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Recyclable standardized sludge for performance evaluation of low-temperature drying units: Preparation and feasibility verification.

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Title: Recyclable standardized sludge for performance evaluation of low-temperature drying units: Preparation and feasibility verification.
Authors: Qin, Yuting1 (AUTHOR), Guo, Yanping1,2,3 (AUTHOR), Hu, Yongyou1 (AUTHOR) ppyyhu@scut.edu.cn, Liu, Jingyu1,4 (AUTHOR) liujy@m.scnu.edu.cn, Huang, Guanying3 (AUTHOR), Li, Guanghuan3 (AUTHOR), Chen, Haochun3 (AUTHOR), Huang, Qingying3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Environmental Management. May2026, Vol. 408, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subjects: Sewage sludge drying, Sewage sludge, Air source heat pump systems, Mass transfer kinetics, Energy consumption, Food dehydration, Pilot projects
Abstract: To address the inconsistency in energy efficiency evaluation of air-source heat pump sludge drying systems caused by direct use of actual sludge, an energy efficiency testing strategy based on the standardized sludge was proposed. Standardized sludge prepared using poplar wood powder (33 wt%) and limestone powder (2 wt%) according to the equivalent simulation principle, it exhibited equivalent characteristics to actual sludge in terms of volatile solids (49.18 ± 5%), calorific value (2424 cal/g ± 5%), pyrolysis behavior and moisture transport kinetics (fitted by a two-term exponential equation). Moreover, standardized sludge could be continuously reused over 15 cycles under fixed moisture contents (65 ± 3% inlet, 20 ± 2% outlet). A "fixed boundary-open conditions" black-box testing method was employed, with energy efficiency evaluated via Specific Moisture Extraction Rate (SMER). Pilot-scale tests demonstrated that energy efficiency varied with open conditions (air volume and temperature), with a variation of 12%. SMER exhibited high reproducibility (<5% variation) and successfully distinguished performance differences among drying units. The method also showed favorable applicability and economic viability, with a single-test cost of approximately 455 CNY. This study proposed a novel approach for energy efficiency testing of low-temperature sludge drying units based on standardized sludge. [Display omitted] • Standardized sludge was first designed to evaluate energy efficiency for drying units. • Standardized sludge matched real sludge in physicochemical and process properties. • A new "fixed boundary-open conditions" method was built based on standardized sludge. • Standardized sludge showed great recyclability with drying efficiency equal to real sludge. • Pilot test validated the technicality and economic viability of the testing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:To address the inconsistency in energy efficiency evaluation of air-source heat pump sludge drying systems caused by direct use of actual sludge, an energy efficiency testing strategy based on the standardized sludge was proposed. Standardized sludge prepared using poplar wood powder (33 wt%) and limestone powder (2 wt%) according to the equivalent simulation principle, it exhibited equivalent characteristics to actual sludge in terms of volatile solids (49.18 ± 5%), calorific value (2424 cal/g ± 5%), pyrolysis behavior and moisture transport kinetics (fitted by a two-term exponential equation). Moreover, standardized sludge could be continuously reused over 15 cycles under fixed moisture contents (65 ± 3% inlet, 20 ± 2% outlet). A "fixed boundary-open conditions" black-box testing method was employed, with energy efficiency evaluated via Specific Moisture Extraction Rate (SMER). Pilot-scale tests demonstrated that energy efficiency varied with open conditions (air volume and temperature), with a variation of 12%. SMER exhibited high reproducibility (<5% variation) and successfully distinguished performance differences among drying units. The method also showed favorable applicability and economic viability, with a single-test cost of approximately 455 CNY. This study proposed a novel approach for energy efficiency testing of low-temperature sludge drying units based on standardized sludge. [Display omitted] • Standardized sludge was first designed to evaluate energy efficiency for drying units. • Standardized sludge matched real sludge in physicochemical and process properties. • A new "fixed boundary-open conditions" method was built based on standardized sludge. • Standardized sludge showed great recyclability with drying efficiency equal to real sludge. • Pilot test validated the technicality and economic viability of the testing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:03014797
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129994