TG-MS as a technique for a better monitoring of the pyrolysis,gasification and combustion of two kinds of sewage sludge

Sewage sludge disposal is a difficult task owing to increasingly restrictive re-use policies. Its final destination will obviously depend on its nature and composition but the generation of energy is a significant option. The thermochemical conversion requires exhaustive gas emission controls. In this regard, this paper offers the results of the use of mass spectrometry together with a thermogravimetric analysis system used to study the thermal conversion processes of two kinds of sewage sludge under different atmospheres simulating pyrolysis, gasification and combustion. This TG-MS combination indicates that gasification is the best process for one kind of sludge while a co-combustion process is more suitable for the other. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.