NSCORT Solid Waste Team

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NSCORT Solid Waste Team
Jim Alleman, Dawn Whitaker Becky Riano (Initial
SW Degradation) Charles Glass Reesa Chee_Wah
(SW Off-Gas Nitrogen Recovery) Jeff Volenec,
Brad Joern Shane Howard (Plant
Evapotranspiration) Paul Brown John Gonzales
(Fish Growth and Metabolism) Caula Beyl (Honorary
Member Mushroom Growth)
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Jim Alleman
Purdue
Nutrient Recovery and Co-Metabolism via Off-Gas
Remediation
Solids Stabilization
Charles Glass
Howard
Jeff Volenec
Purdue
Water recovery via evapotranspiration
Reed Growth
Brad Joern
Purdue
Fish Growth
harvested STAR product solids
Paul Brown
Purdue
Continued solids stabilization and food
production
Mushroom Growth
Caula Beyl
Alabama AM
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Solid Waste Residuals
Non-degradable solids

• Food, etc. packaging
• Paper plastics
• Tape
• Discarded clothing
• Metallic packaging, etc.
• Spent filter, resin, etc. media

Low H20 content Relatively inert
Organic, degradable solids
Putrescible High H20 Pathogens Nutrients
1 Fecal solids 2 Food residuals 3 Unharvested
plant residuals
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Solid Waste Residuals
Non-degradable solids
?

• Food, etc. packaging
• Paper plastics
• Tape
• Discarded clothing
• Metallic packaging, etc.
• Spent filter, resin, etc. media

Low H20 content Relatively inert
Compaction
Organic, degradable solids
? Stabilization ? Water recovery ? Disinfection ?
Nutrient recovery
Putrescible High H20 Pathogens Nutrients
1 Fecal solids 2 Food residuals 3 Unharvested
plant residuals
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Solid Waste Technical Issues

• Sources will include fecal matter
• plus food and plant residuals
• All three forms will be collected in
• a rather dry state (i.e., high solids)
• Movement (i.e., transport) of these
• wastes will be difficult
• Mixing and aeration of these
• wastes will also be difficult
• These solids will have a high specific
• energy density (BTU/mass)
• Pathogen presence, fate, and kill
• will represent a serious concern
• Water recovery from these wastes
• will be essential
• Opportunities for beneficial use
• of post-processing residuals
• would be highly desirable

Feces
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Thermophilic!
Orlando - tonight 62oF versus Purdue -
tonight 8oF
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NSCORT STAR Suspended Treatment System
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• Note!!
• current dog-food toilet paper loading
• will be switching to real human wastes

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• Key STAR Reactor Details
• real human waste input
• 60-80oC operation
• 10 day HRT
• 8-12 solids input
• pathogen-free product
• pH 7-8
• ORP 50 to -300 mV

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Reed Growth
Digested Residuals
Fish Growth
Mushroom Growth
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NSCORT Solid Waste Team
Jim Alleman, Dawn Whitaker Becky Riano (Initial
SW Degradation) Charles Glass Reesa Chi Hua (SW
Off-Gas Nitrogen Recovery) Jeff Volenec, Brad
Joern Shane Howard (Plant Evapotranspiration) Pa
ul Brown John Gonzales (Fish Growth and
Metabolism) Caula Beyl (Honorary Member Mushroom
Growth)
Thanks!
Questions ??
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• Mixing aeration configuration
• Valving configuration (pinch, etc.)
• - Off-gas release capture configuration
• Energy demand minimization
• - Thermophilic dynamics (heat release, shedding)
• - Vortexed liquid, gas, and solids separation
• - Piezo pump application
• - ESM minimization

Engineering Design Issues
Upcoming Short-Term STAR Reactor Research Issues
- General degradation rates - Specific
metabolism - Protein - Fat -
Carbohydrates - Cellulose - Lignin -
Disinfection levels
Biochemical Process Issues
Waste Collection Issues

• Separation of liquid and solids streams
• Hardware performance and reliability
• ESM minimization

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STAR
- Disinfection routine _at_ 70oC
Technical Benefits
- High rate kinetics/smaller reactor
- Fast system startup and recovery
100ml_feces/cd 600ml/d 1.2L/d w/50 dilution _at_
20d_HRT 25-30L
- Elevated lignocellulose degradation
- Nitrification inhibited
- Mixing and aeration must be resolved
Technical Concerns
- Gas-liquid separation must be resolved

• Specific energy demand must be minimized

(harvest crew exercise energy, use piezo
pumps??)
- Post-processing solids dewatering issues
- Off-gas treatment mandatory
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Jim Alleman
Purdue
Nutrient Recovery and Co-Metabolism via Off-Gas
Remediation
Solids Stabilization
Charles Glass
Howard
Jeff Volenec
Purdue
Water recovery via evapotranspiration
Reed Growth
Brad Joern
Purdue
Fish Growth
Paul Brown
Purdue
Continued solids stabilization and food
production
Mushroom Growth
Caula Beyl
Alabama AM