Low heating value prediction from proximate analysis for sewage sludge samples

As global renewable energy demand grows, sludge from urban waste water
treatment plants could be one of the available renewable energy resources. Thermal
treatment of sludge is becoming more and more attractive due to the destruction of
dangerous constituents and the reduction of their volume.
The article presents a correlation equation based on the volatile matter content,
which allows calculating the low heating value of sludge samples from a city
wastewater treatment plant. The equation was developed by evaluating the
characteristics of more than 40 sludge samples analysed in the laboratory.
Validation of the equation revealed that the heating value deviation from the
experimental one was below 3.5%.
The estimation of the low heating value of sludge samples based on the
determination of volatile matter content is important where the experimental
determination of the low heating value involves time and the use of high-tech
laboratory equipment.