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Thermal hydrolysis is a process used for treatingindustrial waste,municipal solid waste andsewage sludge.
Thermal hydrolysis is a two-stage process combining high-pressure boiling ofwaste orsludge followed by a rapid decompression. This combined action sterilizes the sludge and makes it morebiodegradable, which improves digestion performance. Sterilization destroys pathogens in the sludge resulting in it exceeding the stringent requirements for land application (agriculture).[1]
In addition, the treatment adjusts therheology to such an extent that loading rates to sludgeanaerobic digesters can be doubled, and also dewaterability of the sludge is significantly improved.[2][3] The first full-scale application of this process for sewage sludge was installed inHamar, Norway in 1996. Since then, there have been over 30 additional installations globally.[1]
Sewage treatment plants, such asBlue Plains inWashington, D.C., USA, have adopted thermal hydrolysis of sewage sludge in order to produce commercially valuable products (such as electricity and high quality biosolid fertilizers) out of thewastewater.[4] The full-scale commercial application of thermal hydrolysis enables the plant to utilize the solids portion of the wastewater to make power and fine fertilizer directly from sewage waste.[5]
The city ofOslo, Norway installed a system for converting domesticfood waste to fuel in 2012. A thermal hydrolysis system producesbiogas from the food waste, which provides fuel for the city bus system and is also used for agricultural fertilizer.[6]
| Plant | Capacity (TDS/A)* | Commission Year | Thermal Hydrolysis Supplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Plains, Washington DC, USA | 135,000 | 2014 | Cambi |
| Gaoantun, Beijing, China | 134,000 | 2017 | Cambi |
| Gaobeidian, Beijing, China | 99,100 | 2016 | Cambi |
| Minworth, Birmingham, UK | 91,250 | 2018 | Cambi |
| Davyhulme, Manchester, UK | 91,000 | 2013 | Cambi |
| Huaifang, Beijing, China | 89,100 | 2017 | Cambi |
| Xiaohongmen, Beijing, China | 65,700 | 2016 | Cambi |
| Qinghe II, Beijing, China | 59,500 | 2017 | Cambi |
| Crossness, London, UK | 58,500 | 2018 | Cambi |
| Ringsend, Dublin, Ireland | 56,000 | 2002 | Cambi |
| Howdon, Yorkshire, UK | 40,000 | 2010 | Cambi |
| Riverside, London, UK | 40,000 | 2009 | Cambi |
| Tees Valley, UK | 37,000 | 2008 | Cambi |
| Seafield, Edinburgh UK | 36,500 | 2015 | Cambi[7] |
| Beckton, London, UK | 36,500 | 2013 | Cambi |
| Cardiff, UK | 30,000 | 2009 | Cambi |
| Tilburg, Netherlands | 29,000 | 2014 | Cambi |
| Esholt, Yorkshire, UK | 26,400 | 2013 | Veolia |
| Santiago, Chile | 25,000 | 2010 | Cambi |
| Oxford, UK | 24,400 | 2010 | Veolia |
| Vilnius, Lithuania | 23,000 | 2010 | Cambi |
| Whitlingham, Norwich, UK | 23,000 | 2008 | Cambi |
| Vigo, Spain | 22,000 | 2014 | Cambi |
| Afan, UK | 20,000 | 2009 | Cambi |
| Bruxelles Nord, Belgium | 20,000 | 2007 | Cambi |
| Cotton Valley, Milton Keynes, UK | 20,000 | 2007 | Cambi |
| NOSES, Aberdeen, UK | 16,500 | 2001 | Cambi |
| Lille, France | 16,400 | 2013 | Veolia |
| EGE Waste Treatment, Oslo, Norway | 15,000 | 2012 | Cambi |
| Turku, Finland | 14,000 | 2009 | Cambi |
| Apeldoorn, Netherlands | 13,000 | 2015 | Sustec |
| Oxley Creek, Brisbane, Australia | 12,900 | 2006 | Cambi |
* Tons of Dry Solids/Year
Media related toThermal hydrolysis at Wikimedia Commons