Project Information Sheet
Economically viable solution for the energy autarkic treatment of sewage
sludge to multi usable ash (Eco Sludge)
Programme area:
Waste water treatment, thermal utilization of sewage sludge
Coordinator:
Mr. Heinz Grossmann
Kalogeo Anlagenbau GmbH, Austria
office@kalogeo.at
+43 (0) 2256 / 63 650-0
Biomasseverwertung Großwilfersdorf GmbH, Austria
EON Kraftwerke GmbH, Germany
Eurawasser Aufbereitungs- und Entsorgungs- GmbH, Germany
www.kalogeo.at
Partners:
Website:
Benefits
(max. 150
characters incl.
space):
Install a cost efficient process that produces an energy surplus and
provides high quality ashes for phosphorus recovery and other
application areas.
Keywords:
Sector:
Type of solution
thermal utilisation of sewage sludge, ash utilisation, environmental /
economic sustainability
7420 Architektur- und Ingenieurbüros
Process
Duration:
Budget:
Contract number:
01/07/2009 – 31/06/2012
€ 2.187.730,00 (EU contribution: 35,42%)
ECO/08/239013/SI2.535600
Summary
The problems associated with disposal and treatments of sewage sludge remain a challenge for the waste industry
and all industries producing sewage sludge in their production process. To date, the primary application of sewage
sludge has been agriculture, but demand is decreasing and regulations in various European countries have now
prohibited the agricultural application of sludge. In others, the disposal of sewage sludge has been abolished. Even
the food industry is concerned about using land fertilized by sewage sludge due to residuals remaining in the
sludge such as hormones, genetically manipulated materials or quicksilver.
The objective of this project, called Eco Sludge is to respond to the above listed problems and prove to the market,
that the mono-combustion process developed by KALOGEO, is producing an energy surplus, providing high quality
ashes and at the same time the most cost efficient process by far. The ashes produced are inert and can safely be
land filled, or used as substitutes within different industries or used to recover Phosphorous for the production of
fertilizers for farming.
Expected and/or achieved results
- Reduction of at least 3.900 t CO2/a. Due to the innovative heat recovery process, 1.500 t CO2/a are reduced in
the first step and 2.400 t CO2/a are further reduced by using the occurring ash from the thermal utilization as a
substitute in the concrete production.
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Production of valuable resource. The occurring ash is used as a substitute in the concrete production (which
reduces CO2 emissions; as mentioned above). Moreover, the ash can be used further for phosphorous
recovery.
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Production of surplus energy.
7.500 MWh surplus energy is
produced per year. The surplus heat will be delivered to a concrete production company right next to the
installation.
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Reduction of primary energy sources. 677.500 m³/a natural gas is reduced, due to the innovative energy
recovery process.
The target markets on EU level are Germany, followed by the UK, Italy and Poland. Germany is a primary market
due to the market maturity, the awareness of improving the environmental performance of all sectors, industries
and public and for having very strict regulations. Further Poland, Italy and UK are interesting markets due to
increasing amounts of sewage sludge over the past 5 years (e.g. UZK from 1 Mio t to 1.4 Mio t) and relatively few
measures taken by industries and the public to deviate sewage sludge amounts from disposal to treatment. In Italy
incineration is practically not available, so interesting market volumes are to be expected.
Phosphorus recovery market
Depletion of current economically exploitable reserves of phosphorus are estimated at somewhere from 60 to 130
years. Increasing demand and increasing prices will make more reserves economically exploitable. The potential
total phosphorus from sludge in the EU could amount to about 300.000 tons of P/A. The annual phosphorous
consumption in the EU derived from phosphate rock is about 1,340.000 t/a as phosphatic mineral fertilizers,
250.000 t/a as animal feed supplements and 110.000 t/a for the manufacturing of detergents. The current policy
within the EU is to promote the recycling of this resource. Several studies support recycling as the most sustainable
route for the use of this resource. The KALOGEO process could provide ashes at a quality to be used for recovery
of phosphorous.
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