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Analysis of biosolids equilibrium moisture and drying
Author(s) -
Bellur Srikanth R.,
Coronella Charles J.,
Vásquez Victor R.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
environmental progress and sustainable energy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.495
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1944-7450
pISSN - 1944-7442
DOI - 10.1002/ep.10353
Subject(s) - biosolids , moisture , water content , environmental science , relative humidity , pulp and paper industry , renewable energy , diffusion , mixing (physics) , equilibrium moisture content , materials science , waste management , environmental engineering , chemistry , thermodynamics , composite material , sorption , geotechnical engineering , ecology , engineering , physics , organic chemistry , adsorption , quantum mechanics , biology
Provided that moisture is well managed, biosolids, or digested wastewater sludge, can be converted from an expense to a resource of renewable energy. Toward this goal, the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) for biosolids was determined experimentally in the ranges of 10–84% relative humidity and 30–60°C. Several well‐known models were used to fit the EMC data, including a new one that considers mixing and swelling effects on water activity. The rate of drying was measured as a function of temperature and gas velocity in a 3‐inch fluidized bed. The drying rate increased with temperature and was independent of gas velocity. In all cases, the drying rate continuously decreased; no period of constant rate was observed. This indicates that the dominant resistance to drying was internal diffusion. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2009