Process & contact
Pyreg (pyrolysis)
Member of DPP
Input materials
Sewage sludge (minimum calorific value 10 MJ/kg, that is around 80% DS). Biomass materials.
Output products
Biochar.
From sewage sludge as input, the product has (as % of DM, and depending on the input sludge characteristics):
- c. 25% (15 - 35%) organic carbon,
- 6 - 7% P content
(of which c. 80% is NAC-soluble),
- just over 1% N
- more than 10% K.
Pyreg biochar (from sewage sludge) registered as a fertiliser in Sweden, the Czech Republic and Denmark (PYREGphos). However, sewage sludge biochar is not included in EU Fertilising Products Regulation CMC14.
Process description
Twin screw carbonisation reactor operated at 500 – 800 °C.
Organic hazardous substances of the sludge are destroyed nearly completely, including PFAS.
This temperature results in a biochar with labile organic carbon content < 0.4%.
Operating status
Nearly 50 full scale units in operation today, of which 7 using sewage sludge (below: tonnage = input capacity):
- Unkel, Germany (1200 tDS/y, since 2015)
- Homburg, Germany (1200 tDS/y, since 2016)
- Redwood, California (1200 tDS/y, since 2016)
- Hammenhög, Sweden (1200 tDS/y, since 2016)
- Trutnov, Czech Republic (1.200t DS/y, since 2020)
- Lorsbach, Germany (1.500 t DS/y, since 2021)
- Kleve, Germany (1.600 t DS/y, in commissioning)
Plus three further plants using sewage sludge under construction in the USA.