Methane fermentation as a possibility of utilization and energy – efficient management of sewage sludge

Abstract

Sewage sludge contains organic and biogenic substances that should be used. These materials may also contain toxic substances and heavy metals, and therefore require proper management in accordance with applicable law. Sewage sludge disposal is important for the protection of the environment, but also for the costs associated with the disposal of sludge. There are many technologies that are designed to use the properties of sewage sludge. It should be emphasized, however, that the proposed sewage sludge management technologies require investment outlays. In the present situation, research experiments have been carried out in the Environmental Technology Laboratory of the University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Poznan, indicating the possibility of efficient use of sewage sludge in the methane fermentation process. The use of sewage sludge in the fermentation mix allows the fertilizer to be obtained in the form of fermentation pulp, which also has the same properties as natural fertilizers. It should also be noted that the effect of physicochemical changes is the production of biogas, which is the source of electricity and/or heat. The economic sustainability of the use of sludge (taking into account the current costs of their disposal) is unequivocally positive when co-fermented in an appropriate proportion. The results show that sewage sludge can be successfully used in biogas plants as a co-substrate of fermentation mix. Therefore, the use of sewage sludge in biogas plants not only allows for the safe management and production of fertilizers, but also for the "green" energy.