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Mass and energy integration study of hydrothermal carbonization with anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge

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  • Aragón-Briceño, C.I.
  • Ross, A.B.
  • Camargo-Valero, M.A.

Abstract

Anaerobic Digestion is the most common process used for energy generation from sewage sludge but only one half of the sewage sludge is susceptible to biodegradation. Hydrothermal Carbonization is considered an option for harness all the energy embedded in sewage sludge because of its high-value products (Hydrochar and Process waters). The integration AD followed by HTC is a recent approach that is still under development. The challenge is to provide evidence for coupling HTC with the existing infrastructure at wastewater treatment works. In this work, a mass and energy integration study of the potential of coupling HTC with AD for sewage sludge treatment was evaluated. Six proposed process configurations were built using primary sludge, secondary sludge and a mix, in order to evaluate net waste generation, fate of nutrients, net energy production and potential economic benefits. The proposed scenarios showed an overall total solid and COD reduction up to 68 and 66% respectively. The inclusion of hydrochar as a fuel source increased the net energy production 10 times compared when only biogas is considered as an energy source. The potential struvite production ranged from 0.02 to 0.06 kg per tonne of sludge treated. Scenarios with 250 °C thermal treatment temperature provided better economic benefits when struvite and hydrochar are considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Aragón-Briceño, C.I. & Ross, A.B. & Camargo-Valero, M.A., 2021. "Mass and energy integration study of hydrothermal carbonization with anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 473-483.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:167:y:2021:i:c:p:473-483
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2020.11.103
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    2. Dilvin Cebi & Melih Soner Celiktas & Hasan Sarptas, 2022. "A Review on Sewage Sludge Valorization via Hydrothermal Carbonization and Applications for Circular Economy," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(4), pages 1345-1367, December.
    3. Agnieszka Urbanowska & Małgorzata Kabsch-Korbutowicz & Christian Aragon-Briceño & Mateusz Wnukowski & Artur Pożarlik & Lukasz Niedzwiecki & Marcin Baranowski & Michał Czerep & Przemysław Seruga & Hali, 2021. "Cascade Membrane System for Separation of Water and Organics from Liquid By-Products of HTC of the Agricultural Digestate—Evaluation of Performance," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-18, August.
    4. Anna Grobelak & Klaudia Całus-Makowska & Anna Jasińska & Marek Klimasz & Aleksandra Wypart-Pawul & Dominika Augustajtys & Estera Baor & Daria Sławczyk & Aneta Kowalska, 2024. "Environmental Impacts and Contaminants Management in Sewage Sludge-to-Energy and Fertilizer Technologies: Current Trends and Future Directions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-28, October.
    5. Urbanowska, Agnieszka & Niedzwiecki, Lukasz & Wnukowski, Mateusz & Aragon-Briceño, Christian & Kabsch-Korbutowicz, Małgorzata & Baranowski, Marcin & Czerep, Michał & Seruga, Przemysław & Pawlak-Krucze, 2023. "Recovery of chemical energy from retentates from cascade membrane filtration of hydrothermal carbonisation effluent," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    6. Magdziarz, Aneta & Mlonka-Mędrala, Agata & Sieradzka, Małgorzata & Aragon-Briceño, Christian & Pożarlik, Artur & Bramer, Eddy A. & Brem, Gerrit & Niedzwiecki, Łukasz & Pawlak-Kruczek, Halina, 2021. "Multiphase analysis of hydrochars obtained by anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste organic fraction," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 108-118.
    7. Andrea Salimbeni & Marta Di Bianca & Andrea Maria Rizzo & David Chiaramonti, 2023. "Activated Carbon and P-Rich Fertilizer Production from Industrial Sludge by Application of an Integrated Thermo-Chemical Treatment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-24, October.
    8. Tomasz Hardy & Amit Arora & Halina Pawlak-Kruczek & Wojciech Rafajłowicz & Jerzy Wietrzych & Łukasz Niedźwiecki & Vishwajeet & Krzysztof Mościcki, 2021. "Non-Destructive Diagnostic Methods for Fire-Side Corrosion Risk Assessment of Industrial Scale Boilers, Burning Low Quality Solid Biofuels—A Mini Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-15, November.
    9. Pietro Romano & Nicola Stampone & Gabriele Di Giacomo, 2023. "Evolution and Prospects of Hydrothermal Carbonization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-11, March.
    10. Kossińska, Nina & Grosser, Anna & Kwapińska, Marzena & Kwapiński, Witold & Ghazal, Heba & Jouhara, Hussam & Krzyżyńska, Renata, 2024. "Co-hydrothermal carbonization as a potential method of utilising digested sludge and screenings from wastewater treatment plants towards energy application," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    11. Krystian Krochmalny & Halina Pawlak-Kruczek & Norbert Skoczylas & Mateusz Kudasik & Aleksandra Gajda & Renata Gnatowska & Monika Serafin-Tkaczuk & Tomasz Czapka & Amit K. Jaiswal & Vishwajeet & Amit A, 2022. "Use of Hydrothermal Carbonization and Cold Atmospheric Plasma for Surface Modification of Brewer’s Spent Grain and Activated Carbon," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-11, June.
    12. Jakub Mukawa & Tadeusz Pająk & Tadeusz Rzepecki & Marian Banaś, 2022. "Energy Potential of Biogas from Sewage Sludge after Thermal Hydrolysis and Digestion," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-15, July.
    13. Vishwajeet & Halina Pawlak-Kruczek & Marcin Baranowski & Michał Czerep & Artur Chorążyczewski & Krystian Krochmalny & Michał Ostrycharczyk & Paweł Ziółkowski & Paweł Madejski & Tadeusz Mączka & Amit A, 2022. "Entrained Flow Plasma Gasification of Sewage Sludge–Proof-of-Concept and Fate of Inorganics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-14, March.
    14. Nicola Di Costanzo & Alessandra Cesaro & Francesco Di Capua & Giovanni Esposito, 2021. "Exploiting the Nutrient Potential of Anaerobically Digested Sewage Sludge: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-25, December.
    15. Aragon-Briceño, Christian & Pożarlik, Artur & Bramer, Eddy & Brem, Gerrit & Wang, Shule & Wen, Yuming & Yang, Weihong & Pawlak-Kruczek, Halina & Niedźwiecki, Łukasz & Urbanowska, Agnieszka & Mościcki,, 2022. "Integration of hydrothermal carbonization treatment for water and energy recovery from organic fraction of municipal solid waste digestate," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 577-591.
    16. Ayala-Cortés, Alejandro & Arcelus-Arrillaga, Pedro & Millan, Marcos & Okoye, Patrick U. & Arancibia-Bulnes, Camilo A. & Pacheco-Catalán, Daniella Esperanza & Villafán-Vidales, Heidi Isabel, 2022. "Solar hydrothermal processing of agave bagasse: Insights on the effect of operational parameters," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 14-23.

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