Clean and Renewable
Energy from Pulp and Paper
Waste Using MicroSludge
and Anaerobic Digestion
Demonstration Project
Crofton, BC
Dr. Rob Stephenson
Paradigm Environmental Technologies
Presentation overview
1. Project objectives and team
2. How P&P effluent treatment plant works
3. MicroSludge and anaerobic digestion
4. Expected benefits
5. Project setup
6. Project timing
7. Questions?
MicroSludge + anaerobic digestion of P&P WAS:Mill waste → clean renewable energy
Reduce mill operating costs• Electricity consumption
• Fertilizer purchases
• Sludge disposal
• Fossil fuels and polymer for dewatering
Reduce GHG emissions & environmental footprint
Demonstration project objectives
Project team
Project Team
Catalyst Paper Lower economic, energy, environmental costs
Paradigm MicroSludge to enhance anaerobic digestion
FPInnovations Canadian P&P industry’s R&D arm to lower costs
and environmental impacts
UBC Bio & Chemical
Engineering
Advance waste-to-energy technology
Training and research opportunities
Project Leads
Elemental Energy Manage renewable energy projects
BC BioEnergy Network Support innovative renewable bioenergy
technologies in BC
Facilitate industry Centres of Excellence
Project supporters
BC Hydro PowerSmart
Ministry of Forests & Range
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
Pulp and Paper Technical Association
of Canada (PAPTAC)
BC Pulp and Paper Industry Task Force
Crofton pulp and paper mill
P&P effluent treatment plant
BOD ≈ 1,100 mg/LBOD < 25 mg/L
MicroSludge
Technology Overview
MicroSludge
Patented sludge pre-treatment technology that makes
anaerobic digesters work better and faster
Why WAS digests so poorly
Extremely tough membranes protect cells and
limit degradation in anaerobic digesters
Conventional: ≤ 30% WAS destruction
limits biogas production
MicroSludge increases WAS destruction
increases biogas production
reduces digestion time
How MicroSludge works
IMPACT RING
VALVE SEAT
VALVE STEM
• High pressure cell disruption
• Accelerates WAS microbes to 300 m/s through valve
12,000psi
Cell Disrupter Valve
Liquefying WAS
Clear
Supernatant
Raw WASMicroSludge
Processed WAS
Opaque
Supernatant
Centrifuged samples
Cell lysis
Before MicroSludge After MicroSludge
MicroSludge bursts cell membranes of WAS microbes
Anaerobic bacteria consume more WAS at a faster rate
MicroSludge for Pulp and
Paper
Benefits for pulp mill effluent
treatment plants
MicroSludge + anaerobic digestion in
P&P effluent treatment plant
On-site Demonstration
Project Details
On-site equipment
MicroSludge demonstration plant
Operate MicroSludge and anaerobic digesters similarly to full
scale operations
Project schedule
Task 2010 2011 2012
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Secure Funding
Project Design
Equipment
Procurement
Site Preparation
Equipment
Installation
Plant Startup
Routine
Operations
Analysis &
Reporting
Final Report and
Presentations
Deliverables of on-site demonstration
• Confirm lab scale test results
– Stable, fast and effective anaerobic digestion
• Show operating cost benefits
– More biogas, less fertilizer, less sludge for disposal,
less polymer, less electricity for aeration
• Show how capital costs can be reduced
– Simple and effective WAS thickening
– MicroSludge process thicker WAS
– Fast anaerobic digestion (smaller digesters)
Project overview
MicroSludge
Control
Anaerobic
Digesters
Test
Anaerobic
Digesters
WAS
Thickening
Test Activated
Sludge
Control
Activated
Sludge
Raw
Pulp Mill
Effluent
Hydrocyclone
Separated Water
back to ETP
WAS from
Effluent
Treatment
Plant
(ETP)
Clarifier
Biogas to
Vent or
Flare
Biogas to
Vent or
Flare
Sluge
Dewatering
Centrifuge
Effluent
to ETP
Effluent
to ETP
Pulp Fines
back to ETP
Screens
Pulp Fines
back to ETP
N & P Addition
N & P AdditionRaw
Pulp Mill
Effluent
Additional Equipment:
N&P
N&P
Control
Test
MicroSludge module
• Sludge thickening (dissolved air flotation)
• Caustic dosing
• Self cleaning screens
• Cell disrupter (500 LPH at max 14,500 psi)
• Process 1 to 2% of mill’s WAS
Anaerobic digester module
• 6 anaerobic digesters, each 1.5 m3
• 37°C, heated and mixed by liquid recirculation
• Biogas volume, CH4 content
• Automated sampling and control
Activated sludge module
• 2 parallel units of air activated sludge + clarifier
• N & P monitors control N & P feed pumps
• Treats mill effluent with anaerobically digested WAS
Digester performance with MicroSludge
Fertilizer with MicroSludge at a BC mill
BOD, Nitrogen and Phosphorus
Solubilized with MicroSludge
Reduced electricity consumption
Activated sludge/UNOX systems
High Sludge
Age
Low Sludge
Age
Sludge for disposal low high
N&P requirements low high
O2 capture efficiency low high
Power costs for aeration high low
• By providing a sludge management tool, MicroSludge
offers potential savings with low sludge age
• Test using oxygen uptake rate tests
MicroSludge +
Low Sludge Age
low
low
high
low
GHG reductions (FPI estimate)
GHG Reductions for Typical Canadian P&P Mill
(18 dry tonnes WAS/day)Tonnes [CO2 /year]
Biogas
Generation
Lower consumption of fossil fuels
Generate clean electricity and heat2,400
Reduced
Sludge
Less polymer for dewatering
Less fossil fuel for incineration
Fewer diesel trucks for sludge haulage
Less GHGs: land application, landfills, incineration
8,300
Reduced
ElectricityMore efficient aeration in effluent treatment plant 1,200
Less
FertilizerN and P recycled to effluent treatment plant 430
Total 12,330
Sensitivity of operating costs
No. Item
Estimated Savings in Annual Operating Costs
[$1,000/Y]
AConservative
(FPI)
BAchievable
CTarget
DPossible
1 Savings in Polymer Costs 220 270 300 375
2 Value of Biogas Produced 210 300 475 595
3 Savings in Sludge Disposal 140 220 280 350
4 Savings in N Fertilizer 295 460 690 860
5 Savings in P Fertilizer 100 130 200 250
6 Savings in Electricity for Aeration 195 380 380 490
7 Sub-total 1,160 1,760 2,565 2,920
8 Value of GHG Reduction 310 470 620 780
Estimated Total Annual Savings $1,470 $2,230 $2,945 $3,700
P&P effluent treatment challenges
Issue Proposed Solutions
Energy • Generate energy on site
• Reduce consumption of fossil fuels
• Increase energy efficiency
• Reduce consumption of electricity
Fertilizer Minimize and recycle fertilizer
Polymer Reduce solids for dewatering
Sludge disposal • Minimize solids generation
• Maximize solids conversion to biogas
Cost • Reduce energy, fertilizer, polymer, disposal
• Maximize recovery of energy, nutrients
Project team
Applicant and
Project Manager
ELEMENTAL
Project/Contract
Administration
ELEMENTAL
Host Site
CROFTON
On-Site Operations
CROFTON
UBC
PARADIGM
Senior Technical
Review
FPI
UBC
Operations
Manager and
Equipment
Provider
PARADIGM
Industry Liaison
FPI
BCBN
BC Hydro
BC P&PN
MOFR
Co-Lead
BC BIOENERGY
NETWORK
Academic Studies
UBC
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