Monthly Archives: May 2022

Tips for Writing a Good College Essay: The Only 5 College Essay Writing Strategies You’ll Ever Need

  By | | ,
1 Comment

Your essay exposes something about yourself that grades and tests results can’t: your personality. It can provide admissions officers with a bigger picture of whom you are while also demonstrating your writing abilities. Do you want to know how to write a college essay? Many students preparing to apply to universities are unsure where to begin with their college admissions essays. You’re not alone in this boat. Here you are with the best tips for writing a good college essay.tips to write a good college essay

5 Essay Writing Tips to Create a Decent College Paper

Many students, understandably, are intimidated by the prospect of writing a college essay. The college essay not only has a lot of weight in the admissions process, but it may be challenging to write about oneself in a way that is complementary yet pleasant and not arrogant. Below, we’ll discuss helpful essay writing tips to help students develop and create an essay that effectively communicates their narrative to the admissions board.

1. Start Your Essay with a Strong Introduction

It’s significant to have a powerful introductory paragraph with ideas that can pique the readers’ attention. You want the admissions officer to be intrigued by what you’re going to say next. So, you should demonstrate your ability to write. Colleges want to see you understand the fundamentals of effective writing, which is a critical component of academic achievement.

2. Think Critically and Reflectively

The admissions officer would like to go beyond the facts of your application to determine your aptitude for critical thinking. How do you digest information about yourself and the world around you? What is important to you? Which experiences have shaped you? Your essay should explain how and why they influenced you.

3. Make the Reader Answer Your Question

Basically, that doesn’t mean you should write a question directly in your essay, but you should leave the reader guessing. “How is that going to come out?” “What exactly does she mean?” “How is this going to all come together?” Start your essay with a hook that entices the reader to want to learn more. For example, you may write, “I sat in the back of the full auditorium, unaware that I’d soon be standing center stage.” That establishes a forward momentum right away, making your reader want to keep reading.

4. Don’t Summarize

Avoid directly declaring your essay’s point. When you spell things out for someone, it’s significantly less effective. Delete everything. “That’s when I realized,” “that’s when I learned,” and “the essential lesson was…” It sounds redundant, unconvincing, and takes the reader out of the scene.

How to Self-Edit Your Essay

Instead, let readers read between the lines and come to their conclusions about the significance of your story. You shouldn’t have to say anything like, “And that’s how I learned to stand up for myself,” because the admissions officer should already know this. An actor’s look, sigh, or closing a door often communicates louder than words when watching a movie. It only needs to show that you’ve decided, changed, or taken a risk.

5. Proofread

Correct language, punctuation, and spelling are critical, so self-edit your essay and check your work numerous times once you’ve done it. Then, invite a teacher, parent, or college student to skim it. Finally, admissions officers pay attention to how well you can format your speech. Remember to follow the specified essay length or word count. So, make your text short and simple to persuade the professor.

Why Is It Worth Hiring Essay Writing Help

Several essay writing services have emerged lately, and it appears to be a continually developing market. Because it plays such an essential part in the lives of college and university students, the industry benefits both a student and an essay writer. If you wonder why students favor this path and why you should, too, here are some compelling reasons:

  • A paper with flawless English;
  • School activities and other obligations;
  • Tight deadlines;
  • Profound research;
  • A well-structured essay;
  • Grades improvement;
  • Additional editing and proofreading.

Students turn to essay writing services online for various reasons, the most common of which are improving their grades and obtaining assistance if they don’t wholly comprehend English. You can order the necessary writing help with a simple request, “I need someone to write my essay for me.” As a result, you’ll hire an essay writing service to get A+ essays and all the help you need to pass the degree or certificate you’re pursuing.

Where to Get Essay Writing Help: A+ Essay Writing Service

College essays are a dealbreaker. It’s nice to have a perfect GPA and extracurriculars, but the fact is that many students have an impressive academic background. One of the things that might help you stand out from the crowd is your college essay.

Your college essay is an indispensable part of your application, since you want to make sure you’re portraying yourself as an appealing prospect for admission to your preferred school. Now that you know about the many benefits of buying college composition samples, it’s time to think about where you can hire such services.

A+ essay writing service provides you with the opportunity to get A+ essay and cheap professional writing help to students of all academic levels on different topics. With the A+ paper writing service, you can order a template or finished paper of argumentative, persuasive, and many other types of articles. Moreover, the APlusEssay team offers you free editing and examples as well.

Biomethane Utilization Pathways

  By | | , ,
3 Comments

Biogas can be used in raw (without removal of CO2) or in upgraded form. The main function of upgrading biogas is the removal of CO2 (to increase the energy content) and H2S (to reduce risk of corrosion). After upgrading, biogas becomes biomethane and possesses identical gas quality properties as  natural gas, and can thus be used as natural gas replacement. The main pathways for biomethane utilization are as follows:

  • Production of heat and/or steam
  • Electricity production / combined heat and power production (CHP)
  • Natural gas replacement (gas grid injection)
  • Compressed natural gas (CNG) & diesel replacement – (bio-CNG for transport fuel usage)
  • Liquid natural gas (LNG) replacement – (bio-LNG for transport fuel usage)

Prior to practically all utilization options, the biogas has to be dried (usually through application of a cooling/condensation step). Furthermore, elements such as hydrogen sulphide and other harmful trace elements must be removed (usually trough application of an activated carbon filter) to prevent adverse effects on downstream processing equipment (such as compressors, piping, boilers and CHP systems).

biomethane-transport

Although biogas is perfectly suitable to be utilized in boilers (as an environmental friendlier source for heat and steam production), this option is rather obsolete due to the abundance of alternative sources from solid waste origin.

Most Palm Oil Mills are already self-reliant with respect to heat and steam production due to the combustion of their solid waste streams (such as EFB and PKS). Consequently, conversion to electricity (by means of a CHP unit) or utilization as natural gas, CNG or LNG replacement, would be a more sensible solution.

The biogas masterplan as drafted by the Asia Pacific Biogas Alliance foresees a distribution in which 30% of the biomethane is used for power generation, 40% for grid injection and 30% as compressed/liquefied fuel for transportation purpose (Asian Pacific Biogas Alliance, 2015).

For each project, the most optimal option has to be evaluated on a case to case basis. Main decision-making factors will be local energy prices and requirements, available infrastructure (for gas and electricity), incentives and funding.

For the locations where local demand is exceeded, and no electricity or gas infrastructure is available within a reasonable distance (<5-10 km, due to investment cost and power loss), production of CNG could offer a good solution.

Moreover, during the utilization of biogas within a CHP unit only 40-50% of the energetic content of the gas is converted into electricity. The rest of the energy is transformed into heat. For those locations where an abundance of heat is available, such as Palm Oil Mills, this effectively means that 50-60% of the energetic content of the biogas is not utilized. Converting the biogas into biomethane (of gas grid or CNG quality) through upgrading, would facilitate the transportation and commercialisation of over 95%  of the energetic content of the biogas.

Within the CNG utilization route, the raw biogas will be upgraded to a methane content of >96%, compressed to 250 bar and stored in racks with gas bottles. The buffered gas (bottles) will be suitable for transportation by truck or ship. For transportation over large distances (>200km), it will be advised to further reduce the gas volume by converting the gas to LNG (trough liquefaction).

Overall the effects and benefits from anaerobic digestion of POME and utilization of biomethane can be summarized as follows:

  • Reduction of emissions i.e. GHG methane and CO2
  • Reduced land use for POME treatment
  • Enhanced self-sufficiency trough availability of on-site diesel replacement (CNG)
  • Expansion of economic activities/generation of additional revenues
    • Sales of surplus electricity (local or to the grid)
    • Sales of biomethane (injection into the natural gas grid)
    • Replacement of on-site diesel usage by CNG
    • Sales of bottled CNG
  • Reducing global and local environmental impact (through fuel replacement)
  • Reducing dependence on fossil fuel, and enhances fuel diversity and security of energy supply
  • Enhancement of local infrastructure and employment
    • Through electrical and gas supply
    • Through Fuel (CNG) supply

Co-Authors: H. Dekker and E.H.M. Dirkse (DMT Environmental Technology)

Note: This is the second article in the special series on ‘Sustainable Utilization of POME-based Biomethane’ by Langerak et al of DMT Environmental Technology (Holland). The first article can be viewed at this link

Biogas Upgradation Methods

  By | |
8 Comments

Upgradation of biogas is primarily achieved by carbon dioxide removal which then enhances the energy value of the gas to give longer, driving distances with a fixed gas storage volume. Removal of carbon dioxide also provides a consistent gas quality with respect to energy value. The latter is regarded to be of great importance from the vehicle manufacturers in order to reach low emissions of nitrogen oxide.

biogas-enrichment

At present four different biogas upgradation methods are generally used for removal of carbon dioxide from biogas, either to reach vehicle fuel standard or to reach natural gas quality for injection to the natural gas grid. These methods are:

  • Water absorption
  • Polyethylene glycol absorption
  • Carbon molecular sieves
  • Membrane separation

Water Scrubbing

Water scrubbing is used to remove carbon dioxide but also hydrogen sulphide from biogas since these gases is more soluble in water than methane. The absorption process is purely physical. Usually the biogas is pressurized and fed to the bottom of a packed column where water is fed on the top and so the absorption process is operated counter-currently.

Polyethylene Glycol Scrubbing

Polyethylene glycol scrubbing is a physical absorption process. Selexol is one of the trade names used for a solvent. In this solvent, like in water, both carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide are more soluble than methane.

The big difference between water and Selexol is that carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide are more soluble in Selexol which results in a lower solvent demand and reduced pumping. In addition, water and halogenated hydrocarbons (contaminants in biogas from landfills) are removed when scrubbing biogas with Selexol.

Carbon Molecular Sieves

Molecular sieves are excellent products to separate specifically a number of different gaseous compounds in biogas. Thereby the molecules are usually loosely adsorbed in the cavities of the carbon sieve but not irreversibly bound. The selectivity of adsorption is achieved by different mesh sizes and/or application of different gas pressures.

When the pressure is released the compounds extracted from the biogas are desorbed. The process is therefore often called “pressure swing adsorption” (PSA). To enrich methane from biogas the molecular sieve is applied which is produced from coke rich in pores in the micrometer range. The pores are then further reduced by cracking of the hydrocarbons. In order to reduce the energy consumption for gas compression, a series of vessels are linked together.

Pressure swing adsoprtion process for biogas upgradation

The gas pressure released from one vessel is subsequently used by the others. Usually four vessels in a row are used filled with molecular sieve which removes at the same time CO2 and water vapour.

Membrane Purification

There are two basic systems of biogas purification with membranes: a high pressure gas separation with gas phases on both sides of the membrane, and a low-pressure gas liquid absorption separation where a liquid absorbs the molecules diffusing through the membrane.

  • High pressure gas separation

Pressurized gas (36 bar) is first cleaned over for example an activated carbon bed to remove (halogenated) hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulphide from the raw gas as well as oil vapour from the compressors. The carbon bed is followed by a particle filter and a heater. The raw gas is upgraded in 3 stages to a clean gas with 96 % methane or more.

The waste gas from the first two stages is recycled and the methane can be recovered. The waste gas from stage 3 (and in part of stage 2) is flared or used in a steam boiler as it still contains 10 to 20 % methane.

  • Gas-liquid absorption membranes

Gas-liquid absorption using membranes is a separation technique which was developed for biogas upgrading in the recent past. The essential element is a micro-porous hydrophobic membrane separating the gaseous from the liquid phase. The molecules from the gas stream, flowing in one direction, which are able to diffuse through the membrane will be absorbed on the other side by the liquid flowing in counter current.

The absorption membranes work at approx. atmospheric pressure (1 bar) which allows low-cost construction. The removal of gaseous components is very efficient. At a temperature of 25 to 35°C the H2S concentration in the raw gas of 2 % is reduced to less than 250 ppm.

7 Tips To Improve Solar Panel Efficiency

  By | | , ,
2 Comments

Solar panels don’t function equally under all conditions. It’s because some factors, like the installation spot and angle, can have an impact on your solar panel’s output. In addition, the efficiency of solar panels may vary, depending on the type or model.

Fortunately, there are ways to improve your solar panel efficiency. A few simple tips and tricks can ensure you’re getting the best return from your investment in solar panels. Whether you use solar panels in your residential property or commercial building, here are some of the things you can do to maximize their efficiency:

How To Improve Solar Panel Efficiency

1. Purchase The Right Solar Panels

There are countless types of solar panels. However, every solar panel may vary in terms of efficiency, regardless of its size.

Usually, the most efficient solar panels are monocrystalline panels, which are known for their circular edges and even color. Unfortunately, they tend to be bulky and expensive, so installing them can be a bit tedious.

On the other hand, the efficiency and output of crystalline silicon panels depend on the purity of the silicon cells. If you prefer something budget-friendly, polycrystalline panels are an excellent choice, especially if you have enough space for installation.

It would help if you also determine which can offer you the best value to reduce your electricity usage, other than considering the types of solar panels in Victoria. You may do this by determining their power capacity, inspecting their energy-conversion features and checking out other solar panel models.

2. Clean Your Solar Panels Regularly

A solar panel doesn’t have moving parts. It means it only requires little to no maintenance. However, you should provide it with proper care.

If you want to enhance your solar panel’s efficiency, you need to clean it regularly as dirt particles may accumulate on its surface, making it inefficient. How frequently you should clean your solar panels may depend on factors like how much it costs to clean them and how often it rains in your region.

Throughout the year, dirt and dust may cause a decline in your solar panel’s output. If your solar panels are dirty, and you live in a region with less rainfall, the output decline may increase. So, clean your solar panels, at least, once a year to avoid solar panel degradation.

solar panels pigeon issue

3. The Angle Matters

If you want your solar panels to absorb the most sunshine throughout the day, install them in a south-facing location with the proper angle. Paying attention to your solar panel angle is crucial as the slope may help keep them neat.

Dust, leaves and weather elements may impact your solar panel’s efficiency. The right angle will help you minimise the impact of such power impediments.

4. Lessen The Number Of Devices

Another trick to maximise solar panel efficiency is to lessen the number of devices you’re using. If possible, try to use one device at a time.

Depending on your solar panel’s output and the amount of energy your devices use, try to limit the use of various devices simultaneously. For instance, never run the dishwasher while you’re using a washing machine.

In addition, if your room is bright, don’t use the lights. All of these can help reduce your home’s low voltage problems and improve solar panel efficiency.

5. Eliminate Shade

A solar panel is made to function well in direct sunlight. If your tree or another structure blocks the sun, your solar panel’s output may be reduced.

This is especially true if your panel uses a string kind of inverter that limits the array’s output to the weakest panel’s intensity. Even though only a small part of your solar panel is shaded, its output will still be affected.

To eliminate shade, remove or trim the trees around your solar panels. If you can’t remove the trees or parts of the building, you can consider using a power optimiser inverter. This may help increase the output of your solar panel’s unshaded parts.

6. Install Solar Power Concentrators

A solar power concentrator enables you to maximise your solar panel’s power by focusing solar light. Such concentrators use lenses or mirrors to focus a huge amount of sunlight onto the receiver. With the use of the solar power concentrator’s tracking system, more concentrated light will be captured, maximising your panel’s efficiency.

7. Hire Professionals For Solar Panel Installation

Solar panels can absorb the highest possible amount of solar energy when installed properly. This way, your solar panels will be able to produce more electricity. For this reason, hire professionals to install solar panels.

energy efficient technologies

The best solar panel installers are highly experienced and skilled in doing appropriate installation processes. Plus, they understand the procedure, ensuring your solar panels will function at their full potential.

Conclusion

Solar panels are no doubt great investments. Whether you want to cut your monthly electric bills or enjoy the benefits of using a renewable source of energy, you can never go wrong with installing solar panels. However, to make the most out of your solar panels and boost their efficiency, follow the tips above and always consult professionals if you encounter issues to avoid any inconvenience.

Creating an Eco-Friendly Project Site

  By | | , ,
2 Comments

Creating a worksite for construction is already a tough task, you have to get all the workers, tools, set up transportation of resources and materials, source the whereabouts of where this will take place, and more. It can be daunting at times, as you have a lot to plan and think about, plus the costs can be outrageous.

What’s even harder is planning it to be an eco-friendly site, as more people are in a rage about making things environmentally friendly; from power to materials, to transportation, they’d want it all to be as safe and protective of the ecosystem as possible. Luckily for you, you don’t have to look every to figure out how to do so, because you can look here.

Creating an Eco-Friendly Project Site

Finding Sustainable Materials to Work With

When you think of construction and building, you’ll often think of a workplace, workers, cement mixer, pallets of materials, and much more. While this is true, to create a more eco-friendly site, you’d want to start by thinking about what kinds of materials you are using and should you be using, and how to ensure responsible sourcing.

There are many different materials that you can use in place of concrete or commonly found materials that are not good for the environment thanks to the gases or pollution that they cause. These materials can include bamboo, straw, recycled plastic, and much more.

Manage Powered Equipment More Effectively

Powered equipment can take a great toll on the environment since it uses mass quantities or electricity to remain powered. What’s worse, is most worksites will keep their lights, tools, and everything else on while they are no longer working, or while on break. While this may not seem so bad, this can affect the use of electricity horribly and do damage to the environment.

If you want to become more eco-friendly, ensure your workers are managing their electricity correctly, shutting their tools and lights off when not in use, and opting for more eco-friendly ways to work. This can be difficult to do, but will greatly decrease the effect and use of electricity and harm on the environment.

Try to Conserve as Much Water as Possible

Water is one of the most overused and overlooked resources when at a job site. Water can be used for basic toiletries, cleaning materials, and many other ways. One of the best ways to conserve and repurpose water would be through the use of collected rainwater.

While it may seem a bit off, you can build rainwater collection systems that allow you to repurpose, irrigate, and use water that would have just been discarded or thrown away. This gives you a source of water that is usable but most likely shouldn’t be consumed.

Recycling from Construction Materials and Demolition

Let’s face it, you are going to have a lot of construction trash, broken materials, or unused materials left over from the job site, and you are most likely going to hire some person to quickly pick it up and haul it away. While this is a cheap and easy thing to do, the better choice would be to recycle or repurpose these materials.

Recycling of Construction Materials

You could hire a recycling company that will take these materials away, harvest what’s usable, and then repurpose them for future use. Or if that’s not your fancy, you could donate them to another work site yourself, and they can take these busted materials off your hands and purpose them themselves. Lastly, you could just repurpose a need or use of the material and not let anything go to waste.

Maximize Use of Natural Light and Energy

A way to conserve and maybe even build energy rather than just use it would be to think of your natural sources of energy and light. During the day you won’t need much light as the sun will give you natural light at all times it is out. And a way to use this energy to your advantage and even build a reserve would be to invest in solar.

Solar energy allows you to use the power of the sun, and as technology advances more companies are looking into creating tools and other ways to use solar or more eco-friendly energy conserves. A reserve of energy would not just help the environment but also save you money.

Solar Energy Guide for Students

Reduce Carbon Footprint on Transportation

Moving materials from one place to another can cause a huge increase in carbon production which would hurt the environment. To make the most out of becoming more eco-friendly, try to see if you can manage the use of transportations correctly, or switch to an eco-friendly fuel.

As time advances and many more eco-safe or eco-friendly companies start to come to fruition, more and more are looking into the use and design of more environmentally sound fuels for vehicles or tools. This could be solar power or bio-based fuels that can reduce this carbon footprint.

Planning for a Sustainable Work Site

There are a lot of things to keep in mind when planning or setting up your work site. More is added when you have to start considering all the different ways to make the job site more eco-friendly to appease a bigger crowd that is steadily growing in their desire for environmentally safe construction sites.

While it may be a lot to consider, or even think about while trying to make your project site more eco-friendly, there are many ways you can start doing this. These include finding sustainable building materials that would be more environmentally friendly, conserving the use of electricity, saving water, and even maximizing the use of natural energy sources, recycling what you can from leftover materials or demolitions, and even reducing your carbon footprint by investing in eco-friendly fuel and ways of transportation.

While it is a lot to think of, don’t be afraid to plan this journey out slowly, and take small steps to become more eco-friendly at the job site. Even the smallest steps make a great impact and will slowly add up.

Planning To Buy the Best Life Insurance Policy in India? 5 Things to Keep in Mind

  By | |
3 Comments

Life is unpredictable and you never know what situation you may find yourself in. While you cannot plan for everything, having financial security does help you tide over unexpected times. It also gives you stability and peace of mind as it enables you to plan for large expenses like a house, a vehicle, or education.

Insurance is a kind of investment that helps you secure your future. It helps not only you but also your family by setting aside some amount for their future well-being. Before you start looking for the best life insurance policy in India, there are some things that you should know about a life insurance policy. Let’s look at the five main things that you should keep in mind.

Best Life Insurance Policy in India

1. Inform your family

You have the best life insurance policy in India and are sure that your family’s future is secured but do they know about it? Always ensure that your family members know about the policy. A good idea would be to keep the policy document in a place where everyone can access it.

Since the policy is aimed at securing your family’s future, ensure that you walk them through the policy. Tell them about the policy number, insurance amount, and what kind of policy you have taken. A great tip would be to note all the important details somewhere where your family can easily look up the details. You could make a note in a digital diary or create a document on your home computer. This helps your family in claiming the money that is due to them without any hassles.

2. Look for high sum assured

While there is no number that can give you the actual value of human life, you do need an estimation of the amount of money you want to leave for your family. Always make sure that you opt for higher life insurance as that ensures that your family is well taken care of when you are gone. Even if you have the best life insurance policy in India, you have to see if it is accurately calculating your human life value.

There is a simple way to judge the amount of insurance. Typically, we would look at how much the person is earning and when they plan to retire. For instance, if Mr. X, aged 30, earns Rs 10 lakh per annum and plans to retire at 60, then the sum that he should aim at is Rs. 3 crores (10 lakh multiplied by 30). This is a simplified way of looking at this, you would also need to account for inflation and any hike in your salary to arrive at the value.

Taking insurance that assures you a sum at the higher end helps your family maintain their current standard of living. This is why it is very important to take a hard look at the assured sum of the life insurance policy.

3. Do your research before buying

This is very important as all policy sellers will tell you that they are the best life insurance policy in India. However, before you buy the life insurance policy, you need to do your research and ensure that it aligns with your financial goals.

Since your family’s future is at stake here, make sure you know the policy thoroughly. There are a few things that you need to look out for in particular. These include the human life value, why you want to insure, the type of life insurance policy, affordability, and the ease of policy servicing. In addition to these, also look at the claim ratio and how the linked funds are performing.

4. Know your needs before you invest

While all agents will claim they have the best insurance policy, does it align with what you want? This is the first thing you need to know. People take out insurance for a variety of reasons- safeguard their family’s future, education expenses, retirement planning.

After you identify why you need a life insurance policy, you can look for the best one for your needs. There is a range of life insurance policies that cater to different needs, and it can be easy to get lost in the information if you don’t know what you are looking for. Look at different online resources like life insurance explained to get a better idea of its finer points.

5. Make regular payments

Once you decide on the policy, ensure that you make regular payments. Simply having the best life insurance policy is not enough to secure your family’s future, you will need to actively invest in it.

Ensure that you keep on track with the payments and avoid a lapse of your policy at all costs. Remember that you are investing in your future and ensuring that your family is taken care of when you are gone.

POME as a Source of Biomethane

  By | | , , ,
6 Comments

During the production of crude palm oil, large amount of waste and by-products are generated. The solid waste streams consist of empty fruit bunch (EFB), mesocarp fruit fibers (MF) and palm kernel shells (PKS). Reuse of these waste streams in applications for heat, steam, compost and to lesser extent power generation are practised widely across Southeast Asia.

POME or Palm Oil Mill Effluent is an underutilized liquid waste stream from palm oil mills which is generated during the palm oil extraction/decanting process and often seen as a serious environmental issue but it is a very good source for biomethane production. Therefore, discharge of POME is subject to increasingly stringent regulations in many palm oil-producing nations.

POME-Biogas

Anaerobic Digestion of POME

POME is an attractive feedstock for biomethane production and is abundantly available in all palm oil mills. Hence, it ensures continuous supply of substrates at no or low cost for biogas production, positioning it as a great potential source for biomethane production. (Chin May Ji, 2013).

Palm oil mill effluent is a colloidal suspension containing 95-96% water, 0.6-0.7% oil and 4-5% total solids, which include 2-4% suspended solids. Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) generally ranges between 25,000 and 65,714 mg/L, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) ranges between 44,300 and 102,696 mg/L.

Most palm oil mills and refineries have their own treatment systems for POME, which is easily amenable to biodegradation due to its high organic content. The treatment system usually consists of anaerobic and aerobic ponds. (Sulaiman, 2013).

Open pond systems are still commonly applied. Although relatively cheap to install, these system often fail to meet discharge requirements (due to lack of operational control, long retention time, silting and short circuiting issues).

Moreover, the biogas produced during the anaerobic decomposition of POME in open pond systems is not recovered for utilization. The produced gas dissipates into the atmosphere where it causes adverse environment effects (due to the fact that CH4 is a twenty times stronger greenhouse gas then CO2 (Chin May Ji, 2013).

Biogas from POME can be carried out using a number of various technologies ranging in cost and complexity. The closed-tank anaerobic digester system with continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR), the methane fermentation system employing special microorganisms and the reversible flow anaerobic baffled reactor (RABR) system are among the technologies offered by technology providers. (Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 2015).

Biogas production largely depends on the method deployed for biomass conversion and capture of the biogas, and can, therefore, approximately range from 5.8 to 12.75 kg of CH4 per cubic meter of POME. Application of enclosed anaerobic digestion will significantly increase the quality of the effluent/ discharge stream as well as the biogas composition, as mentioned in table below.

 Table: Performance comparison between open and closed digester systems

Parameters Open digester system Closed anaerobic digester
COD removal efficiency (%) 81% 97%
HRT (days) 20 10
Methane utilization Released to atmosphere Recoverable
Methane yield (kg CH4/kg COD removed) 0.11 0.2
Methane content (%) 36 55
Solid discharge (g/L) 20 8

*This table has been reproduced from (Alawi Sulaiman, 2007)

A closed anaerobic system is capable of producing and collecting consistently high quality of methane rich biogas from POME. Typical raw biogas composition will be: 50-60 % CH4, 40-50 % CO2, saturated with water and with trace amounts of contaminants (H2S, NH3, volatiles, etc.).

Biomethane Potential in Southeast Asia

The amount of biomethane (defined as methane produced from biomass, with properties close to natural gas) that can be potentially produced from POME (within the Southeast Asian region) exceeds 2.25 billion cubic meter of biomethane (on a yearly basis).

Especially Indonesia and Malaysia, as key producers within the palm oil industry, could generate significant quantities of biomethane. An impression of the biomethane potential of these countries including other feedstock sources is being highlighted below (VIV Asia, 2015).

Indonesia (4.35 billion m3 of biomethane):

  • 25 billion m3 of biomethane from Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME).
  • 2 billion m3 of bio-methane from Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).
  • 9 billion m3 of bio-methane from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW).

Malaysia (3 billion m3 of biomethane):

  • 1 billion m3 of biomethane from Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME).
  • 2 billion m3 of biomethane from Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).
  • 8 billion m3 of biomethane from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW).

The Asian Pacific Biogas Alliance estimates that the potential of conversion of biomass to biomethane is sufficient to replace 25 percent of the natural gas demand by renewable biogas (Asian Pacific Biogas Alliance, 2015).

To sum up, due to the high fraction of organic materials, POME has a large energetic potential. By unlocking the energetic potential of these streams through conversion/ digesting and capture of biomethane, plant owners have the opportunity to combine waste management with a profitable business model.

Co-Authors: H. Dekker and E.H.M. Dirkse (DMT Environmental Technology)

References

Alawi Sulaiman, Z. B. (2007). Biomethane production from pal oil mill effluent (POME) in a semi-commercial closed anaerobic digester. Seminar on Sustainable Palm Biomass initiatives. Japan Society on Promotion of Science (JSPS).

Asia Biogas Group. (2015, 08 15). Retrieved from Asia Biogas : http://www.asiabiogas.com

Asian Pacific Biogas Alliance. (2015). Biogas Opportunities in South East Asia. Asian Pacific Biogas Alliance/ICESN.

Chin May Ji, P. P. (2013). Biogas from palm oil mill effluent (POME): Opportunities and challenges from Malysia’s perspective. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews , 717-726.

Malaysian Palm Oil Board. (2015, 08 26). Biogas capture and CMD project implementation for palm oil mills. Retrieved from Official Portal Of Malaysian Palm Oild Board:

Sulaiman, N. A. (2013). The Oil Palm Wastes in Malaysia. In M. D. Matovic, “Biomass Now – Sustainable Growth and Use”. InTech.

VIV Asia. (2015, 08 26). The international platform from feed to food in Asia. Retrieved from http://www.vivasia.nl

Note: This is the first article in the special series on ‘Sustainable Utilization of POME-based Biomethane’ by Langerak et al of DMT Environmental Technology (Holland)

The Benefits of Applying Compost to Your Garden

  By | | , ,
2 Comments

Composting is a natural process of recycling food waste, lawn and garden waste along with other organic matter such as leaves and newspapers. It is all natural resulting in improved soil quality, nutrient recycling and water conservation.

You are able to fertilize and improve the soil with natural ingredients that provide plant nutrients and beneficial microbial and other organisms, such as fungal mycelium and earthworms, that enhance the soil environment.

benefits of applying compost in garden

The Advantages of Applying Compost

There is a phrase “Black Gold” and that exactly is what compost material is. Compost that you have generated in your own backyard by processing food waste, lawn clippings, ripped up papers, especially newspapers, leaf litter. Mixing the greens and the browns biodegradable waste products that are generated in our home or around the yard.

This compost material can be spread across the garden soil, dug in and used to supplement nutrients in the growing beds of our gardens. First and foremost, you will be adding microbial material to your soils that will bring more life and energy to your soil and ultimately to your plants. It’s a type of food for the soil.

It means you will not need to use commercial and artificial chemicals on your souls to boost the growth. That will save you hard earned cash. It will protect you and your family from artificial chemicals. The compost will also add to your mulch layer which is designed to suppress weeds or the unintended plants that pop up in everyone’s garden. This also means no pesticide usage to kill the weeds either. That is another money saving aspect and protection for you from pesticides.

All the while, the richer soil will give rise to greater microbial diversity within your soil. Greater diversity will mean a more efficient and faster processing of soil maturation. This in turn will create the perfect environment for the vegetable and flower garden.

benefits-composting

By these advantages, the soil structure will be improved that soil organisms and root structures will move more freely through the soil substrata with less stress and resistance. By creating a healthier plant root environment, the soil will be easier also for you to cultivate and care for. Water will penetrate more easily and the compost material will also help retain the soil moisture. At the same time, the compost helps maintain an ideal pH level in the soil that is optimum for plant growth.

The water holding capacity will be enhanced overall. As mentioned above, not just easing entry of water into the soil, but retaining it within the soil layer means there will not be the hardening or crusting of the very top soil layer that makes it hard and even impossible for water penetration. If this occurs, water will simply runoff the garden and even wash away clumps of soil. A healthy soil will also conserve water in your garden environment. It is a win-win situation.

sustainable options to turn your garden greener.

To summarise, the key benefits of using compost are as follows:

  • Enriched soil structure
  • Enhanced soil biodiversity
  • Improve soil structure
  • Maintain healthy pH levels
  • Reduce stress in root zones
  • Create healthier plant root environment
  • Produce healthier flower heads and bigger food crops
  • Easier work environment for gardener
  • Improve water holding capacity of soil
  • Conserve water
  • Reduce water runoff
  • Suppress weeds
  • Eliminate use of pesticides and fertilizers

Conveyor Systems for Waste Management

  By | | , , ,
1 Comment

Conveyor systems are an integral component of waste management and recycling operations. It works for various types of materials and transports them to different locations.  They play a vital role in the process of sorting waste material and their movements.  Mixed wastes are arranged for inspection over a conveyor, which then moves it from one end to another. While on its way items are sorted and unwanted materials are removed.

Conveyors are also used for carrying recycling materials such as wood or paper wastes to their respective grinding and process centers. Waste conveyors are manufactured with materials that do not get damaged by constant exposure to abrasives. They are also not affected by sticky or greasy liquids and dirt. Belt conveyors and chain conveyors are the most commonly used conveyors in recycling plants.

material-recovery-facility

Mostly non-powered conveyors are used in the industry. However, powered belt and roller conveyors are sometimes used for handling small products. They are typically used for pallet handling.

Conveyors are also used for moving waste materials in long streams so that they can be separated. Vibrating belts are attached which separate materials that require inspection. Waste materials and recycling industry is mostly about dealing with contaminated products and trash. Thus additional cautions are considered for the safety and environmental standards of the workers.

Types of Conveyors

Conveyors vary in shapes and dimensions according to their utility. From being installed in biomass plants, waste sorting plants, material recovery facilities, waste-to-energy plants, to being a prime component at food processing facilities, paper industry, mining, and pharmaceutics, conveyors are used everywhere.

Even at tough job-sites where transfer of materials is required across steep inclinations or large distances conveyors can ease the process. Generally, they are classified as belt conveyors and screw conveyors.

Waste_Conveyor

Screw Conveyors

Screw conveyors were invented by Archimedes and its core design hasn’t changed from its original design over these years. They can be vertical or horizontal with an entirely contained, metered space. Screw conveyors are generally used for moving dust-free movement of grains or flakes, powders, sludge, etc. They are made of galvanized metal, carbon steel, stainless steel, tapered screws, discharge chute, or in-feed hoppers.

Belt Conveyors

Belt conveyors have a wide-open frame which enables them to contain and move high loads of material over long distances. This is why they are commonly used in the mining industry and other places where heavy materials are required to be transported.  Structurally they are rugged loops that run over two or more pulleys. Additional rolls are also added in between to provide support in long belts.

Materials ranging from garbage to fine grains and powders and be carried over belt conveyors. They are also used for the movement of commercial waste including paper, plastic, or aluminum cans.

Belt material, configuration, and dimension differ according to its application. Various designs of belts are used nowadays, for example, magnetic belts, flat belts, trough belts, rubber belts, etc. Moreover, conveyors are also designed in shapes such as to carry fluids including sludge and water. Key manufacturing materials for these belts are cotton, canvas, leather, nylon, polyester, silicone, and steel. Dimension, design and materials can be easily customized depending on its application and to meet customer requirements.

Simple Ways to Transform Your Condo Into an Eco-Friendly Space

  By | | , , ,
1 Comment

Global warming and climate change have been at the forefront of news headlines nowadays. This brings to attention the need to protect the environment. When it comes to going green, every step matters and you can do your share with through your condominium unit.

Whether you own a condo unit for personal use or as an investment, you should think about how to transform your space and make it green.  Get started with basic maintenance care when you read this post. Then, incorporate 8 lifestyle changes and remodeling tips listed below to reduce your carbon footprint and make your condo eco-friendly.

Parquet wood floors are back in vogue

1. Switch to LED Lights

This is one of the simplest changes that you can adopt into condo living. LED lights are the new standard for modern and eco-friendly lighting at home. If you are still using incandescent and fluorescent lights or lamps, you need to consider getting new LED lights.

Light-emitting diodes (LED) are more energy-efficient and can last up to 20 years. They are, therefore, a good option to use for condo lighting if you want to minimize your carbon footprint. They are also practical since LED lights are affordable and last a long time, giving more value to your money.

2. Install Eco-Friendly Air Conditioners

The traditional air conditioners are notorious for consuming large amounts of energy that also hike up utility bills. If you want to save on power and optimize cooling within your home, it is best to find eco-friendly air conditioners. It can help you save up to 90% off your current energy bill.

But it is not just your air conditioner that you should consider replacing with eco-friendly ones. Make sure you choose other energy-efficient appliances, too.

3. Use Natural Cleaning Products

Going organic when it comes to your diet is one of the best ways to develop an eco-friendly practice at home. But when you cannot fully commit to altering your diet, it is best to start with the products you use. For example, you can switch to green cleaning products. This will not only benefit the environment but anyone living in your condo as well.

When you use natural cleaning products, you are exposed to fewer amounts of harsh chemicals. The fewer chemicals you use, the less harmful it is to your health. Also, if you have small kids, the use of chemical cleaning products should be a no-no!

The best part is that natural cleaning products are often less expensive than chemical-based ones. If you are not sure which to choose, research on brands that manufacture or specialize in natural cleaning products.

4. Furnish Your Condo with Reclaimed Materials

Have you inherited antiques from your grandparents? Do you have any unused furniture lying around? Instead of opting for new furniture items and accessories to decorate your home with, it is best to opt for those made of reclaimed materials instead. This will help reduce the waste dumped in landfills and maximize the shelf life of these materials. The use of antiques and old furnishings can also add an interesting decorative flair to your home.

Reclaimed wood materials are one of the most common recyclable materials that are used for home and interior decorating. You can repaint them to make them look brand new and fit into your interior décor theme.

5. Spruce Up Space with Plants

The addition of plants to your condo is a great way to enhance its aesthetic appeal. At the same time, add color and vibrancy to interior space. But there is also an eco-friendly benefit to incorporating plants as decoration–it improves indoor air quality.

Some of the plants that act as an air purifier are:

  • Aloe Vera
  • Areca Palm
  • Elephant Ear Philodendron
  • Lady Palm
  • Bamboo or Reed Palm
  • Rubber Plant
  • English Ivy

Before you move into your condo, get one or more of these plants for a healthy home for you and your family.

6. Be Eco-Conscious in Your Choice of Kitchen Sink

If you need to renovate your kitchen, make sure to choose eco-friendly sinks.  As the most important part of your kitchen, choose stainless steel or kitchen sinks that are made from copper recycled materials. This will add a modern look while making it eco-friendly. Sinks made of renewable materials are also great options.

Pair it with low-flow faucets to conserve water easily. Another alternative is to install a low-flow aerator with existing taps. This will significantly reduce the flow rate of 4 gallons per minute to just 0.5 gallons. That’s a huge volume of water saved.

7. Invest in a Smart Home System

A smart home might seem like an expensive investment. But when you live in a condo, you will find cheaper systems that will make your life more efficient and eco-friendly, too. A smart home system will adjust the control of various appliances and equipment, such as lighting, heating, and cooling.

With its data-driven system in place, control of indoor temperature, lighting, and the like are automated. By adjusting to the optimal level, you won’t waste energy heating or cooling your home. It also helps to ensure that no unused light is turned on (as it automatically turns the light off when you leave a room).

This is a simple step that you can take to transform your condo into an eco-friendly space. While the one-time investment might be big, it can help you save more in the long run (in terms of lower energy bills).

8. Repaint Furniture, Not Replace Them

This is another simple step that you can do if you want to promote sustainability in your condo unit. Does any piece of furniture look old? Is your cabinetry looking a little dated? Don’t throw them away just yet to get new ones!

Make sure you look at the possibility of repainting or re-facing any furniture or cabinets in your home instead of replacing them with a new one. This is true for appliances or furniture that are still in good working condition.

What steps are you taking to make your condo eco-friendly? Why not give these tips and try and let us know what benefits you gained from doing so?