A comprehensive guide to sludge management, reuse, and disposal When wastewater is treated, reducing organic material to carbon dioxide, water, and bacterial cells--the cells are disposed of, producing a semisolid and nutrient-rich byproduct called sludge. The expansion in global population and industrial activity has turned the production of excess sludge into an international environmental challenge, with the ultimate disposal of excess sludge now one of the most expensive problems faced by wastewater facilities. Written by two leading environmental engineers, Biological Sludge Minimization and Biomaterials/Bioenergy Recovery Technologies offers a comprehensive look at cutting-edge techniques for reducing sludge production, converting sludge into a value-added material, recovering useful resources from sludge, and sludge incineration. Reflecting the impact of new stringent environmental legislation, this book offers a frank appraisal of how sludge can be realistically managed, covering key concerns and the latest tools: Fundamentals of biological processes for wastewater treatment, wastewater microbiology, and microbial metabolism, essential to understanding how sludge is produced Prediction of primary sludge and waste-activated sludge production, among the chief design and operational challenges of a wastewater treatment plant Technologies for sludge reduction, with a focus on reducing microbial growth yield as well as enhancing sludge disintegration The use of anerobic digestion of sewage sludge for biogas recovery, in terms of process fundamentals, design, and operation The use of the microbial fuel cell (MFC) system for the sustainable treatment of organic wastes and electrical energy recovery

Biofuel and bioenergy produced from biowastes and biomass is a clean energy source which can be produced renewably. The 21 chapters of this book provide state-of-the-art reviews, current research, and technology developments with respect to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation biofuels and bioenergy. The book focuses on the biological/biochemical pathway, as this option has been reported to be the most cost-effective method for biofuel/bioenergy production. The opening chapter covers the overview of the current status of biofuel and bioenergy production. The rest of the chapters are grouped into seven categories; they cover biomethane production, microbial fuel cells, feedstock production, preprocessing, biomass pretreatment, enzyme hydrolysis, and syngas fermentation. Algal processes for biofuel production, biobutanol production, bioreactor systems, and value-added processing of biofuel residues are included. This book addresses life cycle analyses (LCA) of 1st and 2nd generation biofuels (from corn, soybean, jatropha, and cellulosic biomass) and the emerging applications of nanotechnology in biofuel/bioenergy production. The book is organized in such a way that each preceding chapter builds a foundation for the following one. At the end of each chapter, current research trends and further research needs are outlined. This is one of the first books in this emerging field of biofuel/bioenergy that provides in-depth technical information on the broad topics of biofuel and bioenergy with extensive illustrations, case studies, summary tables, and up-to-date references. This book will be valuable to researchers, instructors, senior undergraduate and graduate students, decision-makers, professionals, and others interested in the field of biofuel/bioenergy.

Energy recovery occurs when the energy that is released from a resource recovery process (i.e., pyrolysis/gasification) is used for another purpose such as to generate steam, fuel or electricity generation. This book examines the energy recovery technologies which use landfill gas to produce energy directly. An overview of a variety of secondary sludge post treatment methods for energy recovery is given, including incineration, gasification, pyrolysis, direct liquefaction, supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) and anaerobic digestion. The several routes that energy recovery can follow from waste are looked at as well, of which the most common is waste direct combustion associated with conventional energy recovery in a steam turbine cycle. Energy recovery in air conditioning systems to promote energy saving and improve environmental quality is also explored in this book.

Biomass is a renewable resource, whose utilization has received great attention due to environmental considerations and the increasing demands of energy worldwide. Since the energy crises of the 1970s, many countries have become interested in biomass as a fuel source to expand the development of domestic and renewable energy sources, reduce the environmental impacts of energy production provide rural prosperity for its poor farmers and bolster a flat agricultural sector.  Biomass energy (bioenergy) can be an important alternative in the future and a more sustainable energy.  In fact, for large portions of the rural populations of developing countries, and for the poorest sections of urban populations, biomass is often the only available and affordable source of energy for satisfying basic needs as cooking and heating.  The focus of this book is to present a historical overview, country perspectives, the use of biomass to produce biofuels, the current and upcoming sources of biofuels, technologies and processes for biofuel production, the various types of biofuels and, specifically, the ways and means to make biofuel production sustainable, economically feasible, minimize environmental damage and to deliver on its many promises. The Energy and Environment book series from Scrivener Publishing and series editor, James G. Speight, aims to cover the environmental impacts and social concerns of energy production in its various forms.  This first volume in the Energy and the Environment series offers a comprehensive coverage of one of the fastest-growing and most important sources of energy, biofuels.  Future volumes will cover oil and gas, wind and solar energy, and their environmental aspects. 

A technical and economic review of emerging waste disposal technologies Intended for a wide audience ranging from engineers and academics to decision-makers in both the public and private sectors, Municipal Solid Waste to Energy Conversion Processes: Economic, Technical, and Renewable Comparisons reviews the current state of the solid waste disposal industry. It details how the proven plasma gasification technology can be used to manage Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and to generate energy and revenues for local communities in an environmentally safe manner with essentially no wastes. Beginning with an introduction to pyrolysis/gasification and combustion technologies, the book provides many case studies on various waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies and creates an economic and technical baseline from which all current and emerging WTE technologies could be compared and evaluated. Topics include: Pyrolysis/gasification technology, the most suitable and economically viable approach for the management of wastes Combustion technology Other renewable energy resources including wind and hydroelectric energy Plasma economics Cash flows as a revenue source for waste solids-to-energy management Plant operations, with an independent case study of Eco-Valley plant in Utashinai, Japan Extensive case studies of garbage to liquid fuels, wastes to electricity, and wastes to power ethanol plants illustrate how currently generated MSW and past wastes in landfills can be processed with proven plasma gasification technology to eliminate air and water pollution from landfills.

Waste incineration is finding increasing favour as a waste disposal method and this Issue considers the topic of waste disposal and the place of incineration as an option. It reviews the emissions and environmental impacts of incineration and available control technologies, specific research upon emissions of trace metals and organic micropollutants, and the methodologies for environmental impact assessment. There is currently great interest and considerable controversy over waste incineration and this book gives a dispassionate view of the scientific and technical issues involved. It provides a broad overview of the role incineration can play in waste management and looks at how environmental impacts may be managed and assessed. For municipal waste, when coupled with energy recovery, waste incineration provides an efficient, spatially compact means of bulk waste reduction, which is widely favoured over landfill, and for some chemical wastes, provides the only presently viable disposal option. This book places incineration in the context of other waste disposal options and examines the relative benefits and environmental impacts in a balanced way.