Strategy Development of Sludge Treatment and Disposal in BeijingBased on Thermal Hydrolysis Advanced Digestion

Shi, L., Chen, Y., Li, Y., Huang, O., Liao, Z., Kleiven, M., Chao, S., Panter, K., Kleiven, H., Barber, W.P.F.

19th European Biosolids & Organic Resources Conference & Exhibition, 2014

Abstract

In this paper, strategy development of sludge treatment and disposal in Beijing is described. Over the last twenty years, nine WWTPs have been constructed to treat around 2.7 million m³/d of wastewater in Beijing, and produce around 2700 t/d dewatered sludge with partial treatment by digestion, drying, and composting. Due to the increasing demand of wastewater treatment as a result of increasing urbanisation and tighter effluent standards, an additional 1.5 million m³/d of wastewater will require treatment, and this is expected to produce totally 6000 t/d dewatered sludge. The Asian Development Bank commissioned a report to investigate the potential for thermal hydrolysis in Beijing as a means to deal with current site constraints and future sludge production. The report, in combination with detailed technology reviews and due diligence resulted in the recommendation of Advanced Anaerobic Digestion of sludge based on Cambi® Thermal Hydrolysis pre-treatment in preference to thermal drying that had been their previous direction. Subsequently a strategic cooperation between Beijing Drainage Group and Cambi Group has been formulated to implement five sludge projects in Beijing. These are based on two upgrades and expansions of Gaobeidian and Xiaohongmen WWTPs, and three brand new sludge projects either adjacent to Huaifang and Qing II WWTPs or Gaoantun Sludge center. The strategic decision to adapt Thermal Hydrolysis for advanced anaerobic digestion may have profound impact for sludge treatment in mega-cities in China, based on an emphasis of low carbon impact, green development and renewable energy generation. In this paper, a detailed description of the new sludge strategy and the estimated effects will be presented.

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