Novel conditioner for efficient dewaterability and modification of oily sludge with high water content

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2022-04, Vol.29 (17), p.25417-25427
• Main Authors: Liu, Biming, Teng, Yue, Song, Wenbin, Wu, Haixia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Calorific value; Coal Ash; Dioxins; Dosage; Earth and Environmental Science; Economics; Ecotoxicology; Emission standards; Environment; Environmental assessment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental protection; Environmental science; Fly ash; Free radicals; Hazardous materials; Heavy metal content; Heavy metals; Metals, Heavy; Moisture content; Petroleum hydrocarbons; Redox reactions; Research Article; Resource utilization; Sewage - chemistry; Sludge; Solid fuels; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Waste Water Technology; Water - chemistry; Water content; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17150-w

The oily sludge with high water content (OS) was dewatered, modified, and converted into solid fuel by a novel chemical conditioner (OSO-101). The effect of OSO-101 dosage on the dewaterability of OS was studied, showing that OSO-101 dosage of 15% (wt.) could achieve the best dewaterability efficiency of OS (98.18%). Meanwhile, compared with some conventional conditioners, OSO-101 developed by our team was more effective in improving OS dewaterability efficiency. And OSO-101 may have free radical reaction, polar reaction, and redox reaction with petroleum hydrocarbons in OS, thereby polymerizing and forming condensed solid structures. The calorific value change of OS after conditioning, heavy metal content, and dioxin content of fly ash leached from incinerated product were measured for resource analysis and environmental assessment. Results showed that the resultant OS fuel blocks had extremely low content of heavy metals, dioxins, and other toxic and hazardous substances leached from fly ash. And this process did not require secondary treatment and fully met environmental protection emission standards. Additionally, OSO-101 had certain economic rationality and could effectively recover the calorific value contained in OS. This research is expected to provide new insights for efficient dewaterability and modification of OS, as well as subsequent resource utilization and harmless treatment, bringing potential environmental and economic benefits. Graphical abstract