Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.3390/en12050786
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Comparative life cycle assessment of HTC concepts valorizing sewage sludge for energetic and agricultural use
Author Meisel, K.; Clemens, A.; Fühner, C.; Breulmann, M.; Majer, S.; Thrän, D.
Source Titel Energies
Year 2019
Department UBZ; BIOENERGIE
Volume 12
Issue 5
Page From art. 786
Language englisch
Keywords hydrothermal carbonization (HTC); life cycle assessment (LCA); sewage sludge; electricity and heat production; agricultural yield
Abstract 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.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=21605
Meisel, K., Clemens, A., Fühner, C., Breulmann, M., Majer, S., Thrän, D. (2019):
Comparative life cycle assessment of HTC concepts valorizing sewage sludge for energetic and agricultural use
Energies 12 (5), art. 786 10.3390/en12050786