Design Optimization of Municipal Solid Waste Incinerators Using Mathematical Modeling and Computer Simulation
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Date
2020-07
Authors
Sarakikya, Halidini Hatibu
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Environmental pollution caused by the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) incinerators has
raised concerns about the quality of incinerators and the incineration process in Tanzania.
Engineers and Scientists in general have appreciated that the installation of functional
incinerators will increase the incineration process efficiency. Among the methods to
achieve this is the application of mathematical modeling for the incineration process.
Literatures have showed that related study in incinerators, incineration process and
mathematical modeling in general has received little attention.
The broad objective of this study was to optimize the design of municipal solid waste
incinerators by using mathematical modeling and computer simulation. Computation
Thermal Predictions (CTP) mathematical relations applying different types of
incineration parameters including temperature, density, velocity and species
concentration were formulated based on theories of incineration process with proper
assumptions. The solution of the mathematical model developed was done and
accomplished by computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
Finite element method of numerical analysis was applied during the process to govern
temperature and species concentration at different stack height of the model incinerator.
Tests were performed on the physical model incinerator and data were analyzed after
experiments. These data were applied in testing and verification of the mathematical
models and provided the exact temperature and amount of flue gases which can be
released from the stack without polluting the atmosphere.
The results show that it is possible to forecast temperature and flue gases by the
application of mathematical expressions. It also can be applied to develop more and
accurate computational thermal predictions (CTP) model for the simulation of
incineration process and experimentally regulate temperature and species concentration at
different location of the incinerator. The results provided by the computational thermal
predictions (CTP) were very close to those of experiments obtained from physical model.
Therefore, there is an agreement between the empirical model and experiment as they
show true trend of the incineration process.
Description
A Research Thesis Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sustainable Energy Engineering in the School of Engineering and Technology of Kenyatta University. July, 2020
Keywords
Design Optimization, Municipal Solid Waste Incinerators, Mathematical Modeling, Computer Simulation