Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of HTC Concepts Valorizing Sewage Sludge for Energetic and Agricultural Use
In many countries, sewage sludge is directly used for energy and agricultural purposes after dewatering or digestion and dewatering. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in additional upstream hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), which could lead to higher yields in the energetic and agri...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-02-01
|
| Series: | Energies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/5/786 |
| _version_ | 1828393774009548800 |
|---|---|
| author | Kathleen Meisel Andreas Clemens Christoph Fühner Marc Breulmann Stefan Majer Daniela Thrän |
| author_facet | Kathleen Meisel Andreas Clemens Christoph Fühner Marc Breulmann Stefan Majer Daniela Thrän |
| author_sort | Kathleen Meisel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In many countries, sewage sludge is directly used for energy and agricultural purposes after dewatering or digestion and dewatering. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in additional upstream hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), which could lead to higher yields in the energetic and agricultural use. Twelve energetic and agricultural valorization concepts of sewage sludge are defined and assessed for Germany to investigate whether the integration of HTC will have a positive effect on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The study shows that the higher expenses within the HTC process cannot be compensated by additional energy production and agricultural yields. However, the optimization of the HTC process chain through integrated sewage sludge digestion and process water recirculation leads to significant reductions in GHG emissions of the HTC concepts. Subsequently, nearly the same results can be achieved when compared to the direct energetic use of sewage sludge; in the agricultural valorization, the optimized HTC concept would be even the best concept if the direct use of sewage sludge will no longer be permitted in Germany from 2029/2032. Nevertheless, the agricultural valorization concepts are not generally advantageous when compared to the energetic valorization concepts, as it is shown for two concepts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:44:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-230a5e8776934cd7946bd54fa85ffa05 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:44:23Z |
| publishDate | 2019-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-230a5e8776934cd7946bd54fa85ffa052022-12-22T01:57:13ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732019-02-0112578610.3390/en12050786en12050786Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of HTC Concepts Valorizing Sewage Sludge for Energetic and Agricultural UseKathleen Meisel0Andreas Clemens1Christoph Fühner2Marc Breulmann3Stefan Majer4Daniela Thrän5Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige GmbH (DBFZ), Bioenergy Systems Department, Torgauer Straße 116, 04347 Leipzig, GermanyDeutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige GmbH (DBFZ), Bioenergy Systems Department, Torgauer Straße 116, 04347 Leipzig, GermanyHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Environmental and Biotechnology Centre, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, GermanyHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Environmental and Biotechnology Centre, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, GermanyDeutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige GmbH (DBFZ), Bioenergy Systems Department, Torgauer Straße 116, 04347 Leipzig, GermanyDeutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige GmbH (DBFZ), Bioenergy Systems Department, Torgauer Straße 116, 04347 Leipzig, GermanyIn many countries, sewage sludge is directly used for energy and agricultural purposes after dewatering or digestion and dewatering. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in additional upstream hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), which could lead to higher yields in the energetic and agricultural use. Twelve energetic and agricultural valorization concepts of sewage sludge are defined and assessed for Germany to investigate whether the integration of HTC will have a positive effect on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The study shows that the higher expenses within the HTC process cannot be compensated by additional energy production and agricultural yields. However, the optimization of the HTC process chain through integrated sewage sludge digestion and process water recirculation leads to significant reductions in GHG emissions of the HTC concepts. Subsequently, nearly the same results can be achieved when compared to the direct energetic use of sewage sludge; in the agricultural valorization, the optimized HTC concept would be even the best concept if the direct use of sewage sludge will no longer be permitted in Germany from 2029/2032. Nevertheless, the agricultural valorization concepts are not generally advantageous when compared to the energetic valorization concepts, as it is shown for two concepts.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/5/786hydrothermal carbonization (HTC)life cycle assessment (LCA)sewage sludgeelectricity and heat productionagricultural yield |
| spellingShingle | Kathleen Meisel Andreas Clemens Christoph Fühner Marc Breulmann Stefan Majer Daniela Thrän Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of HTC Concepts Valorizing Sewage Sludge for Energetic and Agricultural Use Energies hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) life cycle assessment (LCA) sewage sludge electricity and heat production agricultural yield |
| title | Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of HTC Concepts Valorizing Sewage Sludge for Energetic and Agricultural Use |
| title_full | Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of HTC Concepts Valorizing Sewage Sludge for Energetic and Agricultural Use |
| title_fullStr | Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of HTC Concepts Valorizing Sewage Sludge for Energetic and Agricultural Use |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of HTC Concepts Valorizing Sewage Sludge for Energetic and Agricultural Use |
| title_short | Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of HTC Concepts Valorizing Sewage Sludge for Energetic and Agricultural Use |
| title_sort | comparative life cycle assessment of htc concepts valorizing sewage sludge for energetic and agricultural use |
| topic | hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) life cycle assessment (LCA) sewage sludge electricity and heat production agricultural yield |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/5/786 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kathleenmeisel comparativelifecycleassessmentofhtcconceptsvalorizingsewagesludgeforenergeticandagriculturaluse AT andreasclemens comparativelifecycleassessmentofhtcconceptsvalorizingsewagesludgeforenergeticandagriculturaluse AT christophfuhner comparativelifecycleassessmentofhtcconceptsvalorizingsewagesludgeforenergeticandagriculturaluse AT marcbreulmann comparativelifecycleassessmentofhtcconceptsvalorizingsewagesludgeforenergeticandagriculturaluse AT stefanmajer comparativelifecycleassessmentofhtcconceptsvalorizingsewagesludgeforenergeticandagriculturaluse AT danielathran comparativelifecycleassessmentofhtcconceptsvalorizingsewagesludgeforenergeticandagriculturaluse |