No description available.

Graduation date: 1948

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 240-244). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 240-244). Also available on the Internet.

Hong Kong is currently generating more than 3000 tons of food waste every day which generate air pollution problem and create odor nuisance to residents near landfill site. It is critical for us to reduce waste generation at sources and find ways to treat our food waste instead of solely rely on landfill. The aim of this paper is to propose a food waste to energy system to be installed in high-rise buildings which helps save our landfill space and utilize waste energy to generate electricity and heat for building use. It is estimated that around one ton of food waste will be generated from a domestic household building and hence the proposed food waste to energy system is designed to have treatment capacity of 1 ton of food waste per day. A total of 238.1 Nm3 of biogas, with 53.5% methane content can be generated from one ton of food waste. With the use of combined heat and power (CHP) system, 465 kWh of electricity and 732 kWh of heat can be generated. A survey is conducted to assess the public view of the food waste problem in Hong Kong and the proposed food waste to energy system. It is found that most of the respondent agrees the proposed food waste to energy is a good mean to tackle food waste problem in Hong Kong and support to install such system in high-rise buildings. A life cycle assessment is carried out to compare the environmental impact of landfilling 1 ton of food waste and treating 1 ton of food waste with the proposed system. It is found that the carbon emission (CO2 equivalent) of the proposed system is 1112.6 kg less than that of landfilling, i.e. the proposed system can help to save 406.1 ton of carbon dioxide emission a year which equals to planting of 17,656 trees. The economic viability of installing the proposed system is evaluated. The capital investment and the operating cost for the proposed system are estimated to be HK$3,400,000 and HK$ 170,000 per year respectively. As the proposed system can bring in revenue of HK$ 763,986 per year, the internal rate of return (IRR) and payback period of the system is 15% and 6 years respectively. Limitations and difficulties encountered for the installation of the proposed system are discussed and finally suggestions are made for the successful installation of the proposed system and several ways to reduce food waste from sources are also suggested for both commercial sectors and the government. / published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 85-93).

M.Tech. / In this work, eco-fuel briquettes made from a mixture of 32% spent coffee grounds, 23% coal fines, 11% saw dust, 18% mielie husks, 10% waste paper and 6% paper pulp contaminated water, respectively were investigated. Various processing stages such as briquetting, drying, combustion and flue gas emissions were investigated in order to evaluate the socio-economic viability of the batch production of eco-fuel briquettes from biomass waste material. Each stage was studied independently in order to develop basic models that contained material and energy balances. A screw press briquetting machine was designed and fabricated as part of this work to be tested against the legacy foundation Porta press, and the Bikernmayer hand brick press. The compaction of the biomass waste material into briquettes follows the principle of physical interlocking of the fine particles within the plant fibres, natural material binding due to released cellulose content, as well as reduction in porosity, due to a simultaneous dewatering and compaction action. The processing variables such as cycle times and pressure were studied. The Bikernmayer press is preferred as it produced briquettes of higher bulk densities and lower moisture content as compared to the other presses. The drying was investigated in a laboratory scale convective dryer to establish typical convection parameters. A drying system that utilizes produced briquettes as a heating medium is proposed, and here drying will be effected over a refractory brick fireplace by means of convection and radiation. A basic model was set up to include radiation with the convection to predict a drying time of 4.8 hours. The combustion of briquettes was investigated using a POCA ceramic stove linked to the testo Portable Emission Analyzer System. This enabled an air-to-fuel ratio of 1.44 and a burning rate of 2g per minute to be established. The energy transfer efficiency for boiling a pot of water was found to be 85%. The gas emissions were found to be within the acceptable limits, as set out by OSHA. A standard initial economic evaluation was performed based on a briquette selling price of R2.26 per kilogram for the ease of accommodating the local market. The financial model for both Porta press and screw press were not economically viable, as their running costs were greater than the gross project revenues. For the Bikernmayer conceptual model, with a total capital investment of R669, 981+ VAT (this includes one year operating cost) and a project life of five years, the gross Process parameters and conditions batch production of eco-fuel briquettes profit margin is 44%, the profitability index is 5.33 and the internal Rate of return 31.44%. The net present value and return period are R676, 896 and 0.408 years respectively. The customer profile as currently at hand is 17% of the selected area within 80 m radius from production site. The remaining 83% will be in need of energy as they become aware of the new product offering. The selling of the briquettes should be accompanied by an education process, to avoid the dangers of heating indoors. The principal driver for this project is socio economic development and it is being strengthened by Eskom’s inability to provide sufficient energy. A secondary driver is the global drive to reduce emissions and fossil fuel usage; this technology does exactly this whilst diverting waste from landfill. In the Polokwane declaration (2008), it is stated that South Africa will have no calorific waste to landfill by 2014. Hence legislation will also provide a major part of the drive.