Energy from Waste: Reuse of Compost Heat as a Source of Renewable Energy

An in-vessel tunnel composting facility in Scotland was used to investigate the potential for collection and reuse of compost heat as a source of renewable energy. The amount of energy offered by the compost was calculated and seasonal variations analysed. A heat exchanger was designed in order to c...

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Main Authors: G. Irvine, E. R. Lamont, B. Antizar-Ladislao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2010-01-01
Series:International Journal of Chemical Engineering
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/627930
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author G. Irvine
E. R. Lamont
B. Antizar-Ladislao
author_facet G. Irvine
E. R. Lamont
B. Antizar-Ladislao
author_sort G. Irvine
collection DOAJ
description An in-vessel tunnel composting facility in Scotland was used to investigate the potential for collection and reuse of compost heat as a source of renewable energy. The amount of energy offered by the compost was calculated and seasonal variations analysed. A heat exchanger was designed in order to collect and transfer the heat. This allowed heated water of 47.3oC to be obtained. The temperature could be further increased to above 60oC by passing it through multiple tunnels in series. Estimated costs for installing and running the system were calculated. In order to analyse these costs alternative solar thermal and ground source heat pump systems were also designed. The levels of supply and economic performance were then compared. A capital cost of £11,662 and operating cost of £1,039 per year were estimated, resulting in a cost of £0.50 per kWh for domestic water and £0.10 per kWh for spatial heat. Using the heat of the compost was found to provide the most reliable level of supply at a similar price to its rivals.
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spelling doaj-art-aaaaba5a910d4e4bb2e9eb9d34f24d5c2025-08-20T02:20:52ZengWileyInternational Journal of Chemical Engineering1687-806X1687-80782010-01-01201010.1155/2010/627930627930Energy from Waste: Reuse of Compost Heat as a Source of Renewable EnergyG. Irvine0E. R. Lamont1B. Antizar-Ladislao2School of Engineering, Institute for Infrastructure and Environment, University of Edinburgh, William Rankine Building, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UKSchool of Engineering, Institute for Infrastructure and Environment, University of Edinburgh, William Rankine Building, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UKSchool of Engineering, Institute for Infrastructure and Environment, University of Edinburgh, William Rankine Building, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UKAn in-vessel tunnel composting facility in Scotland was used to investigate the potential for collection and reuse of compost heat as a source of renewable energy. The amount of energy offered by the compost was calculated and seasonal variations analysed. A heat exchanger was designed in order to collect and transfer the heat. This allowed heated water of 47.3oC to be obtained. The temperature could be further increased to above 60oC by passing it through multiple tunnels in series. Estimated costs for installing and running the system were calculated. In order to analyse these costs alternative solar thermal and ground source heat pump systems were also designed. The levels of supply and economic performance were then compared. A capital cost of £11,662 and operating cost of £1,039 per year were estimated, resulting in a cost of £0.50 per kWh for domestic water and £0.10 per kWh for spatial heat. Using the heat of the compost was found to provide the most reliable level of supply at a similar price to its rivals.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/627930
spellingShingle G. Irvine
E. R. Lamont
B. Antizar-Ladislao
Energy from Waste: Reuse of Compost Heat as a Source of Renewable Energy
International Journal of Chemical Engineering
title Energy from Waste: Reuse of Compost Heat as a Source of Renewable Energy
title_full Energy from Waste: Reuse of Compost Heat as a Source of Renewable Energy
title_fullStr Energy from Waste: Reuse of Compost Heat as a Source of Renewable Energy
title_full_unstemmed Energy from Waste: Reuse of Compost Heat as a Source of Renewable Energy
title_short Energy from Waste: Reuse of Compost Heat as a Source of Renewable Energy
title_sort energy from waste reuse of compost heat as a source of renewable energy
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/627930
work_keys_str_mv AT girvine energyfromwastereuseofcompostheatasasourceofrenewableenergy
AT erlamont energyfromwastereuseofcompostheatasasourceofrenewableenergy
AT bantizarladislao energyfromwastereuseofcompostheatasasourceofrenewableenergy