Air filled porosity measurements by air pycnometry in the composting process : a review and a correlation analysis
Ruggieri, Luz (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Gea Leiva, Teresa (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Artola Casacuberta, Adriana (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Sanchez, Antoni (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)

Date:	2009
Abstract:	Air filled porosity (AFP) appears as the best measure to determine the available porosity in a composting material or, in general, in an organic matrix. Several methodologies, including theoretical and empirical approaches have been developed to estimate AFP. Among them, air pycnometry has been considered the most suitable and accurate technique to obtain reliable measures of AFP. In this review, the published methodologies to determine AFP by air pycnometry are explained in detail, and the main advantages and disadvantages of such methodologies are discussed. Also, a massive sampling of several organic wastes and mixtures intended for composting has been characterized by air pycnometry, and the theoretical and empirical correlations proposed in literature are compared in terms of accuracy in AFP measurement. Results obtained show that some theoretical correlations are suitable for estimating AFP in the majority of organic wastes studied. However, some waste samples need an experimental determination to obtain a realistic value of AFP.
Grants:	Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CTM2006/00315
Rights:	Tots els drets reservats.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió sotmesa a revisió
Subject:	Air filled porosity ; Composting ; Free air space ; Organic solid wastes ; Pycnometry
Published in:	Bioresource technology, Vol. 100, issue 10 (May 2009) , p. 2655-2666, ISSN 0960-8524

DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2008.12.049

Preprint 48 p, 566.0 KB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Engineering > Composting Research Group (GICOM)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles