4.6 Article Proceedings Paper

Biochar from pyrolysis of biological sludge from wastewater treatment

Journal

ENERGY REPORTS
Volume 6, Issue -, Pages 757-763

Publisher

ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.egyr.2019.09.063

Keywords

Biological sludge; Pyrolysis; Heating rate; Peak temperature; Biochar

Categories

Funding

  1. project PROTEUS -Products and technologies for the sector of Eucalyptus globulus, through Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) [POCI-01-0247-FEDER-017729]
  2. CESAM [UID/AMB/50017/2019]
  3. FCT/MCTES
  4. FEDER, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement
  5. FEDER, within Compete 2020
  6. Scientific and Technological Cooperation FCT-CAPES, Portugal 2018/2019 [28/2017]

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It was studied the production of biochar by pyrolysis of biological sludge from wastewater treatment in the pulp and paper industry. The pyrolysis process was conducted in bench-scale fixed-bed reactor using distinct operating conditions of heating rate (2, 10, 20 and 30 degrees C/min) and peak temperature (300, 375, 450, 525, and 600 degrees C). The biochar yield is in the range 0.40 to 0.73 kg/kg dry sludge, and decreases with increasing peak temperature and heating rate. The organic matter content of the biochar is in the range 55.9 to 75.3%wt. (dry basis). Both the temperature increase and the heating rate increase promote the decrease of biochar volatile matter content within values between 14.4 and 48.4%wt. (dry basis). The biochar ash content increases with peak temperature and heating rate, and it has values in the range 24.7 to 44.1%wt. (dry basis). The corresponding fixed carbon content is between 26.2 and 42.4%wt. (dry basis), and increases with an increase in the peak temperature. The carbon concentration in the biochar is in the range 42.8 to 47.0%wt. (dry basis). The biochar pH is in the range 6.9 to 11.2, and the electrical conductivity (EC) is in the range 2.2 to 5.0 mS/cm. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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