Influence of sludge cake concentration on the operating variables in incineration by different types of furnaces

摘要

The influence of cake concentration on fuel consumption, air requirement and flue gas production in incineration of sewage sludge is discussed. Fluidized bed (FBF), multiple hearth (MHF) and rotary kiln (RKF) furnaces are considered as alternatives together with the optional use of an afterburning chamber where exhaust gases are taken at 950 degrees C for 2 s with an oxygen concentration of 6% by volume. It clearly appears that, if an afterburning chamber is used, and total minimum fuel consumption can be achieved at an optimal value of cake concentration (45.9% for FBF and 32.5% for MHF) when autogenous conditions are reached in the furnace and air addition is no longer needed in the afterburning chamber. At higher concentrations, abundant exhaust gas productions, due to the dilution air needed in the furnace, can considerably increase fuel consumption in the afterburning chamber, especially in MHF operation. In the rotary kiln furnace, fuel requirement decreases over the whole range of cake concentration as no conditions for autogenous combustion in the furnace can be achieved. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. [References: 2]