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Title Municipal sewage sludge energetic conversion as a tool for environmental sustainability: production of innovative biofuels and biochar
ID_Doc 27990
Authors Trabelsi, AB; Zaafouri, K; Friaa, A; Abidi, S; Naoui, S; Jamaaoui, F
Title Municipal sewage sludge energetic conversion as a tool for environmental sustainability: production of innovative biofuels and biochar
Year 2021
Published Environmental Science And Pollution Research, 28.0, 8
DOI 10.1007/s11356-020-11400-z
Abstract In this study, municipal sewage sludge (MSS) is converted simultaneously into renewable biofuels (bio-oil, syngas) and high value-added products (biochar) using a fixed bed pyrolyzer. This work examines the combined effect of two factors: final pyrolysis temperature (degrees C) and MSS moisture content (%) on pyrogenic product yields and characteristics. A centered composite experimental design (CCD) is established for pyrolysis process optimization by adopting the response surface methodology (RSM). The statistical results indicate that the optimal conditions considering all studied factors and responses are 550 degrees C as final pyrolysis temperature and 15% as MSS moisture content. In these optimal conditions, biofuels yield is around 48 wt%, whereas biochar yield is about 52 wt%. The pyrolysis products characterizations reveal that (i) pyrolytic oil has a complex molecular composition rich with n-alkanes, n-alkenes, carboxylic acids, and aromatic compounds; (ii) bio-oil presents a high-energy content (high heating value HHV around 30.6 MJ/kg); (iii) syngas mixture has a good calorific value (HHV up to 8 MJ/kg), which could be used as renewable energy vector or for pyrolysis reactor heating; and (iv) biochar residue has good aliphatic and oxygenated group contents favoring its application as biofertilizer. These findings suggest that MSS conversion into biofuels and biochar is an appropriate approach for MSS treatment. MSS-to-energy could be proposed as an element for circular economy concept due to its effectiveness in producing high value-added and sustainable products and reducing environmental problems linked to MSS disposal.
Author Keywords Pyrolysis; Biosolids; Response surface methodology; Bio-oil; Pyrochar; Circular economy
Index Keywords Index Keywords
Document Type Other
Open Access Open Access
Source Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
EID WOS:000587088000007
WoS Category Environmental Sciences
Research Area Environmental Sciences & Ecology
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