title: Potential of phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge and manure ash by thermochemical treatment.
abstract: All life forms require phosphorus (P), which has no substitute in food production. The risk of phosphorus loss from soil and limited P rock reserves has led to the development of recycling P from industrial residues. This study investigates the potential of phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge and manure ash by thermochemical treatment (ASH DEC) in Finland. An ASH DEC plant could receive 46-76 kt/a of sewage sludge ash to produce 51-85 kt/a of a P-rich product with a P2O5 content of 13-18%, while 320-750 kt/a of manure ash could be supplied to produce 350-830 kt/a of a P-rich product with a P content of 4-5%. The P2O5 potential in the total P-rich product from the ASH DEC process using sewage sludge and manure ash is estimated to be 25-47 kt/a, which is significantly more than the P fertilizer demand in Finland's agricultural industries. The energy efficiency of integrated incineration and the ASH DEC process is more dependent on the total solid content and the subsequent need for mechanical dewatering and thermal drying than on the energy required by the ASH DEC process. According to the results of this study, the treated sewage sludge and manure ash using the ASH DEC process represent significant potential phosphorus sources for P fertilizer production.
authors.affiliation: Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Energy Systems, Sustainability Science, P.O. Box 20 FI-53851, Lappeenranta, Finland. Electronic address: jouni.havukainen@lut.fi.
authors.forename: Jouni
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Havukainen
authors.affiliation: Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Energy Systems, Sustainability Science, P.O. Box 20 FI-53851, Lappeenranta, Finland.
authors.forename: Mai Thanh
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Outotec GmbH & Co. KG, Ludwig-Erhard-Strasse 21, D-61440 Oberursel, Germany.
authors.forename: Ludwig
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hermann
authors.affiliation: Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Energy Systems, Sustainability Science, P.O. Box 20 FI-53851, Lappeenranta, Finland.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horttanainen
authors.affiliation: Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Energy Systems, Sustainability Science, P.O. Box 20 FI-53851, Lappeenranta, Finland.
authors.forename: Mirja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mikkilä
authors.affiliation: Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Energy Systems, Sustainability Science, P.O. Box 20 FI-53851, Lappeenranta, Finland.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Deviatkin
authors.affiliation: Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Energy Systems, Sustainability Science, P.O. Box 20 FI-53851, Lappeenranta, Finland.
authors.forename: Lassi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Linnanen
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D060729:Coal Ash / Q000737:chemistry*; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000032:analysis; D005387:Finland; D017745:Incineration; D008372:Manure; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis*; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D060729:Coal Ash; D005308:Fertilizers; D008372:Manure; D012722:Sewage; D010758:Phosphorus
keywords: ASH DEC; Incineration; Manure ash; Phosphorus recovery; Sewage sludge ash; Thermochemical process