Transient mathematical modelling of a fluidized bed incinerator for sewage sludge

Sewage sludge production has been increasing due to the growth of urban wastewater treatment plants. According to the enforcement of current environmental regulations, many efforts must be done to manage the large amount of generated sludge. Incineration is one potential treatment process. As far as control, design and operational guidance of processes are concerned, a successful simulation work may significantly reduce the efforts in experimental study. In this goal, a real-time simulator has been developed to describe bubbling fluidized bed incineration of sewage sludge. In the present work, details of the mathematical model are presented. The two main particularities are the buffer zone characteristics in one hand, and on the sewage sludge pyrolysis, supposed to be flash on the other one. The model results are partially validated by comparison with experimental data issued from the literature. An example of a possible scenario is given. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.