Organic Waste Valorisation via Graphical Pinch Analysis of Carbon-to-Nitrogen Ratio Number

Abstract

Organic waste valorisation processes becoming popular organic waste management strategies in recent years, as resolving the environmental issues caused by organic waste disposal and making it into useful resources. Organic wastes can be valorised by mixing with other organic wastes to fulfil the requirement of designated bioprocesses such as the production of H₂, CH₄ and C₂H₅OH. The amount of carbon and nitrogen was the main factor to be considered in this study, expressed in terms of carbon-to-nitrogen ratio number, N_C:N. The locally available organic wastes were used as the main supply of carbon and nitrogen. As the organic waste produced in different cities varies every day, the local organic wastes might not be able to provide sufficient carbon and nitrogen demanded by the designated bioprocesses. This research will reveal the amount of carbon and nitrogen required from external supplies to mix with the carbon and nitrogen found in local organic wastes. This research developed an Organic Waste Valorisation Pinch Analysis (OWVPA) in terms of carbon-to-nitrogen ratio numbers combined with reversed SCC shifting approaches. This Pinch Analysis is a robust and effective tool to estimate the mass flowrate and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio numbers of external supplies required by the designated demand sides.