SYLLABUS
1. Number and Name: 11:117:462 – DESIGN IN SOLID WASTE TREATMENT
SYSTEMS
2. Credits and contact hours: 3 credits, 2-80 min. lecture periods per week and three
voluntary field trips (single-stream recycling facility in Newark, waste-toenergy facility in Newark, landfill in East Brunswick)
3. Instructor:
Uta Krogmann
4. Text
Solid Waste Technology & Management. Christensen (ed.). Wiley, 2010.
Reference:
5. Specific Course Information
a. Catalog Description: Design of integrated solid waste management systems,
including waste minimization, collection, composting, materials recovery,
recycling, incineration, and landfilling.
b. Prerequisites: Open only to junior and senior engineering students.
c. Course Type: Required
6. Course Goals
a. Specific Instructional Outcomes: Students will be versed in the principles of
solid waste management and treatment.
b. Specific Student Outcomes addressed by the course include:
c. Ability to design a system, component or process to meet desired
need
Instructional Activity: Design methods will be included in lectures,
homework assignments and design projects. Experienced design
engineers will discuss solid waste management treatment facility designs
in class and on field trips.
Assessment Activity: Second project and small design problem in final
exam.
e. Ability to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems
Instructional Activity: Engineering problems of solid waste treatment
facilities and their solutions will be included in lectures and homework
assignments. Experienced design engineers will present examples of
engineering problems encountered in their design and present solutions for
these problems.
Assessment Activity: Engineering problems in homework and final exam.
1
g. Ability to communicate effectively
Instructional Activity: Instruction about report writing will be included
in course. Bad examples of report writing will be provided for critique.
Assessment Activity: Written report of second project and written reports
of field trips.
h. An understanding of engineering in a global and societal context
Instructional Activity: Include in-class exercises and homework
assignments that address environmental and economic trade-offs and pros
and cons of government regulations concerning recycling and the
movement of wastes and recycled products beyond national borders.
Governmental officials at various levels will present examples of global
and societal impacts.
Assessment Activity: First project that included environmental life-cycle
and economic trade-off aspects.
7. Topics:
Lecture
1
2
3-5
6
7
8-10
11
12, 14-15
13
16
17-18
19
20-22
Topic
Introduction of integrated solid waste management systems (Christensen,
Chapter 1.1)
Legislative aspects, regulations (Section I and Section II in the RCRA
Orientation Manual 2011: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(http://www.epa.gov/wastes/inforesources/pubs/orientat/))
Characteristics of solid waste (Christensen, Chapter 2.1)
Sources and quantities
Composition, physical, chemical & biological properties
Solid waste management in New Jersey (Ross Hull, NJDEP)
Material flow analysis, energy budgets and life-cycle assessment in waste
management (Christensen, Chapter 1.2.2-1.2.4 and 3.1)
Solid waste collection and transfer stations (Christensen, Chapter 6.1-6.2
and 6.4)
Solid Waste Management in Middlesex County (David Sliker, Middlesex
County Solid Waste Management)
Material Recovery Facilities (Christensen, Chapter 7)
Midterm examination
Material Recovery Facility design (Al Mellini, PE, Hatch Mott
MacDonald)
Thermal processing, incineration (Christensen, Chapter 8.1)
Air pollution control in waste-to-energy facilities (Larry Bernson, AlcatelLucent)
Composting (Christensen, Chapter 9.1-9.2)
2
23-26
Landfilling (Christensen, Chapter 10.1 – 10.1.2.2, 10.2, 10.3 – 10.3.1.8,
10.6 – 10.6.2, 10.8 – 10.8.3, 10.10 – 10.10.1.1 and 10.10.2 – 10.10.5.)
27
28
Landfill Design (Brian Henning, PE, Hatch Mott MacDonald)
Integrated solid waste management systems
Grading:
Midterm examination - 20%
Project 1 - 15%
Project 2 - 15%
Home work assignments - 15%
Reading assignment quizzes – 10%
Final examination - 25%
Prepared by: Uta Krogmann
01/18/12
3