A Kinetic Model of the Yard Waste Composting Process |
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| Authors: | C Marugg M Grebus RC Hansen HM Keener HAJ Hoitink |
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| Institution: | 1. Former visiting scientist from Switzerland, Department of Agricultural Engineering;2. Graduate Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology;3. Research Associate and Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Engineering;4. Department of Plant Pathology, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center/The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691 |
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| Abstract: | A new kinetic concept was applied to the yard waste composting process. Yard waste mixtures with different fractions of grass clippings were composted in pilot-scale vessels. Ammonia emissions were highest with high fractions of grass clippings. Calculation of reaction rate constants was based on heat and materials balances. Although the compost mass ratios (a dimensionless number that describes how far the process has advanced) of the mixtures after composting were similar, their chemical and biological analyses reveal differences. A first order reaction model is presented that can be used for plant design. The effects of temperature and particle size on process kinetics need to be investigated further. |
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