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Pasteurizer development for biogas-powered effluent treatment
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is considered one of the oldest and most sustainable biological treatment technologies for stabilizing and reducing organic waste, including food waste, sewage sludge, industrial waste, and farm waste. AD transforms organic matter into biogas (60–70 vol-% of methane), thereby reducing the volume of the waste whilst destroying some of the pathogens present in the waste feedstocks and limiting odor problems associated with waste materials (Appels et al., 2008; Gerardi, 2003). AD is a promising energy, waste management, and sanitation solution in low-resource, low-income settings (Forbis-Stokes et al., 2016; Owamah et al., 2014). However, it does not fully eliminate pathogens for safe environmental discharge. Three ETH master students (Hardeman, 2022; Jäggi, 2023; Luz, 2022) iteratively developed and optimized the biogas reactor and the solution for sludge pasteurization to homogeneously heat the effluent and render the liquid safe for discharge. However, the technology needs further improvements and adaptations to operate reliably in continuous mode in all environmental conditions.
The goal of this project is to redesign the pasteurizer completely so it can operate with a continuous flow of treated effluent. The technical solution should be developed in Zurich and constructed in Malawi. The three-month long trip to Blantyre, Malawi is planned to build the pasteurizer and test its performance in the field.
The goal of this project is to redesign the pasteurizer completely so it can operate with a continuous flow of treated effluent. The technical solution should be developed in Zurich and constructed in Malawi. The three-month long trip to Blantyre, Malawi is planned to build the pasteurizer and test its performance in the field.
In the course of the project, the student will be responsible for:
- Redesigning the biogas-powered effluent pasteurizer (in Zurich)
- Optimizing the thermodynamic processes of the pasteurization cycle (in Zurich)
- Constructing the pasteurizer with available materials and technologies (in Blantyre)
This research looks for a master-level mechanical engineering student with skills in mechanical design and thermal optimization, willing to get their hands dirty in the field.
In the course of the project, the student will be responsible for: - Redesigning the biogas-powered effluent pasteurizer (in Zurich) - Optimizing the thermodynamic processes of the pasteurization cycle (in Zurich) - Constructing the pasteurizer with available materials and technologies (in Blantyre)
This research looks for a master-level mechanical engineering student with skills in mechanical design and thermal optimization, willing to get their hands dirty in the field.
Interested and qualified students are invited to apply. For more information, please contact Jakub Tkaczuk (jtkaczuk@ethz.ch).
Interested and qualified students are invited to apply. For more information, please contact Jakub Tkaczuk (jtkaczuk@ethz.ch).
ETH for Development (ETH4D) aims to develop innovations that are directly relevant to improving the livelihoods of people in low-resource settings and to educate future leaders in sustainable development.