Use of coal combustion byproducts in biosolids stabilization: The N-Viro process
The patented N-Viro process for alkaline stabilization of municipal sewage sludge (biosolids) is a 10-year old technology that utilizes a variety of alkaline byproducts. These include cement kiln dust, lime kiln dust, flue gas desulfurization (FGD) byproducts, fluidized-bed coal combustion ashes, and Class C and F fly ashes. The alkaline byproducts are used in the N-Viro process to raise pH ({gt}12), produce heat (52--62 C) and increase solids content of the biosolids (50--65% solids). Typical operations use a blend of reactive (produces heat) and non-reactive byproducts in the process, with selection of materials being driven by local availability and cost. There are 38 N-Viro facilities in the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, and Belgium, with the majority in the eastern US. Of these, 15 use coal combustion byproducts (CCBs) on a regular basis. These facilities process more than 250,000 dry tons of biosolids a year, utilize about 125,000 tons of CCBs annually, and produce more than 1,000,000 tons of the resulting product, N-Viro Soil, per year. The use of CCBs is expected to increase dramatically in the next few years. N-Viro Soil, regulated by US EPA as an EQ biosolids, is marketed and distributed as agricultural lime, fertilizer, and as a soil substitute for reclamation and horticulture. This paper discusses the properties of alkaline materials that are required in the N-Viro process, compares those properties to that of various CCBs, and discusses the potential benefit to coal-burning power plants of recycling CCBs to beneficial uses rather than disposal.
- Research Organization:
- Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20006833
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-990534-; TRN: IM200008%%440
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 15th International Conference on Fluidized Bed Combustion, Savannah, GA (US), 05/16/1999--05/19/1999; Other Information: 1 CD-ROM. Operating system required: Windows 3.x; Windows 95/98/NT; Macintosh, Power Macintosh; UNIX. All systems need 2X CD-ROM drive.; PBD: 1999; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 15th national conference on fluidized bed combustion, by Reuther, R.B. [ed.], [1800] pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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