The impact of sewage sludge properties on the combustion process
Wpływ właściwości osadów ściekowych na proces spalania
Agnieszka Kijo-Kleczkowska, Katarzyna Środa
Streszczenie
Dynamic economic development, the limited resources of coal beds, challenges to modern energy make
it necessary to develop the use of renewable energy sources and waste fuels. Undoubtedly a very valuable and promising
future fuel is sewage sludge. On the one hand, sewage sludge is treated as waste; on the other hand, it is treated as a fullfledged
energy fuel that exhibits dry combustion kinetics similar to brown coal. The physical, chemical, sanitary, and
technological properties of sewage sludge are important and change depending on the type and method of sewage treatment.
The specific properties of sewage sludge is different from coal and biomass, but sewage sludge combustion (similar to coal
and biomass) includes drying, devolatilization and the combustion of volatiles and char. The sewage sludge thermal
utilisation is an attractive option because it minimizes odour, significantly reduces the volume of the starting material and
thermally destroys organic and toxic components of the off pads. Additionally, it is possible that ashes could be used.
Currently, as many as 11 plants use sewage sludge as fuel in Poland; thus, this technology must be further developed in
Poland while considering the benefits of co-combustion with other fuels. This paper presents the results of experimental
studies aimed at determining the mechanisms (defining the fuel - sewage sludge from three sewage treatment plants
combustion region by studying the effects of process parameters, including the size of the fuel sample, temperature in the
combustion chamber and air velocity, on combustion time) and kinetics (measurement of fuel temperature and mass
changes) of fuel combustion in an air stream under different thermal conditions and flow rates.
it necessary to develop the use of renewable energy sources and waste fuels. Undoubtedly a very valuable and promising
future fuel is sewage sludge. On the one hand, sewage sludge is treated as waste; on the other hand, it is treated as a fullfledged
energy fuel that exhibits dry combustion kinetics similar to brown coal. The physical, chemical, sanitary, and
technological properties of sewage sludge are important and change depending on the type and method of sewage treatment.
The specific properties of sewage sludge is different from coal and biomass, but sewage sludge combustion (similar to coal
and biomass) includes drying, devolatilization and the combustion of volatiles and char. The sewage sludge thermal
utilisation is an attractive option because it minimizes odour, significantly reduces the volume of the starting material and
thermally destroys organic and toxic components of the off pads. Additionally, it is possible that ashes could be used.
Currently, as many as 11 plants use sewage sludge as fuel in Poland; thus, this technology must be further developed in
Poland while considering the benefits of co-combustion with other fuels. This paper presents the results of experimental
studies aimed at determining the mechanisms (defining the fuel - sewage sludge from three sewage treatment plants
combustion region by studying the effects of process parameters, including the size of the fuel sample, temperature in the
combustion chamber and air velocity, on combustion time) and kinetics (measurement of fuel temperature and mass
changes) of fuel combustion in an air stream under different thermal conditions and flow rates.