This document summarizes a project to utilize food waste from Clemson University's dining halls. It begins by recognizing that Clemson has about 30,000 people and generates around 220 tons of food waste per year. The goals are to reduce the amount of final waste and produce viable products. Possible solutions that are discussed include traditional composting, anaerobic digestion, and using black soldier flies. Each method is evaluated in terms of advantages and disadvantages. Models for mass and population growth balances will be used. Sustainability considerations include reducing environmental waste and potential economic benefits from products like compost, biogas, and biodiesel.

1. Utilization of University
Food Waste
Joseph Hummer * Cassidy Laird * James Rogers

2. Introduction:
Recognize & Define Problem
●Clemson University
○# People (Ballpark ~30,000)
○ Lots of waste
●Food waste
○Dining Halls, food courts
○ # of meal plans (~8000)
○ ~ 220 tons/year
○Composting in place

3. Define Goals
Biological
Design process to reduce amount of final ‘waste’
For now, consume 285 lbs food waste a day
Viable products to offset time/costs
Structural
Can fit within campus infrastructure
Others to be determined
Mechanical
To be determined - depends on system
Augur or stirrers

4. Constraints/Considerations
●Constraints
○Skills, time
○Space, costs
○Want to be able to implement
○Equipment
●Considerations
○Safety, ultimate use (LCA)
○Sustainability
○Ecological - Climate/weather, possible impacts

5. User, Client, Designer Questions
● User:
○ What type of training will I need to operate this system?
○ What type of maintenance will the system require?
○ How frequently will the system parameters need to be checked?
● Client:
○ What is the expected return period for the cost of the system?
○ How consistent does the system conditions need to be?
○ How consistent are the outcome of products?
● Designer:
○ What state will the food waste come in as?
○ How much waste will come in per day?
○ What, if any, systems already exist to address this problem?

6. Literature Review - Possible Solutions
●Traditional Composting
●Anaerobic Digestion
●Black Soldier Flies

7. Traditional Composting
●Static pile composting
●Pros:
○Easy to maintain
○Fertilizer
●Cons:
○Very lengthy process
○Not efficient reduction of waste
○Releases methane

8. Anaerobic Digestion
●Decomposition through anaerobic
microorganisms
●Pros:
○Production of biogas
○Faster than static composting
●Cons:
○Keeping it anaerobic
○Higher costs - labor, implementation

9. Black Soldier Flies
●Food consumption through detritivorous
insects
●Pros:
○Lipids for biodiesel
○Fertilizer, proteins
○Reduces waste amount significantly
●Cons:
○fairly new, not as much literature
○Composition varies with diet
○Requires warm environment (around 80℉)

10. Governing Equations
●Mass balances:
○Waste in → waste out
○All three composting methods
●Growth rates (Monod Model)
○Detritivores
■Microorganisms for compost & anaerobic
■Insects for BSF
●Thermodynamics/Heat Transfer
○Possible heat generation
○Specific conditions

11. Heuristics
●Past experience with BSF
○Joe and James
●Internships - composting
●Past data from waste stream composition
analysis
●Experience in classes and labs
○Microorganisms and growth rates
○Bioreactors and design
○Mass and energy balances

12. Sustainability
●Ecological - Reduce waste going into
environment
●Economic - Potential marketable products
○Composting - fertilizer
○Anaerobic digestion - biogas
○BSF - biodiesel, protein, fertilizer
●Social/Ethics
○Aesthetics (smell), Bug cruelty (3 Rs)

13. Timeline

14. Questions