Energy and exergy analysis of Wastewater Sludge Gasification: A Case Study in Kerman Province, Iran

In light of the escalating global energy consumption, it is imperative for humanity to seek alternative energy sources for the future. This is primarily motivated by the need to mitigate environmental consequences and counterbalance the depleting reserves of fossil fuels. This study investigates a proposed solution for reducing the industrial sector’s energy requirements in Kerman province, Iran. It focuses on the waste-to-energy technique and examines the potential for producing synthesis gas through a simulation of the municipal wastewater sludge gasification process. The study evaluates the syngas composition, net energy efficiency, and net exergy efficiency. The gasification process of wastewater sludge yielded a net energy efficiency of 53.33% and an exergy efficiency of 42.93%. These values were later compared with the energy and exergy efficiencies estimated for the methane reforming process in recent works. Importantly, this approach not only converts waste into energy, providing a more sustainable alternative to wastewater sludge landfill and incineration but also offers the potential to produce some of the required syngas through gasification. More broadly, waste gasification can reduce the plant’s reliance on external energy sources for process heat, address sludge disposal challenges, and enhance its utilization in energy production.