| dc.description.abstract | In developing countries, improper disposal of
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) often results in open dumps,
with composting only partially managing biowaste. MSW
composting yields 50% as residue and hence returns to the
dumpsites. This study aimed to design and develop a gasifier
combustor and a pyrolysis reactor to pyrolyze the compost
residue. The gasifier combustor provides heat for the
pyrolysis process and converts feedstock to biochar
through indirect heating. Coconut shell (CS), coconut husk
(CH), wood (WD), and a mixture of residue (MR) were used
as feedstocks pyrolyzed at temperatures ranging from 500-
600°C for 1.5-2 hours and characterized biochar using
proximate and ultimate analyses. The results showed that
the biochar had volatile content ranging from 33.18 to
47.19%, with moisture contents ranging from 3.29 to
9.43%. The ash content varied from 14.25 to 25.17%,
indicating less impurities. The fixed carbon contents
ranged from 27.98 to 41.39% while biochar from MR
showed the highest value, indicating superior carbon
sequestration
and biochar stability. Meanwhile,
carbonization of CS, WD, and MR yielded 32.91, 27.18,
and 28.95% respectively, while CH had the highest yield of
48.52%. These results demonstrated that biochar from
compost residue has the potential to enhance compost
quality and treat leachate from composting facilities.
Further, the carbonization process would benefit
municipalities by converting compost residue into a value
added product for various environmental applications. | en_US |
