PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Today, one of the main challenges of waste management is the treatment of municipal sewage sludge. In Poland some 527 000 tonnes of this waste were produced in 2010 and forecasts predict that volumes of sewage sludge will continue to increase. Many new wastewater treatment plants are being built or modernised across Poland and, as a result of this extensive investment programme, large amounts of sewage sludge will be produced that will need to be properly disposed of. Landfill sites (the main method of waste disposal today) will be limited by EU restrictions on the landfilling of biodegradable waste. This has increased interest and demand for thermal disposal methods. Poland’s national waste management plan in 2010 promoted greater uptake of thermal treatments for municipal sewage sludge and noted that in 2010 only 3.75% of this waste was treated by thermal methods. Technology developed by the beneficiary offers opportunities to treat more of Poland’s sewage waste using pyrolysis and the technology may be particularly relevant for small towns and villages.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective of the 'Spalarnia pirolityczna OS' project is to verify and to promote an innovative technology for treating sewage sludge using a thermal pyrolysis boiler. Findings from previous laboratory-scale tests that combined waste silica with sewage sludge will be up-scaled and applied to demonstrate the potential of a more ‘market-ready’ boiler installation. Operations will be monitored to confirm heat conversion data and performance of the boiler against various input and output parameters. Emissions will be carefully monitored and controlled. Knowledge produced by the demonstration phases will be used in a comprehensive publicity campaign to raise awareness about the technology’s environmental and socio-economic benefits. The campaign will target companies operating in associated sectors as well as potential investors and the general public.
Expected results: The main anticipated project result is the demonstration of an innovative technology for hazard-free treatment of sewage sludge using waste silica in a thermal pyrolysis boiler.
Other expected results include:
