International Journal of
Water Resources and Environmental Engineering

  • Abbreviation: Int. J. Water Res. Environ. Eng.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-6613
  • DOI: 10.5897/IJWREE
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 352

Full Length Research Paper

An integrated process investigation of self-sustaining incineration in a novel waste incinerator: Drying, pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion of sludge-plastic blends

Jianzhong Zhu
  • Jianzhong Zhu
  • 1 Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education HOHAI University, HOHAI University, Nanjing, PR China 210098, 2 School of Environmental Science and Environmental Engineering, Nanjing, PR China 210098
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Lieqiang Chen
  • Lieqiang Chen
  • College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, PR China 510006
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Jun Fang
  • Jun Fang
  • Delon Hampton and Associates, OMAP Program at District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, Washington DC, USA 20032
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Buchang Shi
  • Buchang Shi
  • Department of Chemistry Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, USA 42101
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  •  Accepted: 25 October 2013
  •  Published: 31 December 2013

Abstract

Utilization of waste-water sludge is one of the most difficult processes of environment protection because of the high moisture and contents of harmful substances. Incineration is the effective method of utilization of such waste mater. To deal with these issues more effectively, a novel sludge incineration technology was developed in this study. The results showed sludge drying, pyrolysis, gasification and incineration were achieved as a spectrum of combustion by a pilot screw model incinerator in one step. In practice, the primary chamber of this technology actually acted as both gasifier for organic matter and vitrifying reactor for ashes, and the combustion process was mainly completed in the secondary chamber. The pre-dried sludge blended with plastic successfully realized self-sustaining incineration in the incinerator, and the incineration temperature reached about 1000°C with complete combustion. The study primarily demonstrated co-incineration might be realized by mixing sludge and waste plastic in the novel incinerator, some adverse effects due to single sludge or waste plastic combustion may be avoided in co-incineration process in this way.

Key words: Incinerator, sewage sludge, waste plastic, self-sustaining incineration.

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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