Experimental study on supercritical water gasification of oily sludge using a continuous two-step method

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) technology can convert oily sludge into hydrogen-rich gas. To achieve high gasification efficiency of oily sludge with a high oil concentration under mild conditions, a two-step method involving a desorption process and a catalytic gasification process using Raney-Ni catalyst was investigated. High oil removal efficiency (99.57%) and carbon gasification efficiency (93.87%) were achieved. The lowest wastewater total organic carbon, oil content, and carbon content in the solid residues were 4.88 ppm, 0.08% and 0.88%, respectively, using a gasification temperature of 600 ◦C, treatment concentration of 1.11 wt%, gasification time of 70.7 s, and the optimal desorption temperature of 390 ◦C. The main organic carbon component in the solid residues was cellulose, which is environmentally safe. As the treatment concentration increased, the two-step method outperformed the single-step method. The mechanism for the two-step SCWG of oily sludge was revealed. In the first step, supercritical water is used in the desorption unit to achieve a high oil removal efficiency with few liquid products generated. In the second step, the Raney-Ni catalyst promotes efficient gasification of high-concentration oil at a low temperature. This research provides valuable insights into the effective SCWG of oily sludge at a low temperature.

Recommended citation: G. Wang, J. Li, X. Li, J. Kou, Z. Ge, L. Li, P. Peng, L. Guo, Experimental study on supercritical water gasification of oily sludge using a continuous two-step method, J. Hazard. Mater., 455 (2023) 131619.
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