6533b859fe1ef96bd12b6e74

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Sewage sludge as cheap alternative to microalgae as feedstock of catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction processes

Paula CostaClaudia PrestigiacomoBenedetto SchiavoFilomena PintoOnofrio ScialdoneAngelo SiragusaAlessandro Galia

subject

020209 energyGeneral Chemical EngineeringChlorella vulgarischemistry.chemical_element02 engineering and technology010501 environmental sciencesRaw material01 natural sciencesHeterogeneous catalystCatalysis0202 electrical engineering electronic engineering information engineeringmedicineMicroalgaePhysical and Theoretical ChemistrySewage sludge0105 earth and related environmental sciencesSettore ING-IND/27 - Chimica Industriale E TecnologicaCondensed Matter PhysicsSulfur6. Clean waterHydrothermal liquefactionchemistry13. Climate actionYield (chemistry)BiocrudeSludgeHydrothermal liquefactionNuclear chemistryActivated carbonmedicine.drug

description

Abstract Production of biocrude through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of sewage sludge (SS) and Chlorella vulgaris was investigated. NiMo/Al2O3 (KF 851), CoMo/Al2O3 (KF 1022) and activated carbon felt, tested as catalysts at 598 K for 30 min, did not change the biocrude yield but significantly improved its quality. Quantitative sulfur removal and lower oxygen content were found in biocrude when KF 851 and KF 1022 were used with C. vulgaris. The same catalysts decreased O/C and S/C ratio of the biocrude from SS. The highest HHV (38.19 MJ/kg) and H/C ratio (1.65) and the lowest O/C (0.11) of the biocrude from SS were obtained with the cheaper activated carbon felt. A new product phase, probably related to the presence of microplastics in the sludge, was found when SS were converted with catalysts. SS constitute a promising and costless alternative feedstock to microalgae for the HTL processes.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2019-01-01
10.1016/j.supflu.2018.08.019http://hdl.handle.net/10447/379455