Ric Wahl, RRT Design & Construction, discusses approaches to improving organics diversion via pre-processing approaches.

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RRT Design & Construction
Melville, NY- Milwaukee, WI- Baltimore, MD -Orlando, FL
Syracuse, NY- Vestal, NY- Philadelphia, PA- Denver, CO
www.rrtenviro.com
MassRecycle R3 Conference
Pre-Processing MSW
For Organics Digestion Technologies
Ric Wahl, Senior Project Engineer
April 8, 2014

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RRT Design & Construction
Engineering, Construction and Consulting exclusively in the
fields of Recycling, Materials Recovery and Waste Processing
 Recycling Systems for Source Separated Recyclables
– Single and Dual Stream Recyclables
– Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals
– Fiber
– Plastics
– E-Scrap
 Waste Processing and Materials Recovery Systems
– MSW
– Commercial Waste Streams
– Post Energy Ash Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals Recovery Systems

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 Waste Preparation Systems for Downstream Technologies
– WTE
– RDF
– Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion
– Advanced Conversion Technologies, Energy Recovery, Gas Production
 Business Development and Facility Operations Consulting Services
RRT Design & Construction

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Celebrating our 25th Year in 2014
Over 400 Successfully Completed Projects
Over 70 Integrated Greenfield Facilities
RRT Design & Construction

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Project Scoping
1. Overall Project Scope
a) Total Tons
b) Tons following Pre-System Concentration Activities, including Load Inspections,
Transfer Station Activities, etc.
c) Tons to Tipping Floor
d) Tons to Pre-Processing System
e) Tons to Digestion System
f) Post Digestion Outputs
g) Seasonality
h) Site Development, Existing or Greenfield
i) Available Infrastructure including Utilities, Scales, Rolling Stock, Operations & Maintenance
2. Waste Composition Pre-Processing System
a) Seasonality
b) Compositional Range
c) Composition of Total Tons
d) Composition of Tons following Available Pre-System Organics Concentration Techniques
e) Composition of Tons to Tipping Floor
f) Composition of Tons to Pre-Processing Systems

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Project Scoping
3. Specifications of Digestion System
a) Organics Concentration Requirements
b) Moisture Requirements, if any
c) Bulking Agent Requirements, if any
d) Size Requirements
e) Inorganic Materials Limitations
f) Feed Mechanism
g) Digestion Cycle Requirements (Continuous, Batch, Hours, etc.)
4. Other Processing System Requirements
a) Recyclables Removal Requirements
b) Environmental Constraints
5. Outputs from Digestion
a) Gas Processing
b) Solids (Digestate) Processing
c) Market Specifications

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Project Scoping and Development
 Process Flow Diagram
 Process Mass Balance
 Preliminary Designs
 Capital Budgets
 Operating Cost Pro Forma
 Revenue Projections
 Waste Effluent Disposal Cost Projections
 Overall Project Integrated Financial Pro Forma

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Organics Concentration Techniques
Controlling the Incoming Waste

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Pre-System Concentrating Tip Floor

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Pre-Sort Systems

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Sizing Technologies

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Sizing Technologies

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Ferrous Removal

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Plastics Removal

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NF Removal

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Fiber, Textile & Film Removal

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Organics and Inorganic Separation

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Processing for AD
Note: Wet AD is depicted

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CONCLUSIONS
1. Pre-processing systems themselves are but one aspect of an overall project. It must be
integrated with pre-system concentration efforts and post digestion processing and
marketing requirements.
2. System modeling must include an overall process flow and mass balance.
3. Project modeling must be integrated to include all capital and operating cost
requirements.
4. Incoming waste compositions must be understood and quantified.
5. Digestion system specifications must be quantified.
6. Requirements for removal of recyclables and inorganic materials must be quantified.
7. Post digestion system outputs must be quantified.
8. Post digestion marketing parameters for gas and other outputs (composted digestate)
must be quantified.
9. Overall project management including engineering, design, construction and
commissioning should be integrated.

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Our Mission
To be the leading builder of solid waste processing and recycling
businesses in North America by applying advanced technologies
and value-adding services.
WE FILL YOUR VISION
RRT Design & Construction