Development of waste management systems: applications of Durham Region

Abstract

This thesis aims to reduce environmental impacts and increase overall efficiencies of domestic waste management systems by proposing case studies for Durham Region. Case study 1 integrates an anaerobic digestion facility with an incinerator to produce biogas and electricity. Case study 2 combines a gasification unit with an anaerobic digestion to generate biogas, syngas, and electricity. Case study 3 uses a pyrolysis unit for biogas, gasoline, and electricity. Diesel and alternative-fueled trucks are also compared based on their environmental impacts. According to the results, case study 2 is observed to be the most sustainable case with the highest energy and exergy efficiencies, 58.7% and 56.8%, the lowest global warming potential, 0.167 kgCO2 eq, and a competitive levelized cost of 0.23$/kWh. Electric fueled trucks have better overall environmental impacts with the least in global warming, ozone depletion, and acidification potential with 3.92E-05 kgCO2 eq, 5.57E-12 kgCFC-11 eq and 2.19E-07 kgSO2 eq.