Project

Integrated resource recovery from domestic waste

Code
DOCT/004799
Duration
30 January 2023 → 21 September 2025 (Ongoing)
Doctoral researcher
Research disciplines
  • Engineering and technology
    • Biological energy
    • (Bio)chemical reactors
    • Resources engineering
Keywords
Biogas Anaerobic digestion Decentralisation Fecal sludge Organic domestic waste
 
Project description

Decentralized faecal sludge and domestic organic solid waste management towards resource recovery offer great opportunities for sustainable growing of cities, like Dar es salaam in Tanzania. Dar es salaam has limited centralized systems in place for the management of organic solid waste. This research aims to establish a resource recovery facility at the decentralized community area, which will optimize anaerobic digestion technologies for recovery of biogas and biofertilizer from faecal-waste mixes. First, an inventory survey will be conducted to identify domestic organic solid waste in terms of quality and quantity that are generated at the case study area, and also sanitation conditions will be assessed. Analyses for the characterization of both faecal sludge and domestic organic solid waste will be conducted to determine their biogas and biofertilizer recovery potential. This will include performance of biochemical methane potential tests of different faecal-waste mixes to determine their digestibility and biogas production potential. Second, semi-continuous anaerobic digestion reactors with optimized conditions in term of waste mixes will be operated. The obtained necessary conditions will be used for the pilot-scale demonstration site at the case study area in Dar es salaam. Two treatment technologies will be deployed at the demonstration facility, including an anaerobic digester and a sludge drying bed, alongside other amenities, such as sorting, mixing chambers, soak-away pit and grinder pad. Third, biogas and biofertilizer will be characterized for quality and quantity. Fourth, a techno-economic evaluations of the technologies developed will be done to foster decision making in adoption. Lastly, different policies will be reviewed to identify gaps and bring about support cases for embedding the developed technologies into newly developed policies.