Numerical Study of Thermochemistry and Trace Element Behavior during the Co-Combustion of Coal and Sludge in Boiler

Di Liang, Yimin Li and Zhongning Zhou
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Di Liang: School of Low-carbon Energy and Power Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Yimin Li: School of Low-carbon Energy and Power Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Zhongning Zhou: School of Low-carbon Energy and Power Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Sludge is one of the main pollutants from sewage treatment and contains a high content of water and organic matter. The co-combustion of sludge and coal can bring about the energy conversion of sludge. However, the high moisture content in sludge and the inorganic pollutants generated by co-combustion have adverse effects on combustion and the environment. In this work, through experimentation, it was demonstrated that co-combustion does not release obvious toxic elements or create an environmental hazard. On the basis of the TG/DTG curves, the ignition points of sludge and coal and the temperature of each group were obtained, which provided boundary conditions for a numerical simulation. Co-combustion with various mixing ratios and moisture contents was studied via the numerical simulation of a 330 MW boiler. The numerical results show that a high mixing ratio reduced the boiler temperature and created more moisture and fuel NOx. When the mixing ratio reached 40%, the boiler temperature became less than the combustion temperature. Sludge drying improved the internal temperature of the boiler, but it created thermal NOx. When the moisture content decreased to 40%, the temperature in the boiler rose, which improved combustion.

Keywords: sludge; co-combustion; toxic element; numerical simulation; moisture content (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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