SOLVENT AND PAINT WASTE REDUCTION WITH AN EXPERT SYSTEM FOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE MINIMIZATION

B. GOPALAKRISHNAN
R. W. PLUMMER
R. KULKARNI
P. MANGALAMPALLI


DOI: 10.2190/P9W5-325X-CDDE-XJ50

Abstract

In today's rapidly developing and competitive industrial world, generation of product and process waste has become inevitable. These waste products, be they hazardous or non-hazardous, if improperly dealt with, can threaten both public health and the environment. The application of knowledge-based software systems to waste minimization and waste management in industries seems logical. The expertise gained from Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) research [1] funded by the USDOE Office of Industrial Technologies has led to the development of WASTEX [2, 3], an expert system for industrial waste management and minimization, specifically designed for use by plant managers. This article describes the use of WASTEX for minimizing industrial solvent and paint waste streams. The methodology used in designing the solvent and paint waste minimization modules is described. The execution of WASTEX in this regard is explained in terms of data input and output, with details on economic evaluation.

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