Feasibility studies of biomass pellet from sewage sludge of concentrated latex industry

Abstract

The objective of this study is focused on the transformation of concentrated natural rubber latex Industry sewage sludge into useful energy by efficient and environment- friendly combustion processes. Sewage sludge is non-digested sludge which has been taken from the wastewater treatment. Biomass is one kind of valuable energy source to the world. Producing biomass from wastewater sewage sludge could be possible only after the treatment of wastewater. Normally, the moisture content in sewage sludge is 92%-99.5%, after dewatering through a decanter the moisture content comes 6.52 ± 0.11%. Generally, the produced sewage sludge is disposed by spreading on land as fertilizer, landfill and combustion but they were banned due to environmental impact from sewage sludge. Presently, pellet fuel is becoming more interest, because of its demand and advantages. It is more effective and environmentally friendly than landfilling, agricultural uses of wastewater sewage sludge. The sewage sludge characteristics were analyzed including the moisture contents, volatile matter, fixed carbon, hydrogen, carbon, the nitrogen of the sewage sludge, and heavy metals. The ash content and higher heating value of the biomass pellet fuel from concentrated natural rubber latex Industry sewage sludge was investigated. The heating value of biomass pellet fuel is higher than 3,620 ± 12 kcal/kg which is suitable for an alternative source of energy. Nowadays, many industries are using biomass for their boilers combustion. So, they possibly will use their own wastewater sewage sludge to produce the pellet fuel by way of energy and it would be economically beneficial as well.