Application of self-sustaining smouldering combustion for the destruction of wastewater biosolids

Rashwan, Tarek L.; Gerhard, Jason I.; Grant, Gavin P.

doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2016.01.037

Cited by 84 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Importantly, smoldering has been proven as an efficient mechanism for the treatment of waste with high moisture content. For example, it was demonstrated that self-sustained smoldering can be used for the treatment of biosolids with moisture content up to 80% [51].…”

Section: Smoldering Applied As a Waste Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-sustaining Smouldering Combustion as a Waste Treatment Process

Yermán¹

2016

Developments in Combustion Technology

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This chapter reviews the utilization of self-sustaining smouldering combustion as a treatment for solid or liquid waste, embedded in a porous matrix. Smouldering has been identified as an attractive solution to treat waste with high moisture content. The fundamental aspects of this technology, such as the experimental setup and the ignition mechanism, are described here. The operational parameters determine the physical properties of the media, and will dictate the self-sustainability of the process. A discussion on how the operational parameters affect the smouldering performance is also presented. The performance of smouldering is usually assessed by the peak temperatures and the velocity of propagation of the smouldering front through the material. The potential sources for energy recovery are described. Importantly, as oxidation and pyrolysis coexist during smouldering, it was shown with potential for the recovery of pyrolysis products, such as pyrolysis oil. Finally, a brief insight on the gas emissions, and the perspectives regarding the technoeconomic viability in full-scale are also discussed.

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Section: Smoldering Applied As a Waste Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-sustaining Smouldering Combustion as a Waste Treatment Process

Yermán¹

2016

Developments in Combustion Technology

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“…These solids have a relatively large amount of organic content soaked in water, more than 75%. Even though the organic content may confer to them a biomass characteristic, the biosolids classification seems to be more appropriated [5]. However, to use these residues as an energy source, reducing the water content to the level required for thermochemical conversion technologies is still a challenge.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, to use these residues as an energy source, reducing the water content to the level required for thermochemical conversion technologies is still a challenge. Very few works have attempted to convert human feces [5][6][7][8], and the conversion has been reached by mixing feces with inert materials, e.g., sand [5], or with plastic materials [8]. Heretofore, the only successful case of converting raw feces has been made in a bench-scale fixed bed reactor [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermodynamic assessment of human feces gasification: an experimental-based approach

et al. 2019

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Residues with a large amount of organic content represent a potential for energy recovery. Specifically human feces, given the amount of global production and the environmental appeal, appear as a potential candidate for a new feedstock. The objective of this work is to perform a thermodynamic assessment of human feces gasification considering for the first time all inefficiencies of a downdraft gasifier. A thermochemical characterization was conducted from the sterilized raw material to the products. New data and discussions about the conversion efficiencies for such type of fuel are brought up, such as the influence of the exothermic pyrolysis on the chemical exergy destruction. The results suggest an unfavorable application in energetic terms; however, when the exergy analysis is added with the environmental bias, the process becomes more attractive due to the high physical exergy.

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“…However, they can be susceptible to smouldering when commingled with an inert porous material to create a permeable mixture [14]. This was demonstrated in a bench-top batch reactor for coal tar [15], industrial organic liquid contaminants present in soil [14], [16] and most recently, for bio-solids waste from wastewater treatment plants [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Continuous, self-sustaining smouldering destruction of simulated faeces

Fabris

Cormier

Gerhard

et al. 2017

Fuel

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A new approach for the rapid destruction of human waste using smouldering combustion is presented. Recently, self-sustaining smouldering combustion was shown to destroy the organic component of simulated human solid waste and dog faeces resulting in the sanitization of all pathogens using a batch process (Yermán et al., 2015). Here, a continuous smouldering process is demonstrated for the first time, allowing for a much smaller reactor size and much less energy input per mass of waste treated. The self-sustained smouldering of simulated human faeces mixed with sand is evaluated over long periods (more than 16 h) based on a single ignition. The key process of intermittent self-sustained smouldering, in which the reaction is terminated and restarted by only turning the air off and on, is demonstrated. Experiments examine the influence of two key operator controls: airflow rate and set elevation of the quasi-steady-state smouldering front in a 37 cm high reactor. Quasi-steady-state fuel destruction rates from 93 g/h to 12 g/h were achieved by varying the superficial flow velocity from 7.4 cm/s to 0.11 cm/s, the latter with a velocity approximately an order of magnitude lower than possible for a self-sustaining reaction in an equivalent batch system. Excess energy of up to 140 J/g of sand was recovered from the clean sand produced in each cycle, which could be used to further increase the energy efficiency of this novel waste treatment system.

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Application of self-sustaining smouldering combustion for the destruction of wastewater biosolids

Cited by 84 publications

References 43 publications

Self-sustaining Smouldering Combustion as a Waste Treatment Process

Self-sustaining Smouldering Combustion as a Waste Treatment Process

Thermodynamic assessment of human feces gasification: an experimental-based approach

Continuous, self-sustaining smouldering destruction of simulated faeces

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