Co-pelletization of sewage sludge and biomass: The density and hardness of pellet

In the present study, the effects of process parameters on pellet properties were investigated for the co-pelletization of sludge and biomass materials. The relaxed pellet density and Meyer hardness of pellets were identified. Scanning electron microscopy, FT-IR spectra and chemical analysis were conducted to investigate the mechanisms of inter-particular adhesion bonding. Thermogravimetric analysis was applied to investigate the combustion characteristics. Results showed that the pellet density was increased with the parameters increasing, such as pressure, sludge ratio and temperature. High hardness pellets could be obtained at low pressure, temperature and biomass size. The optimal moisture content for co-pelletization was 10-15%. Moreover, the addition of sludge can reduce the diversity of pellet hardness caused by the heterogeneity of biomass. Increasing ratio of sludge in the pellet would slow down the release of volatile. Synergistic effects of protein and lignin can be the mechanism in the co-pelletization of sludge and biomass. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.