A DESIGN-MODEL OF SEWAGE-SLUDGE INCINERATION PLANTS WITH ENERGY RECOVERY

A design model of sewage sludge incineration plants has been developed to examine the possibilities for energy recovery. It was evident that , without sludge drying, there was a high fuel (methane) consumptions (149-192 Nm(3)/t sludge cake at 25% concentrations), but considerable amount of electric energy is obtainable (391-515 kWh/t sludge cake). S izes of boiler and whole exhaust gases treatment line are in this case quite large. On the contrary, fuel consumption can be lowered down to 20 Nm(3)/t sludge cake at 44% concentration by introducing sludge dry ing. In this case fuel is needed only in the afterburning chamber, as the combustion in the fluidized bed furnace is autothermal. Boiler and exhaust gas treatment line are considerably reduced in size when powe r production is not performed, thus allowing a simpler and smaller pla nt to be designed. (C) 1997 IAWQ. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.