World’s first SlurryCarb™ facility for converting biosolids to renewable fuel is operating
Dooley, B., Gysin, A., Field, A. and Kearney, R., EnerTech Environmental Inc., USA
(free)
In response to growing opposition to agricultural land application of biosolids, several Southern California wastewater agencies supported the development of a regional facility to process biosolids into a renewable fuel. The Rialto, California facility incorporating EnerTech Environmental’s patented SlurryCarb™ technology has been described in previous papers. The facility received its first shipment of biosolids in October 2008 and has since been ramping up operations.
EnerTech’s patented SlurryCarb™ technology cleanly and economically converts biosolids into a high-grade, renewable fuel. Biosolids undergo a molecular rearrangement that transforms these high-moisture materials into a renewable fuel suitable for the replacement of fossil fuels.
The Rialto SlurryCarb™ Facility has conclusively demonstrated that the SlurryCarb™ process can dewater biosolids to greater than 50% solids at a commercial scale using mechanical means. As a result, this efficient technology produces a renewable fuel containing approximately twice as much energy value as required to produce it.
In addition, the facility has a net negative carbon footprint. EnerTech retained Environmental Resources Management to perform an independent evaluation of greenhouse gas emissions at the Rialto facility. The CO2e emissions from this facility are estimated to be approximately 24,500 metric tons (27,100 short tons) per year, about half that of a thermal dryer of comparable size. The E-Fuel produced at the facility will displace about 74,800 metric tons (82,500 short tons) CO2e per year from coal combustion. This results in a net carbon footprint of approximately -50,000 metric tons (-54,800 short tons) CO2e per year, including emissions for end use of the product.
As a confirmation of the Rialto SlurryCarb facility’s energy efficiency, the Southern California Gas Company awarded EnerTech more than £600,000 ($1 million) for paying extra to incorporate energy efficiency in the design of the facility.
This paper will briefly describe the SlurryCarb™ process, provide a summary of the Rialto carbon emission analysis based on the independent report, discuss the Rialto’s energy efficient design, and detail the latest Rialto operating status and results.
KEY WORDS: Biosolids, Carbon Dioxide, E-Fuel, Global Warming Gases, Renewable Fuel, SlurryCarb™
