Upgrading the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste by Low Temperature Hydrothermal Processes
Gregor Sailer,
Victoria Knappe,
Jens Poetsch,
Sebastian Paczkowski,
Stefan Pelz,
Hans Oechsner,
Monika Bosilj,
Siham Ouardi,
Joachim Müller
Affiliations
Gregor Sailer
Department of Bioenergy, University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg, Schadenweilerhof, 72108 Rottenburg, Germany
Victoria Knappe
Department of Bioenergy, University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg, Schadenweilerhof, 72108 Rottenburg, Germany
Jens Poetsch
Department of Bioenergy, University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg, Schadenweilerhof, 72108 Rottenburg, Germany
Sebastian Paczkowski
Department of Forest Work Science and Engineering, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
Stefan Pelz
Department of Bioenergy, University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg, Schadenweilerhof, 72108 Rottenburg, Germany
Hans Oechsner
State Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bioenergy, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 9, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Monika Bosilj
Sustainable Catalytic Materials Group, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Heidenhofstraße 2, 79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Siham Ouardi
Sustainable Catalytic Materials Group, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Heidenhofstraße 2, 79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Joachim Müller
Tropics and Subtropics Group, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 9, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
In comparison to lignocellulosic biomass, which is suitable for thermo-chemical valorization, the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is mainly treated via composting or anaerobic digestion (AD). An efficient utilization of OFMSW is difficult due to variations in its composition. Based on the characteristics of OFMSW, hydrothermal treatment (HTT) experiments at temperatures DM and a higher heating value (HHV) of 15,417 ± 1258 J/gDM. Through HTT at 150, 170 and 185 °C, the oDM contents as well as H/C and O/C ratios were lowered while the HHV increased up to 16,716 ± 257 J/gDM. HTT led to improved fuel properties concerning ash melting, corrosion stress and emission behavior. Negative consequences of the HTT process were higher contents of ash in the biochar as well as accumulated heavy metals. In the sense of a bioeconomy, it could be beneficial to first convert raw OFMSW into CH4 through AD followed by HTT of the AD-digestate for the generation of solid fuels and liquid products. This could increase the overall utilization efficiency of OFMSW.
