Hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge : new improvements in phosphatic fertilizer production and process water treatment using freeze concentration

Gerner, Gabriel; Chung, Jae Wook; Meyer, Luca; Wanner, Rahel; Heiniger, Simon; Seiler, Daniel; Krebs, Rolf; Treichler, Alexander; Kontic, Roman; Kulli Honauer, Beatrice

doi:10.3390/en16207027

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-28990

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge : new improvements in phosphatic fertilizer production and process water treatment using freeze concentration
Authors:	Gerner, Gabriel Chung, Jae Wook Meyer, Luca Wanner, Rahel Heiniger, Simon Seiler, Daniel Krebs, Rolf Treichler, Alexander Kontic, Roman Kulli Honauer, Beatrice
et. al:	No
DOI:	10.3390/en16207027 10.21256/zhaw-28990
Published in:	Energies
Volume(Issue):	16
Issue:	20
Page(s):	7027
Issue Date:	2023
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	MDPI
ISSN:	1996-1073
Language:	English
Subjects:	Hydrothermal carbonization; Sewage sludge; Process water treatment; Fertilizer production; Düngerherstellung; Prozesswasserbehandlung; Hydrothermale Karbonisierung; Klärschlamm
Subject (DDC):	660: Chemical engineering
Abstract:	In recent years, promising developments in the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of sewage sludge, as well as the potential to reclaim phosphorus and nitrogen, have emerged. In this study, the HTC of digested sewage sludge (DSS) was investigated for the downstream production of heavy metal (HM)-free fertilizer and the use of freeze concentration (FC) as a novel technology for process water treatment. To obtain clean fertilizer, phosphatic acid extracts were first treated with ion-exchange resins to remove dissolved HM, as well as phosphorus precipitating agents (i.e., aluminum and iron). Over 98% of the aluminum (Al) and 97% of the iron (Fe) could be removed in a single treatment step. The purified extract was then used for the precipitation of HM-free struvite crystals, with P-recovery rates exceeding 89%. Process water (PW) makes up the largest share of the two main HTC-products (i.e., hydrochar and PW) and is very rich in organic compounds. Compared to evaporation or membrane separation, FC is a promising technology for concentrating solutes from PW. Separation experiments resulted in the recovery of over 90% of the dissolved compounds in the concentrate. In our study, the concentrate was later utilized as an ammonium source for struvite precipitation, and the subsequent aerobic digestion of the remaining ice water resulted in an 85% reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) in 15 days.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/28990
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	CC BY 4.0: Attribution 4.0 International
Departement:	Life Sciences and Facility Management
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology (ICBT) Institute of Natural Resource Sciences (IUNR)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Life Sciences und Facility Management

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Gerner, G., Chung, J. W., Meyer, L., Wanner, R., Heiniger, S., Seiler, D., Krebs, R., Treichler, A., Kontic, R., & Kulli Honauer, B. (2023). Hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge : new improvements in phosphatic fertilizer production and process water treatment using freeze concentration. Energies, 16(20), 7027. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16207027

Gerner, G. et al. (2023) ‘Hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge : new improvements in phosphatic fertilizer production and process water treatment using freeze concentration’, Energies, 16(20), p. 7027. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/en16207027.

G. Gerner et al., “Hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge : new improvements in phosphatic fertilizer production and process water treatment using freeze concentration,” Energies, vol. 16, no. 20, p. 7027, 2023, doi: 10.3390/en16207027.

GERNER, Gabriel, Jae Wook CHUNG, Luca MEYER, Rahel WANNER, Simon HEINIGER, Daniel SEILER, Rolf KREBS, Alexander TREICHLER, Roman KONTIC und Beatrice KULLI HONAUER, 2023. Hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge : new improvements in phosphatic fertilizer production and process water treatment using freeze concentration. Energies. 2023. Bd. 16, Nr. 20, S. 7027. DOI 10.3390/en16207027

Gerner, Gabriel, Jae Wook Chung, Luca Meyer, Rahel Wanner, Simon Heiniger, Daniel Seiler, Rolf Krebs, Alexander Treichler, Roman Kontic, and Beatrice Kulli Honauer. 2023. “Hydrothermal Carbonization of Sewage Sludge : New Improvements in Phosphatic Fertilizer Production and Process Water Treatment Using Freeze Concentration.” Energies 16 (20): 7027. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16207027.

Gerner, Gabriel, et al. “Hydrothermal Carbonization of Sewage Sludge : New Improvements in Phosphatic Fertilizer Production and Process Water Treatment Using Freeze Concentration.” Energies, vol. 16, no. 20, 2023, p. 7027, https://doi.org/10.3390/en16207027.