Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Study on optimal energy efficiency of a sludge drying-incineration combined system

  • SPECIAL FEATURE: ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Recent Thermal Treatment Research of Wastes (7th i-CIPEC)
  • Published:
Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Thermal drying is a frequently used technology to further remove the water in dewatered sludge. However, it is an expensive solution due to its highly energy consumption. The combination of sludge drying and incineration system, in which, the energy generated from sludge incineration is reused to sludge drying, can largely save the energy consumption of sludge treatment facilities. A bench-scale paddle sludge dryer was built to study the drying characteristics of sludge. Results show that, a significant fluctuation of sludge drying rate and stirring power emerges at the moisture content of 55–65 %. An energy model was established based on a sludge drying and incineration project. The most reasonable dryness of sludge outlet from sludge dryer and input to sludge incinerator was analyzed, in the purpose of achieving optimal energy efficiency. The mono-incineration of dry sludge can be achieved at 850 °C combustion temperature, when sludge lower heating value (LHV) is about 11213 kJ/kg and moisture content is about 60 % w/w. The effect of operation conditions, including sludge moisture content, LHV, and operation load were analyzed based on the energy model. This energy model could be applied for the improvement of energy efficiency of sludge drying and incineration combined system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wei W, Yuxiang L, Wei Q (2009) Possible solutions for sludge dewatering in China. Front Environ Sci Eng China 4(1):102–107

    Google Scholar 

  2. Sakai S et al (1989) System-design and full-scale plant study on a drying incineration system for sewage-sludge. Water Sci Technol 21(10–11):1453–1466

    Google Scholar 

  3. Ogada T, Werther J (1996) Combustion characteristics of wet sludge in a fluidized bed—release and combustion of the volatiles. Fuel 75(5):617–626

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Werther J, Ogada T (1999) Sewage sludge combustion. Prog Energy Combust Sci 25(1):55–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Kudra T (2003) Sticky region in drying-definition and identification. Drying Technol 21(8):1457–1469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Arlabosse P, Chavez S, Prevot C (2005) Drying of municipal sewage sludge: from a laboratory scale batch indirect dryer to the paddle dryer. Braz J Chem Eng 22(2):227–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Leonard A et al (2008) Influence of back mixing on the convective drying of residual sludges in a fixed bed. Water Res 42(10–11):2671–2677

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ferrasse JH, Arlabosse P, Lecomte D (2002) Heat, momentum, and mass transfer measurements in indirect agitated sludge dryer. Drying Technol 20(4–5):749–769

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Deng W-Y et al (2009) Measurement and simulation of the contact drying of sewage sludge in a Nara-type paddle dryer. Chem Eng Sci 64(24):5117–5124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Lowe P (1995) Developments in the thermal drying of sewage-sludge. J Charter Inst Water Environ Manage 9(3):306–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Chen G, Lock Yue P, Mujumdar AS (2002) Sludge dewatering and drying. Drying Technol 20(4-5):883–916

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Sherwood TK (1929) The drying of solids-II. Ind Eng Chem 21:976–980

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Gruter H et al (1990) Drying of sewage-sludge—an important step in waste-disposal. Water Sci Technol 22(12):57–63

    Google Scholar 

  14. Deng WY et al (2009) Emission characteristics of volatile compounds during sludges drying process. J Hazard Mater 162(1):186–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Chun WP, Lee KW (2004) Sludge drying characteristics on combined system of contact drying and fluidized bed dryer. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Drying Symposium (IDS 2004), pp 1055–1061

  16. Peeters B et al (2011) Using a shear test-based lab protocol to map the sticky phase of activated sludge. Environ Eng Sci 28(1):81–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Basic Research Program (973) of China (No. 2011CB201506, 2009CB219802), the National High-Tech Research and Development Program (863) of China (No. SS2012AA063305), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51276165), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2013QNA4015), the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (No. 20110101110019), the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No. R1100395).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Bo Li, Fei Wang, Yong Chi & Jian-Hua Yan

Authors
  1. Bo Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fei Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yong Chi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jian-Hua Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fei Wang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, B., Wang, F., Chi, Y. et al. Study on optimal energy efficiency of a sludge drying-incineration combined system. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 16, 684–692 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-014-0293-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-014-0293-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation