Abstract
Residual sludge disposal costs may constitute up to, and sometimes above, 50% of the total cost of operation of a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and contribute approximately 40% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with its operation. Traditionally, wastewater sludges are processed for: (a) reduction of total weight and volume to facilitate their transfer and subsequent treatments; (b) stabilization of contained organic material and destruction of pathogenic microorganisms, elimination of noxious odors, and reduction of putrefaction potential and, at an increasing degree; (c) value addition by developing economically viable recovery of energy and residual constituents. Among several other processes, pyrolysis of sludge biomass is being experimented with by some researchers. From the process, oil with composition not dissimilar to that of biodiesels, syngas, and a solid residue can be obtained. While the advantage of obtaining sludge-derived liquid and gaseous fuels is obvious to most, the solid residue from the process, or char (also indicated as biochar by many), may also have several useful, initially unexpected applications. Recently, the char fraction is getting attention from the scientific community due to its potential to improve agricultural soils’ productivity, remediate contaminated soils, and supposed, possible mitigation effects on climate change. This paper first discusses sludge-pyrolysis-derived char production fundamentals (including relationships between char, bio-oil, and syngas fractions in different process operating conditions, general char properties, and possible beneficial uses). Then, based on current authors’ experiments with microwave-assisted sludge pyrolysis aimed at maximization of liquid fuel extraction, evaluate specific produced char characteristics and production to define its properties and most appropriate beneficial use applications in this type of setting.
Highlights
Residual sludge disposal costs may constitute up to, and sometimes above, 50% of the total cost of operation of a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and contribute approximately 40% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with its operation [1]
There is intensive research on pyrolysis application to a wide range of other feedstock, like sewage sludge, poultry litter waste, etc., in which ash content may be quite high, with the resulting solid pyrolysis products containing more than 50% of ash
The term PCM will be used to indicate the solid residual from sewage sludge of other feedstocks with organic content most likely lower than 50%, while biochar will be used only for residuals that fulfil European Biochar Foundation (EBC)’s definition
Summary
Residual sludge disposal costs may constitute up to, and sometimes above, 50% of the total cost of operation of a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and contribute approximately 40% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with its operation [1]. Pyrolysis is a thermal degradation of organic material in an oxygen-deficient atmosphere, a second-generation, alternative bioenergy production technology that is relatively simple, inexpensive, and robust, and can be used for transforming biomass into products such as bio-oil, solid residue, and syngas. This paper will first discuss sludge-pyrolysis-derived PCM production fundamentals (including relationships between PCM, bio-oil, and syngas fractions in different process operating conditions, general (bio)char properties, and possible beneficial uses). Based on current authors’ experiments with sludge pyrolysis aimed at maximization of liquid fuel extraction, specific PCM characteristics and production processes are evaluated to define PCM properties and the most appropriate beneficial use applications in this type of setting. Recent trends and future possibilities of future (bio)char applications are discussed
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