scholarly journals Model-Based Evaluation of Hydrothermal Treatment for the Energy Efficient Dewatering and Drying of Sewage Sludge

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1346
Author(s):  
Philipp Knötig ◽  
Hendrik Etzold ◽  
Benjamin Wirth
Keyword(s):  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Hydrothermal Carbonization ◽  
Phosphorus Recycling ◽  
Phosphorus Reduction ◽  
Positive Effect

This research paper evaluates hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) as a possible treatment for sewage sludge, including phosphorus recycling. German governmental requirements force a high number of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) to recover phosphorus from sewage sludge above limits of 20 g kgTS−1 before further disposal (e.g., co-incineration). The results show that pH reduction has a positive effect on shifting phosphorus to the liquid phase during HTC. Although the experimental results of this research do not yet achieve the necessary phosphorus reduction, various calculations are made to achieve this goal in future experimental studies. In order to be able to assess the energy benefits of HTC, Aspen Plus modeling was used to show the positive impact of implementing this technology in a WWTP. It is shown that the mechanical dewaterability of sewage sludge (SS) increases after HTC enabling energy savings by means of subsequent thermal drying. A heat optimized HTC is able to cut energy expenses by half, further providing a phosphorus-depleted hydrochar for extensive energetic use.

Wastewater treatment – adsorption of organic micropollutants on activated HTC-carbon derived from sewage sludge

2015 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 607-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Kirschhöfer ◽  
Olga Sahin ◽  
Gero C. Becker ◽  
Florian Meffert ◽  
Michael Nusser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Transformation Products ◽  
Hydrothermal Carbonization ◽  
Organic Content ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Organic Micropollutants ◽  
Wastewater Samples

Organic micropollutants (MPs), in particular xenobiotics and their transformation products, have been detected in the aquatic environment and the main sources of these MPs are wastewater treatment plants. Therefore, an additional cleaning step is necessary. The use of activated carbon (AC) is one approach to providing this additional cleaning. Industrial AC derived from different carbonaceous materials is predominantly produced in low-income countries by polluting processes. In contrast, AC derived from sewage sludge by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a regional and sustainable alternative, based on waste material. Our experiments demonstrate that the HTC-AC from sewage sludge was able to remove most of the applied MPs. In fact more than 50% of sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac and bezafibrate were removed from artificial water samples. With the same approach carbamazepine was eliminated to nearly 70% and atrazine more than 80%. In addition a pre-treated (phosphorus-reduced) HTC-AC was able to eliminate 80% of carbamazepine and diclofenac. Atrazine, sulfamethoxazole and bezafibrate were removed to more than 90%. Experiments using real wastewater samples with high organic content (11.1 g m−3) succeeded in proving the adsorption capability of phosphorus-reduced HTC-AC.

scholarly journals Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of HTC Concepts Valorizing Sewage Sludge for Energetic and Agricultural Use

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 786 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Meisel ◽  
Andreas Clemens ◽  
Christoph Fühner ◽  
Marc Breulmann ◽  
Stefan Majer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Hydrothermal Carbonization ◽  
Additional Energy ◽  
Sludge Digestion ◽  
Water Recirculation ◽  
Agricultural Use ◽  
Agricultural Yields ◽  
Direct Use ◽  
Positive Effect

In many countries, sewage sludge is directly used for energy and agricultural purposes after dewatering or digestion and dewatering. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in additional upstream hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), which could lead to higher yields in the energetic and agricultural use. Twelve energetic and agricultural valorization concepts of sewage sludge are defined and assessed for Germany to investigate whether the integration of HTC will have a positive effect on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The study shows that the higher expenses within the HTC process cannot be compensated by additional energy production and agricultural yields. However, the optimization of the HTC process chain through integrated sewage sludge digestion and process water recirculation leads to significant reductions in GHG emissions of the HTC concepts. Subsequently, nearly the same results can be achieved when compared to the direct energetic use of sewage sludge; in the agricultural valorization, the optimized HTC concept would be even the best concept if the direct use of sewage sludge will no longer be permitted in Germany from 2029/2032. Nevertheless, the agricultural valorization concepts are not generally advantageous when compared to the energetic valorization concepts, as it is shown for two concepts.

scholarly journals Coupling Hydrothermal Carbonization with Anaerobic Digestion for Sewage Sludge Treatment: Influence of HTC Liquor and Hydrochar on Biomethane Production

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 6262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Ferrentino ◽  
Fabio Merzari ◽  
Luca Fiori ◽  
Gianni Andreottola
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Hydrothermal Carbonization ◽  
Digested Sludge ◽  
Sludge Treatment ◽  
Secondary Sludge ◽  
Sewage Sludge Treatment ◽  
Biomethane Production

The present study addresses the coupling of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) with anaerobic digestion (AD) in wastewater treatment plants. The improvement in biomethane production due to the recycling back to the anaerobic digester of HTC liquor and hydrochar generated from digested sludge is investigated and proved. Mixtures of different compositions of HTC liquor and hydrochar, as well as individual substrates, were tested. The biomethane yield reached 102 ± 3 mL CH4 g−1 COD when the HTC liquor was cycled back to the AD and treated together with primary and secondary sludge. Thus, the biomethane production was almost doubled compared to that of the AD of primary and secondary sludge (55 ± 20 mL CH4 g−1 COD). The benefit is even more significant when both the HTC liquor and the hydrochar were fed to the AD of primary and secondary sludge. The biomethane yield increased up to 187 ± 18 mL CH4 g−1 COD when 45% of hydrochar, with respect to the total feedstock, was added. These results highlight the improvement that the HTC process can bring to AD, enhancing biomethane production and promoting a sustainable solution for the treatment of the HTC liquor and possibly the hydrochar itself.

Production of fuels on the basis of sewage sludge through conditioning using high calorific value fractions

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl-Georg Schmelz ◽  
Anja Reipa ◽  
Hartmut Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Calorific Value ◽  
Fluidised Bed ◽  
Sludge Treatment ◽  
Heating Value ◽  
Fine Coal ◽  
Used Cars ◽  
Plastic Components

Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband operate 59 wastewater treatment plants which produce approx. 100,000 Mg TS of sewage sludge each year. Using sludge pressure pipelines, about 60 % of this sludge are transported to the central sludge treatment plant in Bottrop. The digested sludges are conditioned using fine coal and polymers and are dewatered using membrane filters. By adding coal, the heating value of the sludge is raised which enables autothermal combustion of the dewatered sludges in fluidised bed furnaces at the central sludge treatment plant. In order to replace coal, a fossil fuel, as conditioning agent, experiments were conducted using alternative materials with high heating values. The addition of shredder fluff agglomerates proved to be particularly successful. Shredder fluff agglomerates are a residue from the recycling of used cars and are generated in a multistage process (e.g. Volkswagen-SiCon Process) by separating the light shredder fraction (plastic components etc.) from the total shredder fluff. The fibrous material is outstandingly suitable for improving the dewaterability and for sufficiently raising the heating value of the dewatered sludge in order to enable autothermal combustion. Since first experiments showed very positive results, a full-scale long-term test-run will take place in 2007.

Sludge minimization by disintegration at different wastewater treatment plants

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luchien Luning ◽  
Paul Roeleveld ◽  
Victor W.M. Claessen
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Biological Degradation ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Sludge Minimization

In recent years new technologies have been developed to improve the biological degradation of sewage sludge by anaerobic digestion. The paper describes the results of a demonstration of ultrasonic disintegration on the Dutch Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Land van Cuijk. The effect on the degradation of organic matter is presented, together with the effect on the dewatering characteristics. Recommendations are presented for establishing research conditions in which the effect of sludge disintegration can be determined in a more direct way that is less sensitive to changing conditions in the operation of the WWTP. These recommendations have been implemented in the ongoing research in the Netherlands supported by the National Institute for wastewater research (STOWA).

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