IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v17y2024i4p901-d1339169.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Techno-Economic and Environmental Analysis of a Sewage Sludge Alternative Treatment Combining Chemical Looping Combustion and a Power-to-Methane System

Author

Listed:
  • Piero Bareschino

    (Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi del Sannio, P.zza Roma 21, 82100 Benevento, Italy
    Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Energia e la Mobilità Sostenibili, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, P.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy)

  • Roberto Chirone

    (eLoop s.r.l., V.le A. Gramsci 17/B, 80122 Napoli, Italy
    Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, P.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy)

  • Andrea Paulillo

    (eLoop s.r.l., V.le A. Gramsci 17/B, 80122 Napoli, Italy
    Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London WC1 E7JE, UK)

  • Claudio Tregambi

    (Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi del Sannio, P.zza Roma 21, 82100 Benevento, Italy)

  • Massimo Urciuolo

    (Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Energia e la Mobilità Sostenibili, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, P.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy)

  • Francesco Pepe

    (Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi del Sannio, P.zza Roma 21, 82100 Benevento, Italy)

  • Erasmo Mancusi

    (Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi del Sannio, P.zza Roma 21, 82100 Benevento, Italy)

Abstract

An innovative process layout for sludge waste management based on chemical looping combustion and flue gas methanation is analyzed in this work. The technical performance of the system was assessed by considering that the flue gas is first purified and then mixed with a pure hydrogen stream sourced from an array of electrolysis cells to produce methane. The life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC) methodologies were applied to quantify the environmental and economic performances of the proposed process, and a hotspot analysis was carried out to recognize its most critical steps. The proposed system was then compared with a reference system that includes both the conventional waste management pathways for the Italian context and methane production. Finally, to account for the variability in the future economic climate, the effects of changes in landfill storage costs on sewage end-of-life costs for both the proposed and reference systems were evaluated. With respect to 1 kg/h of sewage sludge with 10% wt of humidity, the analysis shows that the proposed system (i) reduces landfill wastes by about 68%, (ii) has an end-of-life cost of 1.75 EUR × kg −1 , and (iii) is environmentally preferable to conventional sewage sludge treatment technologies with respect to several impact categories.

Suggested Citation

  • Piero Bareschino & Roberto Chirone & Andrea Paulillo & Claudio Tregambi & Massimo Urciuolo & Francesco Pepe & Erasmo Mancusi, 2024. "Techno-Economic and Environmental Analysis of a Sewage Sludge Alternative Treatment Combining Chemical Looping Combustion and a Power-to-Methane System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-13, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:4:p:901-:d:1339169
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/4/901/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/4/901/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhang, Xiaojin & Bauer, Christian & Mutel, Christopher L. & Volkart, Kathrin, 2017. "Life Cycle Assessment of Power-to-Gas: Approaches, system variations and their environmental implications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 326-338.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ortiz, C. & Valverde, J.M. & Chacartegui, R. & Benítez-Guerrero, M. & Perejón, A. & Romeo, L.M., 2017. "The Oxy-CaL process: A novel CO2 capture system by integrating partial oxy-combustion with the Calcium-Looping process," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 1-17.
    2. Yadav, Deepak & Banerjee, Rangan, 2020. "Net energy and carbon footprint analysis of solar hydrogen production from the high-temperature electrolysis process," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    3. Cox, Brian & Bauer, Christian & Mendoza Beltran, Angelica & van Vuuren, Detlef P. & Mutel, Christopher L., 2020. "Life cycle environmental and cost comparison of current and future passenger cars under different energy scenarios," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    4. Lewandowska-Bernat, Anna & Desideri, Umberto, 2018. "Opportunities of power-to-gas technology in different energy systems architectures," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 57-67.
    5. Qusay Hassan & Aws Zuhair Sameen & Hayder M. Salman & Marek Jaszczur, 2023. "A Roadmap with Strategic Policy toward Green Hydrogen Production: The Case of Iraq," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-22, March.
    6. Bidart, Christian & Wichert, Martin & Kolb, Gunther & Held, Michael, 2022. "Biogas catalytic methanation for biomethane production as fuel in freight transport - A carbon footprint assessment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    7. Giorgetti, S. & Bricteux, L. & Parente, A. & Blondeau, J. & Contino, F. & De Paepe, W., 2017. "Carbon capture on micro gas turbine cycles: Assessment of the performance on dry and wet operations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 243-253.
    8. Lechón, Yolanda & Lago, Carmen & Herrera, Israel & Gamarra, Ana Rosa & Pérula, Alberto, 2023. "Carbon benefits of different energy storage alternative end uses. Application to the Spanish case," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    9. Parra, David & Zhang, Xiaojin & Bauer, Christian & Patel, Martin K., 2017. "An integrated techno-economic and life cycle environmental assessment of power-to-gas systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 440-454.
    10. Torsten Hummen & Stefanie Hellweg & Ramin Roshandel, 2023. "Optimizing Lifespan of Circular Products: A Generic Dynamic Programming Approach for Energy-Using Products," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-27, September.
    11. Abdon, Andreas & Zhang, Xiaojin & Parra, David & Patel, Martin K. & Bauer, Christian & Worlitschek, Jörg, 2017. "Techno-economic and environmental assessment of stationary electricity storage technologies for different time scales," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 1173-1187.
    12. Kouchachvili, Lia & Entchev, Evgueniy, 2018. "Power to gas and H2/NG blend in SMART energy networks concept," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 456-464.
    13. Hermesmann, M. & Grübel, K. & Scherotzki, L. & Müller, T.E., 2021. "Promising pathways: The geographic and energetic potential of power-to-x technologies based on regeneratively obtained hydrogen," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    14. Zhenya Ji & Zishan Guo & Hao Li & Qi Wang, 2021. "Automated Scheduling Approach under Smart Contract for Remote Wind Farms with Power-to-Gas Systems in Multiple Energy Markets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-17, October.
    15. Mehrshad Kolahchian Tabrizi & Jacopo Famiglietti & Davide Bonalumi & Stefano Campanari, 2023. "The Carbon Footprint of Hydrogen Produced with State-of-the-Art Photovoltaic Electricity Using Life-Cycle Assessment Methodology," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-25, July.
    16. Aditya Prana Iswara & Aulia Ulfah Farahdiba & Rachmat Boedisantoso & Anwar Rosyid & Sunu Priambodo & Lin-Han Chiang Hsieh, 2023. "Carbon footprint of offshore platform in Indonesia using life cycle approach," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(10), pages 11263-11284, October.
    17. Perez-Trujillo, Juan Pedro & Elizalde-Blancas, Francisco & Della Pietra, Massimiliano & McPhail, Stephen J., 2018. "A numerical and experimental comparison of a single reversible molten carbonate cell operating in fuel cell mode and electrolysis mode," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 1037-1055.
    18. McDonagh, Shane & Ahmed, Shorif & Desmond, Cian & Murphy, Jerry D, 2020. "Hydrogen from offshore wind: Investor perspective on the profitability of a hybrid system including for curtailment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    19. Rüdisüli, Martin & Bach, Christian & Bauer, Christian & Beloin-Saint-Pierre, Didier & Elber, Urs & Georges, Gil & Limpach, Robert & Pareschi, Giacomo & Kannan, Ramachandran & Teske, Sinan L., 2022. "Prospective life-cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions of electricity-based mobility options," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PB).
    20. Sillman, J. & Hynynen, K. & Dyukov, I. & Ahonen, T. & Jalas, M, 2023. "Emission reduction targets and electrification of the Finnish energy system with low-carbon Power-to-X technologies: Potentials, barriers, and innovations – A Delphi survey," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:4:p:901-:d:1339169. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.