Pyrolysis of Dried Wastewater Biosolids Can Be Energy Positive

Water Environ Res. 2016;88(9):804-810. doi: 10.2175/106143016X14609975747441.

Abstract

Pyrolysis is a thermal process that converts biosolids into biochar (a soil amendment), py-oil and py-gas, which can be energy sources. The objectives of this research were to determine the product yield of dried biosolids during pyrolysis and the energy requirements of pyrolysis. Bench-scale experiments revealed that temperature increases up to 500 °C substantially decreased the fraction of biochar and increased the fraction of py-oil. Py-gas yield increased above 500 °C. The energy required for pyrolysis was approximately 5-fold less than the energy required to dry biosolids (depending on biosolids moisture content), indicating that, if a utility already uses energy to dry biosolids, then pyrolysis does not require a substantial amount of energy. However, if a utility produces wet biosolids, then implementing pyrolysis may be costly because of the energy required to dry the biosolids. The energy content of py-gas and py-oil was always greater than the energy required for pyrolysis.

MeSH terms

  • Charcoal / analysis*
  • Hot Temperature*
  • Wastewater / chemistry*

Substances

  • Waste Water
  • biochar
  • Charcoal