Conceptual design and feasibility study of industrial sludge-based biosolid fuel production facility

Abstract

Industrial sludge must be disposed of by incineration or storage methods. It is possible to produce energy by incinerating the sludge after drying. However, some sludges cannot be incinerated due to their low calorific value and/or high pollutant load. In this study, a novel process in which sludges with high calorific value and other sludges are mixed, dried and processed to produce solid fuel without using any additives is described. A technical and economic model of the process was established and feasibility analysis was carried out for different capacities. According to the results of the study, with the increase in capacity, the cost for the unit capacity and the return for the unit capacity increase. Most of the plant's income comes from waste disposal. When the investment is made with equity, the payback period is shorter than 2 years for wet feeding capacities of 1 ton/h and above. The cost of the investment increases more than 2 times when 50% of the investment cost is supplied by a bank loan. In this case, the payback period is also increasing. In order for the profitability of the facility to be sustainable, the composition and amounts of sludge produced in the region should be analysed. In this study, it is assumed that the types and amounts of waste that will come to the facility are capable of filling the facility's capacity and providing the required calorific value standards.