Biological Treatments

Key issues in choosing appropriate technologies

Boris Efremenko VEOLIA Environmental Services Athens - March 2007

Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007

Which waste can be treated with Biological Treatments ?

Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007

Types of wastes
) Household Waste ) Biowaste or kitchen waste(separative collection) ) Green waste or garden waste ) Sewage sludge ) BioDIV ) Agriculture waste ) Others organic waste
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Different solutions to treat the Organic Matter

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Different solutions for different aims:

) Agronomical valorization of the Organic Matter
Production of organic soil improvement Stabilization of the Organic Matter

) Thermical valorization of the Organic Matter

Production of biogas for energy production Stabilization of the Organic Matter

) Stabilization of the Organic Matter

Reduction of the volume Stabilization of the Organic Matter
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What are the process for a biological treatment?

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Biological Treatment
) Composting Aerobic degradation Natural or forced Aeration ) Methanisation or Anaerobic Digestion Anaerobic Fermentation ) MBT Pre-treatment which recovers maximum value from waste with the residue being used either as a fuel, a compost or going to landfill

Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007

Composting
Production of compost: Organic soil conditioner

High product quality with strict regulation

Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007

Composting phases
1. Reception, Possible Manual Sorting
- Visual quality control of input waste

2. Preparation 3. Active phase

- Mixing if needed (ligneous and non ligneous waste) - Optimising the moisture (50 - 60 %) and the air flow. - Windrow watering and turning are necessary.

4. Maturation or curing phase 5. Screening

- Turning the pile if necessary - Refining the compost if presence of physical contaminants

6. Storage
- Storage before selling.
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Composting
6 main composting process families
) family 1 : Trapezoidal windrows, (regular compost line) ) family 2 : Silos (table windrows /corridors), ) family 3 : Boxes or racks ) family 4 : Containers ) family 5 : In-vessel ) family

drums with or without forced ventilation for the composting pre-treatments or preparation process for MSW
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6 : Rotary

Depending on the country, regulation imposes compost quality thresholds or treatment requirements.

Residual MSW Composting

) Possible but not evident everytime and everywhere ) Separative Collection of Toxic Wastes in Spreaded Quantity (batteries), ) Separate Collection for household hazardous waste (Paint, White Spirit) ) No shredding
(refining of inerts impossible)

) Good management of different composting phases ) Thresholds for high compost quality are needed
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In France: different processes

2 main types of composting process :
) Bioreactor or BRS (MSW) - Mechanical pre-treatment

) Siloda

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In Egypt : Alexandria
Organic Matter : ) Sorting, ) Windrow watering and turning every 4 to 6 days with a turner, ) Active (fermentation) and maturation phases Sieving depending the compost client (14, 20 or 40mm)

Recyclables

Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007

In Brasil:Vila Leopoldina (Sao Paulo)

290.000 t/y - 1000t/d

Recycling
Plastics (2600 t/y), Metals (2300t/y), Glass (675 t/y), Paper (4200 t/y) and Aluminium(105 t/y)

Organic Matter :
Sorting & overband Bio-digestion Windrow Turning Active and maturation phases Production of compost

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Anaerobic Digestion
) Production of biogas for: electricity generation or heat production or cogeneration. ) Production of Soil amendment - compost

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Anaerobic Digestion
3 by-products: ) Methan
Possible ways recovery : ^ vehicle fuel ^ injection into town network ^ electricity generation ^ heat production
Water from process

Organic waste

Sorting + Pretreatment

Residus

for

biogas

Methanization reactor

Biogas

heat

Raw digesters sludge

Dehydration

Purifying Biogas

Treatment of contaminated

air

Recycling

) Liquid effluent ) Compost

Dehydrated digesters sludge

Energy

Composting

Residus

Effluent to be disposed

Compost

Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007

Anaerobic Digestion
Methanisation : Available technologies Dry process 15 - 40% DM
) Low water consumption, ) High DM content of digestate, ) Easier dehydration, ) Low solid sedimentation , ) Smaller digester volume. ) More difficult pre-treatment, ) Difficult mixing, ) High DCO content in water from dehydration unit.
Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007

Wet process 3 - 8% DM
) Easier pre-treatment, ) Less wear, ) Easy process control (watertightness), ) Better flexibility.

) High water consumption, ) Bigger digester volume, ) Necessary moistening of solid waste.

Anaerobic digestion : Main manufacturers

KOMPOGAS
Kompogas process : dry digestion (3045 % DM) at thermophilic temperature (55C).

VALORGA
Valorga process : dry digestion (2535 % DM) mesophilic (35 C) or thermophilic (55C) process.

LINDE
Linde process 2 technologies : wet mesophilic process, in vertical reactor dry process in cross section horizontal reactor

OWS DRANCO
OWS process thermophilic process high concentration of DM: 30 - 40 % digestate progresses in plugflow from the top to the bottom
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M.B.T.: Mechanical Biological Treatment

MECHANICAL SECTION aims
reducing waste size (shredding) separating recyclables separating dry/wet fractions (sieving)

BIOLOGICAL SECTION aims

stabilising of the waste organic matter (bio-stabilisation) drying of the waste (bio-drying)

Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007

M.B.T.
2 Streams Scheme

Residual Waste

Shredding-Sieving

High Caloric Fraction

Low Calorific Fraction

Refinement Refinement
Fuel Metals Inerts

Landfill

Biological BiologicalTreatment Treatment

Stabilised fraction

Inerts

Refinement Refinement
Compost
Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007

Material Recovery

Combustion

Restoration

M.B.T.
1 Stream Scheme

Residual Waste

Shredding-Sieving Biological BiologicalTreatment Treatment

Bio-Stabilised Fraction or Bio-Dried Fraction

Landfill
Metals

Refinement Refinement
Fuel Undersieve fraction

Material Recovery

Combustion

Landfill
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MBT NeuwiedBio-Mechanical Waste-Treatment

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BIOCUBI PROCESS

Simplified Cycle

MANAGEMENT OF BIOLOGICAL PROCESS

One stream (biological treatment on the whole waste) some dozens of plants in Europe

Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007

Lorient Plant
Residual MSW 57 000 t/y

by

LINDE KCA
Biowaste 16 000 t/y

Cap lOrient B.T. Unit 81 000 t/y

Encombrants 8 000 t/y

Stabilisation

Shredding

Composting

Stabilised MSW 35 000 t/y

Encombrants 8 000 t/y

Compost 6 400 t/y

Biological Treatment Plant

Council : Constructor : City : Investment : Operator :

Cap lOrient LINDE KCA Caudan 23 M VEOLIA Environmental Services

Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007

Whatever you want to do, dont forget to think:

about the context, the different waste, the biological processes, the composting techniques... about the material and their maintenance ... about the management of gas and liquid effluents, the environmental risk, the occupational safety... ... about the agronomic assets, marketing...
Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007

Thanks for your Attention

Boris Efremenko Athens - March 2007