END-O-SLUDG an innovative holistic system approach to sludge management

END-O-SLUDGan innovative holistic system approach to sludge

management

Author: Dr. Son Le, MBE (presenting author Herman Sioen, WATERLEAU)Meeting: “La gestion innovante des boues d’épuration à l’échelle européenne” (CEME Charleroi, 22 October 2013)

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• Aim: to have marketable sludge derivatives from sustainable processing of wastewater in a highly integrated treatment plant.

• Objective: To research, develop and demonstrate a toolkit of novel processes together with development the market and integration methodologies that can be applied for sustainable sludge management.

AIM & OBJECTIVE

EU FP7 END-O-SLUDG Project, Author: 4

5. Management and sustainability• Pathogen risk assessment • Long-term soil impact assessment • Technology assessment including LCA, EIA, SEA, Social Political and Legal • Integration methodologies and implementation strategy

2. Sludge treatment• Pre-treatments• Inverted phase fermentation• Digestion intensification• Competitive exclusion

1. Sludge reduction• Enhanced solid removal• COD removal• P removal

Sludge derivatives Struvite Ammonium phosphate Ammonium bicarbonate Neighbourly cake Bio-granule Organo mineral fertiliser

4. Market development• End-o-Waste• Product trials• Nutrient management • Economic assessment

3. Downstream processing• N & P recovery• Dewatering• Granulation• Dehydration• Nutrient formulation

5. Management and sustainability• Pathogen risk assessment • Long-term soil impact assessment • Technology assessment including LCA, EIA, SEA, Social Political and Legal • Integration methodologies and implementation strategy

2. Sludge treatment• Pre-treatments• Inverted phase fermentation• Digestion intensification• Competitive exclusion

1. Sludge reduction• Enhanced solid removal• COD removal• P removal

Sludge derivatives Struvite Ammonium phosphate Ammonium bicarbonate Neighbourly cake Bio-granule Organo mineral fertiliser

4. Market development• End-o-Waste• Product trials• Nutrient management • Economic assessment

3. Downstream processing• N & P recovery• Dewatering• Granulation• Dehydration• Nutrient formulation

Scopeof

Project

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1.1 Sludge arising from conventional works

1° sediment Tertiary treatment

Treated effluent

Sludge Sludge Sludge

Advanced treatment

Biosolids

Biogas Anaerobic digester

2° sediment

Sludge

Activated sludgeor trickling filter

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1.1 Concept of Sludge Reduction

1° sediment Tertiary treatment

Treated effluent

Sludge Sludge Sludge

Advanced treatment

Biosolids

Biogas Anaerobic digester

DAF

P sludge

BIOSORBENT

VFA

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1.3 DAF performance

Trials in The Netherlands

TSS removal from >99% COD removal from up to 80%ASP load reduction 59%

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1.4 Sorbent performance

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Volume of Sample (ml)

Frac

tion

of C

OD

(mg/

L)

PicaBiol

NORIT 1240W

Aquasorb 200

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• Pre-treatments• Inverted phase fermentation• Digestion intensification• Competitive exclusion

2. Sludge Treatment

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2.1 Ultrasonic sonication

Initial Ultrasound Fermentation0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

Untreated 3579 7157 10736 13917 21074

CODs

(mg/

L)

Ultrasound pre-treatment of secondary sludge from Baíña WTP(numbers = specific energy applied, kJ/kgTS)

Ultrasonic has most pronounced effect on SAS compared to other sludge types

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2.2 Inverted Phase Fermentation

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2.3 Digestion intensification

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 1000

5

10

15

20

25

30

0

5

10

15

20

25

30R1 BIOGAS R1 CH4

Days

Biog

as (L

)

CH4

(L)

HRT 3d HRT 2d HRT 1.5d HRT 1d HRT 0.83d

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2.4 Competitive exclusion

1.0E+00

1.0E+01

1.0E+02

1.0E+03

1.0E+04

1.0E+05

1.0E+06

1.0E+07

1.0E+08

1.0E+09

1.0E+10

1.0E+11

0 h 48 h

Time (h)

E. c

oli

conc

entra

tion

(cfu

/g D

S)2 day control

2 day experiment

4 day control

4 day experiment

E. coli culture

Competition culture:BROM1 and E. coli

Probiotic culture

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3. Downstream Processing

Liquor treatment

High quality product for end-o-waste (OMF Manufacture)

Resource recovery (N & P)

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Product requirement:Granular, free flowing, dust free3-5mm size, >1.3 g/ccGuaranteed nutrient content

Issues:• Energy intensive process• High wearing / high maintenance• Explosion risk

3. 1 The OMF challenge

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3. 2 Two-stage OMF manufacturing process

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3. 3 First stage – Waterleau PUTTART® technology

coated pellets

incondensables

boiler

oil pump

air, fuel

cooling water

condenser

condensate to

treatment

Dry granules (>90%DS) to storage

Green granules (<65%DS)

to dehydration unit

sieve

granule recirculation

coater

LilliPutt ® pilot

granulator

granulesve

rtica

l tra

nspo

rt

sludge pump

Digested sludge cake

vapours

warm water

Nutrients(urea/TSP)

Nutrient dosing

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3. 4 second stage – Valsave THERMALOOP™ technologyTHERMALOOP™ Innovative solution for biogranule manufacture

1

5

610

1. Dehydration chamber2. Air circulator3. Air scrubber4. Water circulator5. Heat recovery unit

6. Compressor7. Air heater8. Green granules9. Biogranules10. Wastewater

2

4

7

55°C 62°C

42°C

36°C

42°C

31°C 72°C

41°C

8 9

3

THERMALOOP™ Innovative solution for biogranule manufacture

1

5

610

1. Dehydration chamber2. Air circulator3. Air scrubber4. Water circulator5. Heat recovery unit

6. Compressor7. Air heater8. Green granules9. Biogranules10. Wastewater

2

4

7

55°C 62°C

42°C

36°C

42°C

31°C 72°C

41°C

8 9

3

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3.5 OMF Pilot plant (Ellesmere Port)

Dehydration unit(artist impression)

Granulator unit

PUTTART® VERTICAL DISC DRYER-GRANULATOR

Cold structure

Shell (insulated)

Trays

Raking arms with ploughs

Central rotating shaft

Drive

Reference plant: Poznan, Poland3 lines of each 3.1 TPH H2O evap.

MOUNTING ON SITE

LILLIPUTT®

IN OPERATION

LILLIPUTT®

First granules

LilliPutt® Test plant in operation

KEY DATA Technology: LilliPutt® Plant Capacity

Dry solids 2.4 TPD Wet Cake 12 TPD Evaporation 10 TPD N° of lines 1

Wet Sludge Data Digested secondary municipal sludge 21% dry solids

Dry Sludge Data >90% dry solids

Start of operation: November 2012 Current status: test completed, plant will be decommissioned this month Site location: Ellesmere Port, (Manchester), UK

LILLIPUTT®

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Aim: To develop a distinct knowledge base by which farmers and agriculturalists integrate OMF-based products.

Two products to be developed:Grassland application (NPK: 10-4-0)Arable crop application (NPK: 3-8-0)Note : Digested sludge = NPK 4-5-0

Market demand key factor in gaining End of Waste status

4. Market Development

4.1 Plot trials at Broxton (Cheshire)

4.2 Plot trials at Broxton (Cheshire)

Deeks LK, Chaney K, Murray C, Sakrabani R, Gedara S, Le MS, Tyrrel S, Pawlett M, Read R, Smith GH (2013). Field evaluation of a sewage sludge derived novel organo-mineral fertilizer on combinable crops. Agronomy for Sustainable DevelopmentDOI 10.1007/s13593-013-0135-z

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• Product status is key aim of the OMF development• Legal status is complex• Demonstrate equivalence with existing fertilisers• Development of specifications for OMF• Continuing plot/field trials• Development of grower protocols• Engage with Regulators

4.3 End of Waste: Practical Steps

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• Sustainable, renewable sources of phosphate are required.

• OMF has the potential to fulfil market requirements• Unlike UK the application of biosolids to land is not

universally accepted by all stakeholders. E.g. Netherlands recycling is prohibited.

• END-O-SLUDG working to address these issues

4.4 End of Waste: Market Development

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CONCLUSION END-O-SLUDG aims to create a portfolio of useful new products

from sludge that meet End of Waste as part of a new concept for sewage sludge management in Europe.

This involves development of new technologies for:• Sludge volume reduction• More efficient sludge treatment• Economical downstream processing• Renewable source of P that could sustainably support crop

production

Results so far have been very promising

Acknowledgement: The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7-ENV.2010.3.1.1-2 ENV) under grant agreement N° 265269.

www.end-o-sludg.eu

Dr. Son Le, [email protected]

Herman [email protected]