System for ammonia removal from anaerobic digestion and associated ammonium sulfate production: Simulation and design considerations

[Display omitted] A side-stream ammonia stripping system coupled with a full-scale anaerobic digestion plant is considered. The system is based on an ammonia stripping unit (thin film evaporator, TFE), a Venturi scrubber and a reactive absorption column. A portion of the sludge treated in the digest...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Process safety and environmental protection 2020-12, Vol.144, p.133-142
Main Authors: Costamagna, P., Delucchi, M., Busca, G., Giordano, A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Absorption
Ammonia
Ammonia stripping
Ammonium
Ammonium sulfate
Anaerobic digestion
Biogas
Corrosion
Corrosion tests
Design
Evaporators
Fertilizers
Flow rates
Modeling
Simulation
Sludge
Sludge digestion
Storage tanks
Stripping
Sulfates
Sulfuric acid
Thin film evaporator
Thin films
Venturi scrubbers
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Summary:[Display omitted] A side-stream ammonia stripping system coupled with a full-scale anaerobic digestion plant is considered. The system is based on an ammonia stripping unit (thin film evaporator, TFE), a Venturi scrubber and a reactive absorption column. A portion of the sludge treated in the digesters is continuously withdrawn and transferred to the TFE, where ammonia is stripped through a biogas stream. The ammonia rich biogas is then treated with a sulfuric acid/water solution in the Venturi scrubber and in the absorption column, with production of an ammonium sulfate solution, which is stored in a tank until utilization as a fertilizer. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive engineering framework supporting the design of a full-scale ammonia stripping system with associated ammonium sulfate production, to be coupled with pre-existing anaerobic digestion plants. On the one hand, an analytical equation is proposed for the simulation of ammonia desorption and the design of the ammonia stripping unit as a function of the selected operating conditions of flowrate, temperature and pH. On the other hand, corrosion issues affecting the storage tank are studied. Corrosion tests, carried out on a selected paint system, demonstrate no development of coating degradation or disbonding, even if local damage occurs in the film. Thus, guidelines to avoid corrosion are given.
ISSN:0957-5820
1744-3598
DOI:10.1016/j.psep.2020.05.055