The influence of organic matter on sewage sludge pyrolysis

• Published in: Journal of analytical and applied pyrolysis Vol. 74; no. 1; pp. 413 - 420
• Main Authors: Gascó, G., Blanco, C.G., Guerrero, F., Méndez Lázaro, A.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-08-2005
• Subjects: Fulvic acids; Pyrolysis; Sewage sludge; Pyrolysis; Sewage sludge; Fulvic acids
• ISSN: 0165-2370; 1873-250X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaap.2004.08.007

Four sewage sludges (SL) with different origins were selected from the Ávila region (Spain). Sewage sludge 1 (SL1) was primary sewage sludge without biological stabilization, sewage sludge 2 (SL2) and sewage sludge 4 (SL4) were obtained after anaerobic stabilization and sewage sludge 3 (SL3) was collected from a natural wastewater lake. The organic matter of sewage sludges was characterized and fractionated into humic acids (HA) and fulvic acids (FA) in order to study their influence on pyrolysis behavior. Preparation of cheaper carbon adsorbents was performed by a new method, without chemical activation with H
2SO
4 or ZnCl
2. Experimental results showed that carbon enrichment during pyrolysis treatment was well correlated (
R
2
>
0.95) with fulvic acid sewage sludge content for two temperatures and two reaction times used. Finally, the highest porosity development was obtained for SL2 (403
mI
2/g) and SL4 (554
mgI
2/g) both of which were found to have low HA/FA ratios.