POSSIBILITIES FOR THE USE OF SLUDGE FROM A DRINKING WATER TREATMENT PLANT AT GGABA III IN KAMPALA, UGANDA
- Charles B. Niwagaba - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Makerere University, Uganda
- Ajak Ezekiel Ayii - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Makerere University, Uganda
- Ambrose O. Kibuuka - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Makerere University, Uganda
- Raffaella Pomi - Department of Civil, Building and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Roma “La Sapienza”, Italy
- Available online in Detritus - Volume 06 - June 2019
- Pages 59-67
Released under CC BY-NC-ND
Copyright: © 2019 CISA Publisher
Abstract
Sludge from the drinking water treatment plant at Ggaba III, located in Kampala (Uganda), was tested to evaluate the feasibility of two valorization routes, for building material and Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) production. The aim of the research was to divert the huge amount of sludge produced every year, approximately equal to 2,140 metric tons of TSS/year, from landfilling. The average high heating value of the sludge was 8.44 MJ/kg TS, corresponding to the lower value of the interval of variation typically reported for other biosolids (8.0-23 MJ/kg). Different bricks were prepared at sludge to clay ratios of 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 by weight. For each mixture composition, bricks of nominal size 215 x 102.5x 65mm were prepared by hand and fired for 6hrs in a Hoffman kiln at temperatures: 850°C, 900°C, 950°C, 1000°C and 1050°C. The bricks produced with a sludge to clay ratio of 0.1 fired at temperatures of ≥980°C met the compressive strength of 3N/mm2 for common bricks according to Ugandan Standard (US) 102:1995. These results suggest that water treatment sludge at Ggaba is more suitable for the production of common bricks than using it as an energy source. Given the encouraging results that make the studied valorization route applicable in an emerging economy country as Uganda, further investigations are required to assess the leaching behaviour and stability of the mechanical properties over time.Editorial History
- Received: 06 Apr 2019
- Accepted: 30 May 2019
- Available online: 28 Jun 2019
References
American Public Health Association, 1998. Test for Fixed and Volatile Solids. In Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. American Public Health Association 1015 Fifteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20005-2605
American Public Health Association. 1998. Test for Total Solids. In Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. American Public Health Association 1015 Fifteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20005-2605
Babatunde, A. O., Zhao, Y. Q., 2007. Constructive Approaches toward Water Treatment Works Sludge Management: An International Review of Beneficial Reuses, Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 37(2), 129-164
British Standards Institute, 1985. Specification for clay bricks. BS 3921
British Standards Institute, 1990. Methods of test for soils for civil engineering purposes. BS1377 Part 2
British Standards Institute, 1992. Code of practice for use of masonry. BS5628 Part 1
Carvalho, M., Antas, A., 2005. Drinking water sludge as a resource, In: Proceedings of IWA Specialised Conference on Management of Residues Emanating from Water and Wastewater Treatment, Johannesburg, South Africa
Chiang, K., Chou, P., Hua, C., Chien, K., Cheeseman, C., 2009. Lightweight bricks manufactured from water treatment sludge and rice husks. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 15, 171(1-3), 76-82
Chinese National Standards (CNS), 1999. CNS1127 method of test for general types of bricks for building. CNS Catalog, R3042. Ceramic Industry, Pottery Wares, Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection Ministry of Economic Affairs, Republic of China
Craig, R. F., 2004. Craig’s Soil Mechanics. West 35th Street, New York: Spon Press
Diener, S., Semiyaga, S. , Niwagaba, C. B. , Muspratt, A. M., Gning, J. B., Mbéguéré, M., Ennin, J. E., Zurbrugg, C., Strande, L., 2014. A value proposition: Resource recovery from faecal sludge—Can it be the driver for improved sanitation? Resources Conservation and Recycling, 88, 32–38
Elliott, H. A., Dempsey, B. A., 1991. Agronomic effects of land application of water treatment sludge. American Water Works Association 83(4), 126–131
Guan, X. H., Chen, G. H., Shang, C., 2005. Re-use of water treatment works sludge to enhance particulate pollutant removal from sewage, Water Research 39(15), 3433–3440
Hegazy, B. E. E., Fouad, A. H., Hassanain, A. M., 2011. Reuse of water treatment sludge and silica fume in brick manufacturing. Journal of American Science, 7(7), 570-576. http://www.americanscience.org
Huang, S. H., Chiswell, B. 2000. Phosphate removal from wastewater using spent Alum sludge. Water Science and Technology 2 (3–4), 295–300
Jorda´n, M.M., Almendro-Candel, M.B., Romero, M., Rinco´n, J.M., 2005. Application of sewage sludge in the manufacturing of ceramic tile bodies. Applied Clay Science, 30(3–4), p.219-224
Kumar, A., Purohit, P., Rana, S., Chandra, T. K., 2001. An approach to the estimation of the value of agricultural residues used as biofuels. Centre for energy studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi -110016, India
Lai, J. Y., Liu, J. C., 2004. Co-conditioning and dewatering of alum sludge and waste activated sludge. Water Science and Technology 50(9), 41–48
Mageed, A. A., Rizk, S. H. A., Abu-Ali, M. H., 2011. Utilization of water treatment plants sludge ash in brick making. Journal of Engineering Sciences, 39(1), 195-206
Mödinger, F, Mayr, J., 2006. Options for the use of renewable fuels in tunnel kilns. Ziegelindustrie. http://six4.bauverlag.de/sixcms_4/sixcms_upload/media/1232/ha_moedinger.indd.pdf
Mohammed, O.R., Hanan A.F., Ahmed, M. H., 2008. Reuse of Water Treatment Plant Sludge in Brick Manufacturing. Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 4(10), 1223-1229
NWSC (2014). Our Profile. Retrieved from National Water and Sewerage Corporation Website: http://www.nwsc.co.ug/index.php/about-us/ourprofile
Nyakairu, G. W., Kurzweil, H., Koeberl, C., 2002. Mineralogical, geochemical, and sedimentological characteristics of clay deposits from central Uganda and their applications. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 35(1), 123-134
Parr Manual, 1948. Oxygen Bomb Calorimetry and Oxygen Bomb Combustion Methods. Parr Instrument Company, Moline, IL, USA. Page 115
Raghu, D., Hsieh, H., Neilan, T., Yih, C., 1987. Water treatment plant sludge as landfill liner, In: Proceedings of Specialty Conference on Geotechnical Practice for Waste Disposal, Ann Arbon, MI, USA
Ramadan, O, M., Fouad, H, A., Hassanain, M, A., 2008. Reuse of Water Treatment Plant Sludge in Brick Manufacturing. Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 4(10), 1223-1229
Roy, M., Couillard, D., 1998. Metal leaching following sludge application to a deciduous forest soil, Water Research 32(5), 1642–1652
Skjeggerud, K., Hand, A., Streit, N., 2009. Results from burning alternate fuels. In: 2009 IEEE cement industry technical conference
Spinosa, L., Vesilind, P, A., 2001. Sludge into biosolids – processing, disposal, utilization. ISBN 1900222086. IWA Publishing, London
Weng, C. H., Lin, D. F., Chiang, P.C., 2003. Utilization of sludge as brick materials. Advances in Environmental Research 7, 679–685
White, W. A., 1949. Atterberg plastic limits of clay minerals. American Mineralogist: Journal of Earth and Planetary Materials, 34(7-8), 508-512
Yang, Y., Tomlinson, D., Kennedy, S., Zhao, Y.Q., 2006. Dewatered alum sludge: a potential adsorbent for phosphorus removal. Water Science and Technology, 54 (5), 207-213
Zumpe, H., Baskaran, K., 2002. Reuse of water treatment plant sludge for phosphorus removal, In: Proceedings of 3rd World Water Congress, Melbourne, Australia, Paper Ref. e20260a