RT (day)

Figure 8: Waste profile schematic in the aerobic basin a) and movement of the considered
waste volumes in the different days of the RT b).

Once calculated the theoretical RT for the different samples another aspects concerns the evaluation
of the biological process if no inhibition phenomenon occurs (i.e. H <40%). Assuming that the
aerobic process can be represented by a first order kinetics, the biodegradation rate k (day-1) has
been determined by an exponential interpolation of the normalized DRIP values (Figure 9). Only
the first values representing a continuous DRIP reduction of each series (Ai,j and Bi,j) have been
utilized for the fitting operation. The maximum DRIP of each series has been utilized as
normalization factor. The high value of k, 0.14 day-1, is mainly a consequence of the high
temperature level achieved in the basin during the aerobic treatment that causes a rapid drop in the
DRIP in the first half part of the basin (i.e. 6-7 days).

120
Equation y = y0 + A*e
xp(R0*x)
Adj. R-Squa 0,89795
100 Value Standard Er
A1 y0 0 0
A1 A 100 0
80 A1 R0 -0,1414 0,01598
% DRIP

60

40

20

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
day

Figure 9: Biodegradation rate “k” determination.

Assuming to maintain the humidity of the WOF under treatment not lower than 45% along the
whole basin length, the expected DRIP achieved at basin outlet has been calculated (Figure 10). The
series Bi,2 is the one that represents the maximum difference among the calculated and the
experimental values of about 40% whereas for the other series this difference is meanly lower than
20%.
On the basis of these results the basin seems to have the potential of allowing the WOF to achieving
a DRIP lower than 1000 mgO2/kgVSh. Contemporary (Fig. 11), the theoretical reduction of VS
ranges from 60 to 10%. The main problem to solve is represented by the necessity of adding water
to the WOF after the first 5-8 days of treatment, depending on the amount and on the quality of
waste treated by the plant, for avoiding inhibition due to excessive drying. On the basis of these
results the basin seems able to allow a quite efficient stabilization of the WOF but the weight
reduction results limited to about 20-40%.

5000
Ai,1 Bi,1
4500

4000
Ai,2 Bi,2
3500

DRIP (mgO2/kgVSh)
-1
k=0,14141 (day )
3000

2500 Experimental DRIP

2000

1500

1000

500

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
day

Figure 10: Comparison among theoretical and experimental DRIP values.

70
65
60
55 Ai,1 Bi,1
50 Ai,2 Bi,2
45
40
VS (%)

35
-1
30 k=0,14141 (day )
25
20
15
10
5
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
day

Figure 11: Theoretical VS shape.

CONCLUSIONS
The Waste Organic Fraction (WOF) processed in the Biological Treatment (BT) section of the
considered Mechanical Biological Treatment plant undergoes to a rapid and effective humidity
reduction during a Retention Time (RT) ranging from 12 to 16 days. The main humidity drops from
about 50% w/w to about 10% w/w. The variation of the RT is mainly a consequence of the variation
of the daily rate of WOF processed by the BT section. The effect on Volatile Solids (VS) reduction
results very limited and Dynamic Respirometer Index Potential (DRIP) drops significantly in the
first 4-6 days of aerobic treatment. These results shows that the BT currently operates mainly as bio
drying process with a high mass reduction (i.e. humidity) and a quite constant VS concentration.
The stabilization effect evaluated by the DRIP results quite limited and concentrated in the initial
volume of the BT basin. For increasing the WOF stabilization effect results necessary to supply
water during the process for keeping the WOF humidity not lower than 45% w/w. In this way it is
possible to reduce significantly the DRIP even if the WOF weight loss results significantly reduced.
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