Compost Heat Recovery Systems: An alternative to produce renewable heat and promoting ecosystem services

Malesani, Rachele; Pivato, Alberto; Bocchi, Stefano; Lavagnolo, Maria Cristina; Muraro, Simone; Schievano, Andrea

doi:10.1016/j.envc.2021.100131

Cited by 15 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…In order to perform a LCA study, a list of materials and machineries used to install the plant and an estimation of electricity and operations needed to yearly maintain the plant, were necessary. All these data, when possible, were collected during the implementation, installation and operation of a real scale CHRS plant by the research group (Malesani et al, 2021a). Other data were retrieved from the databases used to perform the LCA study.…”

Section: Real Scale Chrs Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In LCA, all environmental impacts may be assessed. In the previous research (Malesani et al, 2021a), the authors investigated CHRSs overall costs considering the whole life cycle of the plant, while regarding the carbon dioxide emissions only the plant management phase was considered. This further study allowed to estimate the overall emissions related to the whole life cycle through LCA approach of an average CHRS, since these are extremely interesting plants due not only to their very low CO 2-eq emissions associated to every step of the life cycle, but also to their ability to store carbon in soil and avoid CO 2-eq emissions thanks to the compost production and the biomass use.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Compost Heat Recovery Systems: Global Warming Potential impact estimation and comparison through a Life Cycle Assessment approach

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Compost Heat Recovery Systems (CHRS) represent an innovative technology to provide domestic decentralized thermal energy, recovering the heat naturally produced during the aerobic biodegradation of waste biomass, coming from gardening/farming/forestry activities. CHRSs represent an alternative to centralized grid-connected power systems and are usually installed (combined with most traditional systems) to power underfloor heating systems (UHS) or domestic hot water systems (DHWS), lowering impacts and costs of thermal energy production. In this study, the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CHRSs (measured as kgCO2-eq/kWh) was investigated using life cycle assessment (LCA) approach, considering the whole life cycle of an average plant. CHRSs showed a negative Net value of GWP impact, equal to -0.268 kgCO2-eq/kWh, as full balance of positive (0.062 kgCO2-eq/kWh) and negative (-0.329 kgCO2-eq/kWh) emissions. Negative emissions are related to avoided primary materials, replacement of natural gas used as traditional thermal energy production and replacement of mineral fertilizers. Considering only the positive emissions (0.062 kgCO2-eq/kWh), CHRSs emerged to be in line with Solar Hot-Water Systems (0.061 kgCO2-eq/kWh mean value) and slightly higher than Geothermal Systems (0.019 kgCO2-eq/kWh mean value). Along with GWP impact, other midpoint and endpoint impact indicators were assessed and all showed a negative Net value: Particulate Matter PM (-2.36E-5 kgPM2.5-eq/kWh), Fresh Water eutrophication FWE (-6.78E-06 kgP-eq/kWh), Fresh Water ecotoxicity FWec (-2.10E-01 CTUe/kWh), Human Toxicity cancer effect HTc (-5.68E-09 CTUh/kWh), Human Toxicity non-cancer effect HTnc (-3.51E-09 CTUh/kWh) and Human Health HH (-5.22E-08 DALY/kWh). These results demonstrate that CHRS is extremely convenient considering both environmental and human health consequences.

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Section: Real Scale Chrs Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Compost Heat Recovery Systems: Global Warming Potential impact estimation and comparison through a Life Cycle Assessment approach

et al. 2022

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“…El buen manejo de los procesos productivos con el menor impacto ambiental en todas sus etapas (2), es un tema que llama la atención a la comunidad científica en todas las industrias y más cuando la agroquímica muestra un alto índice de afectación al medio ambiente, solamente superado por la industria textil y petrolera (3). Por ello es necesario plantear alternativas urgentes y suplementarias con rumbo medioambiental (4) . Frente a esta inapelable realidad, en que la agroecología aparece como una alternativa económica realmente necesaria para contribuir a esta problemática medioambiental como lo menciona (5), la aplicación de una eficiente gestión de los desechos generados por las diversas actividades agropecuarias se han convertido en una alternativa positiva de gran impacto social y económico, así lo cita (6).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Obtención De Compost a Partir De Hojas De Mora Y Estiércol De Cuy.

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La zona central del Ecuador está vinculada económicamente a la agricultura y un importante sector agroindustrial, en especial las Pymes, se dedican a producción de cuy. La presente investigación, del tipo deductivo, tiene como objetivo el diseño de un mecanismo que permita obtener compost mediante el aprovechamiento de residuos sólidos de estiércol de cuy y hojas de mora. La metodología aplicada consistió en dos etapas: primero se realizó el monitoreo y control de variables como temperatura, pH, humedad y aireación durante todo el proceso de compostaje por tres meses. Con estos datos analizados, se procedió a diseñar el proceso mediante una ingeniería básica y posteriormente se continuó con el dimensionamiento, diseño y construcción del equipo denominado Bioreactor. El compost obtenido con la implementación del bioreactor se categorizó como un producto de clase A, con base en la norma chilena NCh2880. Esto permite su utilización para la producción de alimentos o cultivos hortícolas nativos o de porte pequeño.

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“…Composting is an aerobic degradation process influenced by microbial and chemical reactions in which the controlling factors are temperature, oxygen content, moisture content, C: N ratio of the material, initial microbial community, aeration, degradation rate, porosity, density, water retention capability and pH of the material (Müller, 2017;Mason I. G., 2006;Hamelers, 2001;Haug, 1993;Malesani, et al, 2021). Heat energy utilization from the natural process of composting is both a sustainable waste management practice with compost as a final product and heat energy as a renewable energy source, thereby contributing to meet the goals of the Paris agreement (European Environment Agency, 2017;Schmidt-Baum, et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Mathematical Modeling of Static Compost Piles With Heat Recovery

2022

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Composting experiments with heat recovery reveal spatial non-uniformity in parameters such as temperature, oxygen concentration and substrate degradation. In order to recover heat from static compost piles via integrated heat exchanger there is the need to investigate the temperature distribution for placing the heat exchangers and the interaction between heat recovery, substrate degradation and oxygen concentration to ensure quality of composting process. This study introduces a spatial model to predict the variation in controlling parameters such as temperature, oxygen concentration, substrate degradation and airflow patterns in static compost piles with heat recovery using Finite element method (FEM) in COMSOL Multiphysics ® Version 5.3. The developed two-dimensional axisymmetric numerical model considers the compaction effects and is validated to real case pilot-scale compost pile experiments with passive aeration. Strong matching with the real case experiment was achieved. The spatial model demonstrated that the compaction effect is extremely important for realistic modeling because it affects airflow, temperature distribution, oxygen consumption and substrate degradation in a compost pile. Heat recovery did not disrupt the composting process. Case studies revealed strong influence of convective heat loss through the edges and a 10 % improvement of heat recovery rate with ground insulation. The simulation indicates that an optimized placing of heat recovery pipes could increase the average heat extraction by 10-40 %.

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Compost Heat Recovery Systems: An alternative to produce renewable heat and promoting ecosystem services

Cited by 15 publications

References 26 publications

Compost Heat Recovery Systems: Global Warming Potential impact estimation and comparison through a Life Cycle Assessment approach

Compost Heat Recovery Systems: Global Warming Potential impact estimation and comparison through a Life Cycle Assessment approach

Obtención De Compost a Partir De Hojas De Mora Y Estiércol De Cuy.

Spatial Mathematical Modeling of Static Compost Piles With Heat Recovery

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