Sewage Sludge to Energy Possible strategies for Timisoara water treatment plant

Sewage sludge is a waste biomass generated by all modern waste water treatment plants. Presently it is not any more possible and reasonable to deposit this waste, even under ecological circumstances, as it is a real loss, based on the chemical composition of the sludge. Even different from case to case, the sludge is based on combustible elements, not mentioning the metals contained even in traces, finally the utilization as input energy resource or as fertilizer is thus essential The article evaluates the energy content of excess biological sludge derived from aerobic biological treatment of municipal wastewater in Timisoara. The study refers to a comparative research of exploiting the energy contains in sludge: (i) the combustion of biogas combustion resulting from anaerobic fermentation or (ii) the direct combustion of the sludge. Elementary analysis was carried out, based on sludge and settled sludge ratio elements. The evaluation of the volatile matter content of the sludge and the proportion between this value and the residue inorganic were also enabled, and the average molar mass volatile fraction of biomass was calculated. As main conclusion one will support the idea that it is necessary to make a preliminary assessment of thermodynamic energy content of the sludge in order to depict and select the global vision of the process, assuring both the optimal energy development and environmental friendly treatment process (stabilization by fermentation) of the excess sludge, resulting from the biological stage. The paper is a case study for Timisoara, based on the real sewage sludge from the municipal waste water treatment factory.