Name
Enhanced heat recovery in thermal hydrolysis through a two-pulper, two-flash-tank configuration: full-scale operating experience
Description
Improving energy efficiency remains an important objective for Thermal Hydrolysis Process (THP) facilities, as thermal energy demand has a significant impact on operating costs and plant sustainability. This paper presents the first full-scale implementation of a two-pulper, two-flash-tank (2P2F) THP-E configuration, first presented at EBBC 2022.
The process utilizes hot and cold pulpers together with hot and cold flash tanks operating at different pressure levels. Following thermal hydrolysis, sludge is flashed sequentially through the two flash tanks, with flash steam from each stage recovered and reused for sludge heating. The additional flash stage reduces the operating temperature of the cold pulper and cold flash tank compared with conventional THP configurations, enabling vacuum operation and increased recovery of thermal energy from hydrolysed sludge.
The first commercial installation entered operation in April 2025 and has successfully completed commissioning and handover to the end client. Measured temperatures and pressures throughout the pulpers and flash tanks closely match the original design predictions, providing full-scale validation of the thermodynamic model used during process development.
The paper presents operating experience and performance data from the installation and demonstrates how the 2P2F concept can reduce the thermal energy demand of THP-based sludge treatment facilities.
Authors
Andreas Helland Lilleboe, Hans Rasmus Holte and Alexandru Botan, Cambi Group AS, Norway