The energy content of sewage sludge enables thermal and electrical self-sufficiency
Sewage sludge as a climate-neutral energy carrier
Sewage sludge is not only a valuable source of nutrients, but also an important renewable energy source. By utilising the raw material sewage sludge in S2E mono-incineration plants, green energy can be produced in the form of electricity and heat. Sewage sludge incineration helps you reduce CO2 emissions while saving valuable resources.
Sewage sludge is a sustainable fuel alternative. Fully dried sewage sludge has a calorific value comparable to that of lignite and can help substitute primary energy sources such as gas, oil and coal. The dry substance-based (DS) calorific value of sewage sludge depends, among other factors, on the degree of stabilisation and is approximately 11 - 13 MJ/kg DS.
Thermal and electrical self-sufficiency are important components when individually designing and planning a sludge2energy plant concept. The goal of the S2E process is the thermally self-sufficient utilisation of sewage sludge with simultaneous generation of electrical and thermal energy. Depending on the requirements and framework conditions of your incineration project, intensive engineering guarantees maximisation of district heat production or electricity generation.
Self-sustained combustion without additional energy or fuel is possible from a lower calorific value of about 4,200 kJ/kg to 4,500 kJ/kg, depending on the combustion air preheating and the sludge quality. This corresponds to a dry residue (DR) of 40 to 50 %. Therefore, sufficient drying of the dewatered sewage sludge is required as an upstream treatment step to reduce the water content.
