Experimental Study of Co-combustion Characteristics of Coal and Sewage Sludge Solid Fuel in Pilot-scale Bubbling Fluidized Bed

In this study, the co-combustion characteristics of coal and sewage sludge were investigated using 100 kWth bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) combustion system. Sub-bituminous coal (Coal), dried sewage sludge solid fuel (DSS), and hydrothermal carbonization sewage sludge solid fuel (HTCSS) were considered as fuel blends. The higher heating value of HTCSS was about 1,500 kcal/kg higher than that of DSS since the fuel ratio, H/C and O/C ratio were improved by the hydrothermal carbonization. The hardgrove grindability index (HGI) was performed to understand the feasibility of industrial applications. In the pilot-scale BFB experiment, the heat input, as 72 kWth, was fixed in all cases. The mixing ratios of HTCSS and DSS were 2, 5 and 10% respectively based on the higher heating value. Under the co-combustion conditions, the temperature in the reactor was increased in the freeboard zone due to the higher volatile matter of HTCSS and DSS than Coal. The trend of CO and NOx emissions was similar in all cases as mixing ratio was increased. However, SO2 emission was decreased in HTCSS co-combustion case due to the lower sulfur content compared to than that of DSS. Ash acquired after BFB combustion was analyzed by XRF to evaluate the slagging/fouling tendency. The variation of slagging/fouling tendency was minor in all cases.