Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Thermal Behaviour and Reactivity of Swine Sludge and Olive By-Products During Co-pyrolysis and Co-combustion

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Waste and Biomass Valorization Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The thermal behaviour of swine sludge/olive by-product blends was studied during pyrolysis and combustion processes and the compatibility of each component in the blend was evaluated. The experiments were conducted in a thermogravimetric analysis system, up to 900 °C. A modified independent parallel reactions model and a power law model were developed for pyrolysis and combustion, respectively and their validity was assessed against experimental data. The effect of inorganic constituents of the fuels on slagging and fouling propensities and environmental pollution was examined, through mineralogical, physico-chemical and fusibility analyses. The swine sludge decomposed over a broader temperature range than the woody residues and its combustibility was lower. Olive kernel and swine sludge showed an additive behaviour upon blending, for both pyrolysis and combustion processes. Olive pruning and swine sludge mixtures presented additivity during pyrolysis, while synergy during combustion. The kinetic models fitted the experimental results with great accuracy. The slagging/fouling potential of swine sludge was significant, while toxic metals in ashes were below legislative limits.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Van Caneghem, J., Brems, A., Lievens, P., Block, C., Billen, P., Vermeulen, I., Dewil, R., Baeyens, J., Vandecasteele, C.: Fluidized bed waste incinerators: design, operational and environmental issues. Prog. Energy Combust. Sci. 38, 551–582 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Vamvuka, D., Sfakiotakis, S., Panopoulos, K.: An experimental study on the thermal valorization of municipal and animal wastes. Int. J. Energy Environ. 4, 191–198 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Vamvuka, D., Papas, M., Galetakis, M., Sfakiotakis, S.: Thermal valorization of an animal sludge for energy recovery via co-combustion with olive kernel in a fluidized bed unit: optimization of emissions. Energy Fuels. 30, 5825–5834 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Vamvuka, D., Salpigidou, N., Kastanaki, E., Sfakiotakis, S.: Possibility of using paper sludge in co-firing applications. Fuel. 88, 637–643 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Wu, T., Gong, M., Lester, E., Hall, P.: Characteristics and synergistic effects of co-firing of coal and carbonaceous wastes. Fuel. 104, 194–200 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Hagman, H., Backman, R., Bostrom, D.: Co-combustion of animal waste, peat, waste wood, forest residues and industrial sludge in a 50MWth circulating fluidized bed boiler: ash transformation, ash/deposit characteristics and boiler failures. Energy Fuels. 27, 5617–5627 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Varol, M., Atimtay, A.T., Bay, B., Olgun, H.: Investigation of co-combustion characteristics of low quality lignite coals and biomass with thermogravimetric analysis. Thermochim. Acta. 510, 195–201 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Seo, M.W., Kim, S.D., Lee, S.H., Lee, J.G.: Pyrolysis characteristics of coaland RDF blends in non-isothermal and isothermal conditions. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol. 88, 160–167 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Vamvuka, D., Kakaras, E., Kastanaki, E., Grammelis, P.: Pyrolysis characteristics and kinetics of biomass residuals mixtures with lignite. Fuel. 82, 1949–1960 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Barneto, A.G., Carmona, J.A., Alfonso, J.E.M., Serrano, R.S.: Simulation of the thermogravimetry analysis of three non-wood pulps. Bioresour. Technol. 101, 3220–3229 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Várhegyi, G., Bobály, B., Jakab, E., Chen, H.: Thermogravimetric study of biomass pyrolysis kinetics, a distributed activation energy model with prediction tests. Energy Fuels. 25(1), 24–32 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Fernandez-Lopez, M., Pedrosa-Castro, G.J., Valverde, J.L., Sanchez-Silva, L.: Kinetic analysis of manure pyrolysis and combustion processes. Waste Manag. 58, 230–240 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Sfakiotakis, S., Vamvuka, D.: Development of a modified independent parallel reactions kinetic model and comparison with the distributed activation energy model for the pyrolysis of a wide variety of biomass fuels. Bioresour. Technol. 197, 434–442 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Muthuraman, M., Namioka, T., Yoshikawa, K.: A comparison of co-combustion characteristics of coal with wood and hydrothermally treated municipal solid waste. Bioresour. Technol. 101, 2477–2482 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Xanmin, X., Xiaoqian, M., Kai, L.: Co-combustion kinetics of sewage sludge with coal and coal gangue under different atmospheres. Energy Convers. Manag. 51(10), 1976–1980 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Moon, C., Sung, Y., Ahn, S., Kim, T., Choi, G., Kim, D.: Effect of blending ratio on combustion performance in blends of biomass and coals of different ranks. Exp. Thermal Fluid Sci. 47, 232–240 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. CEN/TS 15370-1:2006: Solid biofuels- method for the determination of ash melting behaviour- Part 1: characteristic temperatures method in CEN. (2006)

  18. Anca-Couce, A.: Reaction mechanisms and multi-scale modelling of lignocellulosic biomass pyrolysis. Prog. Energy Combust. Sci. 53, 41–79 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Guo, X., Wang, S., Wang, K., Liu, Q., Luo, Z.: Influence of extractives on mechanism of biomass pyrolysis. J. Fuel Chem Technol. 38, 42–46 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. White, J.E., Catallo, W.J., Legendre, B.L.: Biomass pyrolysis kinetics: a comparative critical review with relevant agricultural residue case studies. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol. 91(1), 1–33 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Amutio, M., Lopez, G., Alvarez, J., Moreira, R., Duarte, G., Nunes, J., Olazar, M., Bilbao, J.: Pyrolysis kinetics of forestry residues from the Portuguese Central Inland Region. Chem. Eng. Res. Des. 91, 2682–2690 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Di Blasi, C., Buonanno, F., Branca, C.: Reactivities of some biomass chars in air. Carbon. 37, 1227–1238 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Vamvuka, D., Trikouvertis, M., Alevizos, G., Pentari, D.: Evaluation of ashes of orange tree residues burned in a fluidized bed. Renew. Energy. 72, 336–343 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Huang, Y., Dong, H., Shang, B., Xin, H., Zhu, Z.: Characterization of animal manure and cornstalk ashes as affected by incineration temperature. Appl. Energy. 88, 947–952 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Singh, S., Ram, L.C., Masto, R.E., Verma, S.K.: A comparative evaluation of minerals and trace elements in the ashes from lignite, coal refuse and biomass fired power plants. Int. J. Coal Geol. 87, 112–120 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. EU Directive 86/278/EEC.: Protection of the environment and in particular of the soil, when sewage sludge is used in agriculture. Off. J. Eur. Comm. 181:0006–0012 (1986)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors kindly thank the laboratories of Applied Mineralogy for the XRD and fusibility analyses and the laboratories of Hydrogeochemical Engineering and Soil Remediation and Inorganic and Organic Geochemistry for the chemical analysis of the ashes.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece

    Despina Vamvuka & Stelios Sfakiotakis

Authors
  1. Despina Vamvuka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stelios Sfakiotakis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Despina Vamvuka.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Vamvuka, D., Sfakiotakis, S. Thermal Behaviour and Reactivity of Swine Sludge and Olive By-Products During Co-pyrolysis and Co-combustion. Waste Biomass Valor 10, 1433–1442 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-017-0118-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-017-0118-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation