Incineration of Municipal Sewage Sludge in a Fluidized Bed Reactor

Beata Kowarska, Jerzy Baron, Stanisław Kandefer, Witold Zukowski

.

DOI: 10.4236/eng.2013.51A018                

Abstract

In the present study reduction of nitrogen oxides using reburning technology, during combustion of sewage sludge (fuel I) and the mixture of sewage sludge, wasted bleaching earth and CaO (fuel II), was carried out. The experimental works were conducted in a laboratory-scale fluidized bed reactor (power up to 10 kW) with application of two types of beds: chemically inert bed (sand) and chemically active bed (CaO). The second combustion (reburning) zone in the reactor was formed by dosing into an area above the bed, additional gaseous fuel (propane). Obtained reduction in emissions of nitrogen oxides in both types of beds was at a level 70% - 79%. Additionally bed of CaO has the desulfurizing effect and also reduces the CO concentration in the exhaust fumes. A significant drawback of active bed is the adverse effect on increase of the primary NO which enters the second combustion zone. The result of this fact is higher NO_x emission during combustion of the same fuel in bed of CaO in comparison to the combustion of this fuel in the sand bed, when the same maximum degree of reduction of NO_x will be obtained for both types of beds.

Keywords

Biomass Power; Reburning; Nitrogen Oxides; NOx Reduction; Sewage Sludge; Fluidized Bed Combustion

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	European Comission, “Environment,” 2012. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/sludge/index.htm
[2]	Poland, “The 2010 National Waste Management Plan,” Warsaw, 2006.
[3]	Y. J. Kim, H. O. Kang and T. I. Qureshi, “Heating Value Characteristics of Sewage Sludge: A Comparative Study of Different Sludge Types,” Journal of the Chemical Society of Pakistan, Vol. 27, No. 2, 2005, pp. 124-129.
[4]	Council, “Protection of the Environment, and in Particular of the Soil, When Sewage Sludge Is Used in Agriculture,” Council Directive 86/278/EEC, 12 June 1986.
[5]	F. J. Tian, B. Q. Li, Y. Chen and C. Z. Li, “Formation of NOx Precursors during the Pyrolysis of Coal and Biomass. Part V. Pyrolysis of a Sewage Sludge,” Fuel, Vol. 81, No. 17, 2002, pp. 2203-2208. doi:10.1016/S0016-2361(02)00139-4
[6]	L. Shen and D. K. Zhang, “An Experimental Study of Oil Recovery from Sewage Sludge by Low-Temperature Pyrolysis in a Fluidised-Bed,” Fuel, Vol. 82, No. 4, 2003, pp. 465-472. doi:10.1016/S0016-2361(02)00294-6
[7]	S. Fairous, S. Rusnah and H. Maryam, “Potential Source of Bio-Fuel from Pyrolysis of Treated Sewage Sludge,” Proceedings of the 2010 International Conference on Science and Social Research (CSSR 2010), Kuala Lumpur, 5-7 December 2010, pp. 1272-1277. doi:10.1109/CSSR.2010.5773732
[8]	B. Groβ, C. Eder, P. Grziwa, J. Horst and K. Kimmerle, “Energy Recovery from Sewage Sludge by Means of Fluidised Bed Gasification,” Waste Management, Vol. 28, 2008, pp. 1819-1826. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2007.08.016
[9]	J. J. Manyá, J. L. Sánchez, J. àbrego, A. Gonzalo and J. Arauzo, “Influence of Gas Residence Time and Air Ratio on the Air Gasification of Dried Sewage Sludge in a Bubbling Fluidised Bed,” Fuel, Vol. 85, No. 14-15, 2006, pp. 2027-2033. doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2006.04.008
[10]	J. Baron, “The Bubbling Fluidized-Bed Reactor Used to Solve Local Waste Utilization Problems,” Przemysl Chemiczny, Vol. 85, No. 8-9, 2006, pp. 993-995.
[11]	B. Leckner, L. E. ?mand, K. Lücke and J. Werther, “Gaseous Emissions from Co-Combustion of Sewage Sludge and Coal/Wood in a Fluidized Bed,” Fuel, Vol. 83, No. 4-5, 2004, pp. 477-486. doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2003.08.006
[12]	T. Shimizu and M. Toyono, “Emissions of NOx and N2O during Co-Combustion of Dried Sewage Sludge with Coal in a Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustor,” Fuel, Vol. 86, No. 15, 2007, pp. 2308-2315. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2007.01.033
[13]	M. Sanger, J. Werther and T. Ogada, “NOx and N2O Emission Characteristics from Fluidised Bed Combustion of Semi-Dried Municipal Sewage Sludge,” Fuel, Vol. 80, No. 2, 2001, pp. 167-177. doi:10.1016/S0016-2361(00)00093-4
[14]	J. Werther and T. Ogada, “Sewage Sludge Combustion,” Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, Vol. 25, No. 1, 1999, pp. 55-116. doi:10.1016/S0360-1285(98)00020-3
[15]	J. Werther, “N2O Emissions from the Fluidised-Bed Combustion of Sewage Sludges,” Fuel and Energy Abstracts, Vol. 36, No. 5, 1995, p. 373. doi:10.1016/0140-6701(95)97090-7
[16]	D. R. van der Vaart, “Freeboard Ignition of Premixed Hydrocarbon Gas in a Fluidized Bed,” Fuel, Vol. 67, No. 7, 1988, pp. 1003-1007. doi:10.1016/0016-2361(88)90102-0
[17]	D. R. van der Vaart, “The Chemistry of Premixed Hydrocarbon/Air Combustion in a Fluidized Bed,” Combustion and Flame, Vol. 71, No. 1, 1988, pp. 35-39. doi:10.1016/0010-2180(88)90103-4
[18]	J. Baron, B. Kowarska, W. Zukowski, J. Zabaglo and D. Jankowski, “Reduction of N2O and NO in Two-Zone Combustion Process in a Fluidized Bed Reactor,” Przemysl Chemiczny, Vol. 90, No. 7, 2011, pp. 1290-1291.
[19]	J. Baron, E. M. Bulewicz, J. Zabaglo and W. Zukowski, “Propagation of Reaction between Bubbles with a Gas Burning in a Fluidised Bed,” Flow Turbulence and Combustion, Vol. 88, No. 4, 2012, pp. 479-502. doi:10.1007/s10494-011-9362-z
[20]	J. Baron, M. Olek, B. Kowarska, J. Zabaglo and W. Zukowski, “Reduction of Nitric(II) Oxide in a Freeboard of Fluidized Bed Reactor,” Przemysl Chemiczny, Vol. 89, No. 4, 2010, pp. 290-295.
[21]	D. Jankowski, J. Baron, J. Zabaglo, W. Zukowski and A. Woynarowska, “Plastic Waste Combustion in the Fluidized Bed,” Przemysl Chemiczny, Vol. 90, No. 7, 2011, pp. 1340-1345.
[22]	A. Woynarowska, S. Kandefer, M. Olek, S. Zelazny and W. Zukowski, “Thermal Decomposition of Electronic Waste Using Fluidized-Bed Reactor,” Przemysl Chemiczny, Vol. 90, No. 7, 2011, pp. 1412-1418.
[23]	W. Zukowski, J. Baron, B. Kowarska, M. Olek and J. Zabaglo, “Thermal Regeneration of Bleaching Earth in a Fluidized Bed Reactor,” Przemysl Chemiczny, Vol. 90, No. 5, 2011, pp. 1107-1112.
[24]	M. Olek, J. Baron, J. Zabaglo, W. Zukowski, A. Jarosinski, S. Zelazny and M. Fatyga, “Production of Roasted Zinc Concentrates by Thermal Treatment in Fluidized Bed. Part 2. Kinetic Studies on ZnS Oxidation in Fluidized Bed Reactor,” Przemysl Chemiczny, Vol. 90, No. 5, 2011, pp. 965-969.
[25]	J. Zabaglo, J. Baron, B. Kowarska, M. Olek and W. Zukowski, “Raw Material Recycling of Aluminium from Multi-Material Packaging,” Przemysl Chemiczny, Vol. 90, No. 5, 2011, pp. 1080-1082.
[26]	I. Petersen and J. Werther, “Experimental Investigation and Modeling of Gasification of Sewage Sludge in the Circulating Fluidized Bed,” Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification, Vol. 44, No. 7, 2005, pp. 717-736. doi:10.1016/j.cep.2004.09.001
[27]	J. O. L. Wendt, C. V. Sternling and M. A. Matovich, “Reduction of Sulfur Trioxide and Nitrogen Oxides by Secondary Fuel Injection,” International Symposium on Combustion, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1973, pp. 897-904. doi:10.1016/S0082-0784(73)80082-7
[28]	“Clean Coal Technology,” Topical Report Number 14, US Department of Energy, New York, 1999.
[29]	B. Staiger, S. Unterberger, R. Berger and K. R. G. Hein, “Development of an Air Staging Technology to Reduce NOx Emissions in Grate Fired Boilers,” Energy, Vol. 30, No. 8, 2005, pp. 1429-1438. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2004.02.013
[30]	L. D. Smoot, S. C. Hill and H. Xu, “NOx Control through Reburning,” Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, Vol. 24, No. 5, 1998, pp. 385-408. doi:10.1016/S0360-1285(97)00022-1
[31]	H. Farzan, G. Maringo, A. Yagiela, A. K. Babcock and Wilcox Co., “B&W’s Reburning Experience,” Proceedings in 2004 Conference on Reburning for NOx Control USDOE NETL, Morgantown, 18 May 2004. http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/proceedings/04/nox/kokkinos-presentation.pdf
[32]	S. Su, J. Xiang, L. Sun, S. Hu, Z. Zhang and J. Zhu, “Application of Gaseous Fuel Reburning for Controlling Nitric Oxide Emissions in Boilers,” Fuel Processing Technology, Vol. 90, No. 3, 2009, pp. 396-402. doi:10.1016/j.fuproc.2008.10.011.
[33]	B. Shen, Q. Yao and X. Xu, “Kinetic Model for Natural Gas Returning,” Fuel Processing Technology, Vol. 85, No. 11, 2004, pp. 1301-1315. doi:10.1016/j.fuproc.2003.09.005
[34]	J. Baron, E. M. Bulewicz, W. Zukowski, S. Kandefer and M. Pilawska, “Combustion of Hydrocarbon Fuels in a Bubbling Fluidized Bed,” Combustion and Flame, Vol. 128, No. 4, 2002, pp. 410-421. doi:10.1016/S0010-2180(01)00359-5
[35]	City Technology Ltd., “Sulphur Dioxide CiTiceL® Specification from company City Technology,” 2004. http://www.citytech.com/PDF-Datasheets/5sf.pdf
[36]	J. Baron, W. Zukowski, J. Zabaglo and S. Jagusinski, “Selected Aldehydes Concentration Measurement in the Fluidised Bed Reactor Flue Gases,” Czasopismo Techniczne (from 2013: Technical Transactions), Vol. 107, No. 10, 2010, pp. 49-62.
[37]	A. N. Hayhurst and A. D. Lawrence, “The Effect of Solid CaO on the Production of NOx and N2O in Fluidized Bed Combustors: Studies using Pyridine as a Prototypical Nitrogenous Fuel,” Combustion and Flame, Vol. 105, No. 4, 1996, pp. 511-527. doi:10.1016/0010-2180(95)00219-7