Performance evaluation of material separation in a material recovery facility using a network flow model

In this paper, we model the recycling process for solid waste as performed in a material recovery facility. The intent is to inform the design and evaluation of a material recovery facility (MRF) in order to increase its profit, efficiency and recovery rate. We model the MRF as a multi-stage material separation process and develop a network flow model that evaluates the performance of the MRF through a system of linear equations. We estimate the parameters of the network flow model from historical data to find the best fit. We validate the model using a case-study of a light-packaging recovery section of an MRF in Spain. Additionally, we examine how uncertainty in the input material composition propagates through the system, and conduct a sensitivity analysis on the model parameters.