smart pasteur
INNEST/2022/39
FILE NUMBER
AVI
CONCEDENT
01/07/2022
DATE
26 MONTHS
DURATION
€ 67.603,88
BUDGET
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TITLE: Development of a modular pasteurisation system with heat-recovery technologies for maximum efficiency in the treatment of dehydrated sewage sludge and valorisation of the same for agricultural use.
Beneficiaries:
- Genia Bioenergy (GENIA)
- Ingeniería y Desarrollos Renovables (INDEREN)
- Aguas del Arco Mediterráneo (AGAMED)
- Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV)
Poster present at the 16th international bioenergy congress
SMART PASTEUR
Development of a modular pasteurisation system with heat-recovery technologies for maximum efficiency in the treatment of dehydrated sewage sludge and valorisation of the same for agricultural use.
innovation
According to data from the 2008-2015 National Sludge Plan, approximately 1,135,000 tonnes of WWTP sludge are generated in Spain per year. Of this amount, 6% is used for energy recovery, 12% for landfill disposal or other purposes while the majority – approximately 82% – is used for agricultural valorisation.
Application of sludge reduces the use of chemical fertilizers and therefore mitigates the risk of nitrate pollution, since excess nitrates not assimilated by plants can leach into aquifers that underly the topsoil.
Agricultural valorisation can be carried out in three different ways provided that the sludge meets the limit values for metals set forth in RD 1310/1990 and complies with the currently applicable regulations in this respect. It can be turned into a perfectly usable material as organic fertilizer in agriculture as follows:
- by direct application to the soil
- after a composting process
- after a thermal drying process.
Some legislation enacted by the regional governments is becoming increasingly restrictive regarding the agricultural valorisation of WWTP sludge, reducing the options of direct application to the land without pre-treatment that ensures elimination of pathogenic agents that can be harmful to people, animals, crops and the environment in general.
Pasteurisation is a thermal treatment in which the physical structure of the product, its chemical components and its organoleptic properties are altered as little as possible.
Consequently, it is considered to be the most efficient pre-treatment to meet these requirements and will serve as the basis for development of this project.
Research and development of an innovative pasteurisation system for dehydrated sewage sludge that will enable application of pathogen-free pasteurised sludge as an organic amendment and fertilizer for agricultural soils, thus enabling significant cost savings and improvements in soil quality.
The complexity of this objective lies in the fact that this kind of sludge can contain up to 25% of dry matter, which means that it behaves like a like a solid with a high moisture content similar to clay at room temperature (the commercially available pasteurisation systems on the market are only applicable to liquids). This behaviour makes heating very difficult as the sludge itself acts as an insulator, hindering the transfer of heat inside the sludge.
SMART PASTEUR involves the participation of both public and private institutions with experience in research and management of biowaste.
- Genia Bioenergy (GENIA BIONERGY)
- Ingeniería y Desarrollos Renovables (INDEREN)
- Aguas del Arco Mediterráneo (AGAMED)
- Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV)
The views and opinions expressed herein pertain exclusively to the project partners and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
