Effect of water-sludge ratio and reaction time on the hydrothermal carbonization of olive oil mill wastewater treatment: Hydrochar characterization. (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Atallah, Emile; Kwapinski, Witold; Ahmad, Mohammad N.; Leahy, J.J.; Zeaiter, Joseph
• Is Part Of: Journal of water process engineering. Volume 31(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: Wastewater -- Hydrothermal carbonization -- Hydrochar -- Heating values of hydrochar; Water-supply engineering -- Periodicals; Saline water conversion -- Periodicals; Seawater -- Distillation -- Periodicals; Sanitary engineering -- Periodicals; Sewage -- Purification -- Periodicals; 627
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jwpe.2019.100813
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2214-7144

Abstract

Abstract: Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) was used to treat olive oil mill wastewater (OOMW) by using water in the absence of any additional reagent. The reaction time and the water-sludge (W/S) ratio were varied, over a broad set of values, to study their effect on the hydrochar products. As reaction time and water-sludge ratio increased, the hydrochar yield decreased from 36% to 7%. In addition, HTC upgraded both carbon and energy contents to very high values, 76% and 36 MJ/kg respectively. Hence, the hydrochars products are good candidates for energy generation. Moreover, the hydrochars products were amorphous and had a hydrophobic oleophilic structure. Their quality and energy yield increased with the decrease in water-sludge ratio while reaction time slightly affected the hydrochar properties. Operating the process at the lowest water-sludge ratio and short reaction time leads to hydrochars with the finest characteristics but at the expense of higher cost due to evaporation rate.