Sludge from deinked pulping found feasible for CHP production via pyrolysis at paper mills; The Pryroformer reactor uses pre-conditioned deinked sludge pellets, using sludge that would otherwise be land-spread, landfilled or incinerated, says UK research

Debra Garcia

Surrey, United Kingdom , August 15, 2013 (Science Letter) – By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Science Letter -- New research on Applied Pyrolysis is the subject of a report. According to news reporting originating in Surrey, United Kingdom, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, "De-inking sludge is a waste product generated from secondary fibre paper mills who manufacture recycled paper into new paper sheets; it refers directly to the solid residues which evolve during the de-inking stage of the paper pulping process. The current practice for the disposal of this waste is either by land-spreading, land-filling or incineration which are unsustainable."

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research, "This work has explored the intermediate pyrolysis of pre-conditioned de-inking sludge pellets in a recently patented 20 kg/h intermediate pyrolysis reactor (The Pyroformer). The reactor is essentially two co-axial screws which are configured in such a way as to circulate solids within the reactor and thus facilitate in the cracking of tars. The potential application of using the volatile organic vapours and permanent gases evolved would be to generate both combined heat and power (CHP) located at paper making sites. The results show that de-inking sludge could be successfully pyrolysed and the organic vapours produced were composed of a mixture of aromatic hydrocarbons, phenolic compounds and some fatty acid methyl esters as detected by liquid GC-MS. The calorific value of the oil after condensing was between 36 and 37 MJ/kg and the liquid fuel properties were also determined, permanent gases were detected by a GC-TCD and were composed of approximately 24% CO, 6% CH4 and 70% CO2 (v/v%). The solid residue from pyrolysis also contained a small residual calorific value, and was largely composed of mainly calcium based inert metal oxides."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "The application of applying intermediate pyrolysis to de-inking sludge for both CHP production and waste reduction is in principle a feasible technology which could be applied at secondary fibre paper mills."

For more information on this research see: The intermediate pyrolysis of de-inking sludge to produce a sustainable liquid fuel. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 2013;102():24-32. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis can be contacted at: Elsevier Science Bv, PO Box 211, 1000 Ae Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis - www.elsevier.com/wps/product/cws_home/502687)

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting M. Ouadi, Smithers Pira, Leatherhead, Surrey, United Kingdom (see also Applied Pyrolysis).

Keywords for this news article include: Surrey, Europe, United Kingdom, Applied Pyrolysis

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