An investigation into the optimisation of organic waste treatment at the University of Leeds

在城市内有机废物的产生和利用以及改善可持续性所需的相关气候变化影响和缓解战略方面，存在重大知识空白。这对于像大学这样的大型组织来说尤其重要，因为它们产生的废物流范围很广，尽管产生的废物量往往是不确定的。更普遍的是，诸如堆肥、厌氧消化和处理有机废物的其他废物处理途径等废物处理过程所产生的排放物也存在不确定性。食物垃圾的处理与利兹大学（University of Leeds）等大型机构尤其相关，这些垃圾是由食堂和宿舍产生的。目前，食物垃圾由垃圾处理公司（如Olleco）收集，进行厌氧消化处理。使用干燥等技术对食物垃圾进行“源头”处理，能够通过去除水来减少废物的体积和气味，增加废物的储存时间（从而减少收集时间），并对废物进行消毒（从而改善安全处理）。尽管有这些优点，但在与大规模使用这些技术有关的能源需求和排放以及它们将如何影响现有的废物合同方面存在不确定性。该项目将重点研究废物收集、处理和利用的生命周期分析（LCA），特别关注食物废物。利兹大学将被用作案例研究，以调查改善可持续性的选择。技术将包括干燥、堆肥、厌氧消化和焚烧，并将评估目前正在研究的综合废物处理途径。与领先的食品垃圾终端用户Olleco的工业联系将提供当前的工业重点。该项目将结合工业合作伙伴提供的数据，从实验室规模的AD、干燥和堆肥测试中获得实验证据，为不同的处理方案制定LCA。敏感性研究将会发展成为一项主动的预先设计工具，使生命周期分析能与基本过程的物理模型联系起来，使之对更广泛范围内（从大学到其他类似规模和性质的机构）的敏感性研究更有用。目的和目标主要目的是i)从上述选项中确定利兹大学的最佳废物管理选项。ii)填补上述知识空白。iii)为废物管理过程建立模型iii)设计一个主动的预先设计工具，可应用于类似机构，以评估最佳废物管理方案。潜在的应用和好处该项目填补了主要废物管理排放领域的知识空白，然后可以将其应用于类似的生命周期评估。此外，创建一个预先设计工具可用于评估类似机构的温室气体排放，以提高废物管理评估的便利性和准确性。这将在可能的情况下应用于其他综合废物处理过程。

Context of researchThere are major knowledge gaps regarding the production and utilisation of organic waste within Cities and the associated climate change impacts and mitigation strategies needed to improve sustainability. This is particularly important to large organisations such as Universities who produce a wide range of waste streams although the amounts of waste generated are often uncertain. There are also, more generally, uncertainties in the emissions generated from waste treatment processes such as composting, anaerobic digestion (AD) and other waste treatment routes for processing organic waste. The treatment of food waste is particularly relevant to large organisations such as the University of Leeds and is generated from refectories and halls of residences. Food waste is currently collected by waste treatment companies (e.g. Olleco) for treatment by anaerobic digestion. Alternative 'at source' treatment of food waste using technologies such as desiccation are capable of reducing the volume & odour of the waste by removing water, increasing the length of time the waste can be stored (which reduces the collection times) and sterilising the waste (which improves sae handling). Despite these advantages, there are uncertainties regarding the energy requirements and emissions associated with large scale use of these technologies and how they would influence waste contracts already in place. This project will focus on the investigating the life cycle analysis (LCA) of waste collection, processing and utilisation of waste, with a particular focus on food waste. The University of Leeds will be used as a case study to investigate the options for improving sustainability. Technologies will include desiccation, composting, anaerobic digestion and incineration and will assess integrated waste treatment pathways currently being investigated. Industrial links to Olleco, a leading food waste end user will provide current industrial focus. The project will generated experimental evidence from laboratory scale testing of AD, desiccation and composting in combination with data provided by industrial partners to develop an LCA for the different processing options. A sensitivity study will be developed into an active pre-design tool allowing the LCA to be linked with physical models of underlying processes to make it more useful for sensitivity studies in the wider context (from the University to other similar scale and nature institutions.Aims and objectivesThe main aims are i) To ascertain the best waste management option for the University of Leeds out of the aforementioned options. ii) To fill in the abovementioned knowledge gaps. iii) To model the waste management processes iiii) To design an active pre-design tool that could be applied to similar institutions for assessing optimal waste management options.Potential applications and benefitsThe project fills knowledge gaps for key waste management emission areas, which could then be applied for similar LCAs. Further to this, the creation of a pre-design tool can be used for assessing GHG emissions for similar institutions, to improve ease and accuracy for waste management assessments. This will be applied where possible to other integrated waste treatment processes.