Thermal-Chemical Treatment of Sewage Sludge Toward Enhanced Energy and Resource Recovery

The amount of sewage sludge generated has been continuously increasing with the expansion of global population and economic activity, which has posed a serious environmental challenge. Thermal-chemical processes have been considered as an emerging technology for sewage sludge management with the aims for concurrent volume reduction, pathogen destruction, and energy and resource recovery. This chapter thus attempts to offer a comprehensive picture of the state of the art of energy and resource recovery from sewage sludge through thermal-chemical treatment, with a focus on process feasibility, cost, limitations, challenges, and solutions forward. It is expected that this chapter can shed light on the design, optimization, and operation of the thermal-chemical treatment processes of sewage sludge toward achieving long-term environmental sustainability and economic viability, with maximized energy and resources recovery.