Multifaceted approach for characterization of solid residues from sludge incineration

The Italian Water Research Institute (IRSA) carried out sludge incineration tests on a demonstrative plant equipped with a circulating fluidized bed furnace. Aim of this paper is to present the potential applicability of non-conventional techniques for solid residues characterization. Results of five tests performed under different operating conditions are discussed. Incineration solid residues were sampled from the cyclone, downstream the furnace ( cyclone ash, CA), and from the bag filter ( filter ash, FA). Different techniques were used by the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department of the "Roma TRE" University, which cooperated with IRSA in the research project, to characterize incineration products and to correlate with process parameters. The X-ray Diffraction (XRD) technique was used to estimate the amount of sand, lost from the furnace, in CA and FA samples. Particle size distribution was measured using Low Angle Laser Light Scattering (LALLS). Scanning Electron Microscopy associated with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) was used to correlate size and shape of individual particles with chemical composition. This multifaceted approach to characterize incineration residues appears promising, providing additional and complementary information to the traditional chemical characterization.