Energy Content Estimation of Municipal Solid Waste by Physical Composition in Al-Diwaniyah City, Iraq

This study was undertaken to estimate the energy potential of municipal solid waste via creating a relationship between the high heating value (HHV) and the fractions of physical composition of municipal solid waste MSW (% food, % plastic, % paper, % wood, % textile) into the two scenarios, namely wet MSW (as discarded) and dry (free moisture). The created models were determined based on the results of obtained from the analysis of the components of the Al-Diwaniyah MSW and then from previous studies which involved experimental ultimate analysis (% C, % O, % H, % N, %S) of MSW, supported by the equations and models of previous studies which were used for HHV calculation. SPSS Statistical software was used to prepare the models. For each scenario, the input datasets were 60 cases, taking into account the minimization of the data and the average of HHV that result from equations. Four models were created, two models for each status where R2 was 1.00 and 0.999 for dry and wet situation, respectively. However, the equations of verification process showed that the models which depended on the dry fractions are more accurate. The produced HHV from the dry and wet MSW components in the Al-Diwaniyah City is 8655 KJ/Kg and 6440 KJ/Kg, respectively (as discarded).