SOLID AND GASSEOUS WASTE TREATMENT

The course is designed as a complement to the study of the treatment processes applied to civil wastewater and municipal solid waste (already illustrated in the dedicated course). Therefore, the program addressed in this course completes the notional framework on the waste treatment processes, focusing in particular on solid and gaseous wastes. On this basis, an illustration of the current regulatory framework is foreseen, to which the waste treatment discipline refers, as well as the main analytical methods to be used for the characterization of the specific waste matrices discussed in this course. The main industrial scale treatment processes will be presented, applied on: a) solid-wet matrices (anaerobic digestion, anaerobic co-digestion, composting); b) solid-dry matrices (pyrolysis, gasification, landfills); c) gas matrices (filters and scrubbers). In all the described processes, an exhaustive illustration of all the unit operations used for the treatments of the specific matrices discussed in the course are provided, with a look at the aspects related to the mitigation of the impacts of the effluents.
A part of the course will also be dedicated to the most innovative aspects of the applied research in the field of these technologies, for the recovery of biofuels, building blocks and high added values bio-materials within biorefinery framework.

For each illustrated process, practical examples of case studies will be provided and discussed, i.e. plants developed on an industrial scale, of which the methodologies adopted for the control and monitoring of individual unit operations will be analyzed. On the basis of this exhaustive illustration, the student will be able to define in detail and autonomously the mass and energy balances, and to identify any critical points, in terms of process management, technical feasibility and environmental impacts, of each specific implemented process. This competence is of fundamental importance as it is foreseen as a basic knowledge for the elaboration of technical reports and similar, according to the current regulations on public works.

General Physics at the university level.
Basic aspects of chemistry and biochemistry at university level.
Basic aspects of chemical plant engineering.

Chemical/physical/biological analysis and concepts of instrumental analytical chemistry applied on waste matrices illustrated in the course.
Process Units in solid and gaseous waste treatment plants.
Treatment of solid-wet matrices (Composting, Digestion and anaerobic Co-digestion).
Treatment of solid-dry matrices (Pyrolysis, Gasification and Landfills).
Treatment of gas matrices (Filters and Scrubbers).
Current regulatory framework for solid and gaseous wastes.
Innovative Biotechnologies (a): production of hydrogen and biohythane from waste through mixed chemoheterotrophic cultures
Innovative Biotechnologies (b): production of building blocks from waste through mixed chemoheterotrophic cultures
Innovative Biotechnologies (c): production of biopolymers (polyhydroxyalkanoates, PHA) from waste through mixed chemoheterotrophic and photoheterotrophic (purple bacteria) cultures

Metcalf & Eddy, Wastewater Engineering, MC Graw Hill.
Ppt slides provided by the teacher.

The learning is verified through an oral exam which includes two general questions and the production of a short individual Powerpoint presentation, which has to be produced according to the content of a scientific article chosen by the student or proposed by the teacher within the topics of the course.

The teaching is carried out through frontal classes.

Italian

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Natural capital and environmental quality" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development