Operational Strategies for Syngas Quality Enhancement and Heavy-Metal Emission Reduction in Sludge–Waste Co-Gasification
摘要
This study optimized hydrogen-rich syngas production and examined the concomitant migration of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and Zn) during the co-gasification of sewage sludge and simulated waste in a two-stage reactor system. When the second-stage temperature was increased from 700 °C to 900 °C, the H2 concentration increased significantly from 22.18 mol% to 37.73 mol%. Although higher temperatures improve syngas quality, they increase Zn and Pb emission rates, whereas Cu remains predominantly in the bottom ash because of its higher boiling point. This study focused on sustainable energy and environmental technologies by providing a systematic operational framework for waste-to-energy conversion. A two-stage gasification process was employed to co-gasify sewage sludge with the simulated waste. Unlike studies that focused on the syngas yield, this study integrated the evaluation of syngas quality enhancement with the migration behavior of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and Zn). These results provide a strategic operational benchmark for maximizing hydrogen energy recovery, while simultaneously mitigating environmental risks from trace pollutants, which is critical for sustainable waste-to-energy frameworks.