Paper details

Title:

Recycling and Energy Recovery from Incontinence Waste (Inkocycle): Anaerobic Treatment of Adults Diapers

Author(s):

Herbert, S., Heynemann, J. , Luthardt-Behle, T. , Theilen, U., Weigand, H.

Document(s):

Abstract:

Due to the demographic change in Europe, the amount of incontinence waste is expected to increase drastically. In Germany, this waste stream is estimated as 200,000 metric tonnes per year. This study focused on the optimized energy recovery from incontinence waste using a combined approach of anaerobic digestion (AD) of the organics fraction followed by incineration of the digestate as refuse derived fuel (RDF). In a two years pilot test the AD resulted in 238 L biogas / patient and day with an average composition of 56 % CH4 and 44 % CO2. Based on the original waste the gas yield is 155 L biogas per kg of used diapers. The digestion residue mostly consists of the non-biodegradable plastic components, adhering biomass and the superabsorbent polymer. The calorific value of the washed digestion residue (‘plastics fraction’ with a dry residue of 42 %) is about 12 MJ per kg fresh matter. In a combined scenario (AD of the biodegradable fraction plus use of the digestate as refuse derived fuel) the net energy yield corrected for transport expenditures is 4.4 MJ/kg. This compares favorably to a net energy yield of 2.7 MJ/kg obtained from the conventional incineration of the bulk waste

Keywords:

alternative fuel, anaerobic digestion, energy balance

Topic:

Biomass Conversion Technologies for Heating, Cooling and Electricity

Subtopic:

Anaerobic digestion for biogas production

Event:

24th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Session:

2DO.7.1

Pages:

614 - 618

ISBN:

978-88-89407-165

Paper DOI:

10.5071/24thEUBCE2016-2DO.7.1

Price:

FREE