Energetic and environmental sustainability of the co-digestion of sludge with bio-waste in a life cycle perspective

Francesco Di Maria, Caterina Micale and Stefano Contini

Applied Energy, 2016, vol. 171, issue C, 67-76

Abstract: The integrated management of sludge and bio-waste by co-digestion and composting were investigated in a life cycle perspective. The working operations of a full-scale digester of an existing wastewater treatment plant for waste-mixed sludge (WMS) stabilization were reproduced using a pilot-scale apparatus. The effect of WMS co-digested with fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) was investigated at different organic loading rates (OLR), from 1.46kgVS/m3day to 2.8kgVS/m3day, and at reduced hydraulic retention time, from 14days to about 10days. Methane production per unit of digester volume increased from about 140NL/m3day to a maximum of about 900NL/m3day when OLR was increased from 1.46kgVS/m3day to 2.1kgVS/m3day. The maximum electrical energy producible from the full-scale anaerobic facility was about 3,500,000kWh/year. In these conditions the electrical power output and the net efficiency of the co-generator were 470kW and 37%, respectively. The life cycle analysis study highlighted the benefits achievable in terms of avoided resource depletion and ozone depletion potential. The best environmental performances were for an ORL of 2.1kgVS/m3day.

Keywords: Anaerobic co-digestion; Biogas; Composting; Energy recovery; Fruit and vegetable waste; Waste-mixed sludge; Life cycle analysis; Uncertainty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:appene:v:171:y:2016:i:c:p:67-76

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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.03.036

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