Municipal sewage sludgeSewage sludge is a complex organic waste requiring proper proposal. Its maximum mass loss rate in air was found to be 7.14%/min at the heating rate of 30 °C/min, approximately twice that of coke breeze commonly used in iron ore sinteringIron ore sintering. Although the sludge provided less heat during combustionCombustion, its thermal utilization efficiency could be enhanced. With increasing heating rate from 10 to 50 °C/min, the reaction onset temperature, combustion ignition temperature, and maximum mass loss rate increased from 192 ℃, 210 ℃, and 2.47%/min to 205 ℃, 249 ℃, and 12.06%/min, respectively. Conversely, the combustionCombustion extinction temperature declined from 1070 to 1025 ℃. Rapid heating hindered the immediate release of volatile components in the sludge, thereby delaying the combustionCombustion process that would favor the utilization of the sludge for iron ore sinteringIron ore sintering.