Testbed Ellinge - drying, pyrolysis and refinery of sewage sludge
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Va Syd |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 4 671 704 |
| Project duration | July 2021 - December 2025 |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Venture | Testbäddar för samhällets utmaningar |
Important results from the project
A test infrastructure for drying and pyrolysis of sewage sludge has been created, to which wastewater treatment plants can send their sludge to study the content and properties of their sludge biochar. The testbed has a large network with several new ongoing projects that can support testers in their evaluation of test results but also generate further characterisation of the sludge biochar. A 2.5 year delay of the pilot start-up has made it difficult to achieve most of the goals of the project.
Expected long term effects
When the projects within the surviving Testbädd Ellinge are completed, we have explored the potential of sludge biochar as a fertiliser and soil improver in agriculture. If sludge biochar is assessed positively, an better picture of different business models for sludge biochar can be presented. Sludge pyrolysis can then be an attractive alternative when expanding sludge treatment or in the event of possible regulatory changes, i.e. requiring lower content of cadmium and PFAS in sludge products.
Approach and implementation
Representatives from five wastewater utitilites were test bed developers. VA SYD was responsible for the project management and invested 13 MSEK in a pilot plant. The work was carried out in seven different work packages. Two international conferences on sludge pyrolysis were organised in Malmö. In addition, study visits were organised to a full-scale plant in Denmark and to the test bed pilot in Eslöv. A well-visited website reported on the progress of and various events within the test bed.