20th European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering ESCAPE20 S. Pierucci and G.

. Buzzi Ferraris (Editors) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelling of the solar sludge drying process Solia

Nicolas Rouxa, Daniel Junga, Jrme Pannejonb, Cyrille Lemoinea
Veolia Environnement Water Research Centre, Chemin de la Digue BP76, 78603 Maisons Laffitte Cedex, France, nicolas.roux@veolia.com b Veolia Water Technical Department, Immeuble Giovanni Battista B, 1, rue Giovanni Battista Pirelli, 94417 Saint Maurice, France, jerome.pannejon@veoliaeau.fr
a

Abstract
Greenhouses of solar sludge drying are developed as an economical alternative to the classic thermal dryers. In this study, two complementary models are used to observe and predict the operation of Solia units at different time and space scales. A 3D model informs on solar aspects and internal profiles of the multi-physical phenomena. A 0D model integrates drying kinetics and a new approach in stratified windrow in order to forecast the drying cycle efficiency on a large time scale. These tools are confronted to experimental data acquired on a Solia unit located in Fonsorbes (France).

Keywords: Solia, solar drying, greenhouse, urban residual sludge, modelling

1. Introduction
In urban wastewater treatment plants, the majority of the waste products are represented by sludge. Agricultural spreading, incineration or landfill disposal are the different ways to evacuate this waste production. Using any of these solutions, sludge must be transformed and a major stake remains the volume reduction by water removal. In this drying step, solar drying greenhouses become an interesting economical alternative to the thermal dryers. SoliaTM is a solar sludge drying unit marketed by Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies adapted for small and medium-sized wastewater plants. In the greenhouse, the drying procedure consists of sludge spreading and turning into windrow, and the drying is increased with air renewal and convective exchanges. The process to be efficient requires knowledge of drying rate as a function of the greenhouses environment and their operation. The modelling is a useful tool to understand the drying mechanisms and to optimize the design and building of a Solia unit. The objective of this study is to develop a predictive model of solar drying efficiency in greenhouse according to external conditions and operation.

2. Problem Statement, background

In a Solia unit, sludge is shaped into windrows in order to offer a most optimized transfer area with the forced air flux. This high forced air renewal allows the water evaporation from the sludge, and the transport of the water out of the unit. To avoid heterogeneous thermal and water concentration fields of air and sludge, two means operate. Firstly some fans placed inside the unit ensure homogeneous water concentration and sufficient convective transfers with the sludge. Secondly a robot named SoliaMix regularly adds some fresh sludge within windrows and mixes them to homogenize dryness and temperature fields of these last (Fig. 1).

N. Roux et al.

Outside air

Glass

Psolar
Inside air

Air inlet

Evaporation Convection Radiation

Air outlet

Concrete

Sludge

Figure 1. Solia unit and SoliaMix robot

Figure 2. Transfer phenomena in a Solia unit

Major operating costs of Solia are composed of energy consumption (extraction). Optimized design and operation could improve both efficiency and costs of the process. The model has to take into account all the coupled transfers occurred in the greenhouse. By specifying only the external conditions, localization and the material properties, the model should predict the thermal fields of sludge, air and boundary walls according to radiation and convection, as well as water quantity evaporated from the sludge (Fig. 2).

3. Materials & Methods

3.1. Solar greenhouse A greenhouse based in Fonsorbes (France 31) has been chosen as experimental case for this study. This unit is made up of two drying bays and is about 50 meters long, 4 meters high and 15 meters wide. According to the design geometry and the current operating conditions, sludge is spread only in the first bay of the greenhouse. Some sensors have been implemented to validate the numerical model: hygrometers, pyranometers, temperature probes, anemometers, air flowmeter... 3.2. Mathematical theory Some previous works are focused on the modelling of drying kinetics but a few of them are applied and validated on a real solar greenhouse. Jung et al. (2009) have developed a model focused on thermal exchanges and they concluded that sludge temperature is highly sensitive to model parameters [1]. The radiative heat quantity exchanged between two walls, required by boundary walls thermal balances, is modelled by [5]: (Eqn 1) (T14 T24 ) R12 = 1 1 1 2 1 + + A1 1 A1 F12 A2 2 So, these boundary walls balances take into account solar effects, internal and external convections and infrared radiations. The differential equation of greenhouse roof is:
V supVV sup C pV sup
... PV sup aV sup

= ... dt + hV sup (Ta TV sup ) + hext (Text TV sup ) AV sup +

dTV sup

j walls V sup

(Eqn 2)
j V sup

Thermal differential equations on sludge and internal air are similar to the last one by adding evaporation effect and also, for the second balance, air renewal. For the sludge: (Eqn 3) dT dX BoV Bo C pBo Bo = [PBo a Bo V + hBo (Ta TBo )]ABo + R j Bo + M s Lv
dt
j walls Bo

dt

Modelling of the solar sludge drying process SOLIA Jung et al. (2009) analyse the overestimation of evaporation rate due to the lack of drying kinetics in their thermal model, which also induces some limitation on the sludge temperature prediction [1]. In order to predict more accurately this temperature, Slim (2007) and Hamadou (2007) introduced two different approaches integrating drying kinetics [2, 7]. The first one is a reduction of the mass transfer coefficient which is defined during the first drying rate by a Chilton-Colburn analogy. Their coefficient reduction is an identified function from experimental data of lab-scale, maybe difficult to extrapolate for another kind of sludge. The second approach is based on the drying theory including the drying characteristic curve which is applied on a thin sludge bed (30-40cm of thickness). As Solia is working until 1 meter windrow thickness, our model introduces a stratified windrow of two layers. The Hamadou's approach is implemented; the characteristic curve is useful to describe drying kinetics from initial and equilibrium water concentration in every type of air conditions. Our works highlight and improve the method to model the drying rate and mass transfers within the windrow. The drying mechanism occurs in the thin upper layer and the windrow core is only subject to thermal exchange by conduction. The maximum drying rate is theoretically determined by a thermal balance on sludge which is supposed by an analogy of heat and mass transfers through a thin totally wet layer. During this stage, even isenthalpic, water is evacuated at constant rate i.e. first drying rate and the sludge reaches an equilibrium temperature given by the wet temperature. By neglecting the sludge inertia during this stage, maximum drying rate can be estimated by a thermal balance on sludge:
1 dX ABo [PBo a Bo V + hBo (Ta Th )] + R j Bo = dt 1 M s Lv j walls Bo

(Eqn 4)

Thus the maximum drying rate is reduced by a polynomial function f(Xr) based on sludge desorption theory and experimental data (Kechaou, 2000 and Kouhila, 2001) in order to obtain the drying rate of thin layer [3 4]:
dX dX = f (X r ) dt dt 1

(Eqn 5)

The equilibrium water concentration Xeq is deduced from desorption isotherm using either Oswin's model [6] or an identified polynomial function. Xr is the reduced water concentration defined from equilibrium Xeq and critical water concentration Xcr by:
Xr = X X eq X cr X eq

(Eqn 6)

This work is also dedicated to overcome the difficulty to manage layer transfers during iterations of numerical solving. The exchange depth of sludge takes place in balances and plays a significant effect on the model prediction. As the thin layer dries between two iterations therefore its volume is reduced. A mass mixing law is applied on layers after numerical resolution of ordinary differential equations in order to uniform layers dryness according to the transfer by sludge exchange depth and windrow turning. 3.3. Solar influence All thermal fields in the greenhouse are directly (glasses, sludge) or indirectly (air) drained by the solar influence, and so this last should be accurately represented to obtain

N. Roux et al. a representative model. Firstly, the model needs to be fed with solar radiation as a time function according to the greenhouse location. Secondly, the three dimensional geometry should be taken into account for different reasons. The glass radiation properties depend on the solar angle of incidence, and so the sun position should be integrated for each surface thermal balance. The 3D discretization is also required to evaluate solar radiation on interior surfaces, which is impacted by exterior surfaces properties and localization. 3.4. Modeling tools Two approaches will be used to reach the previous objectives. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code Ansys - Fluent, allows the three dimensional discretization and the solar influence on the different surfaces/walls of the greenhouse. A specific internal tool in the code, called "Solar Load Model", is based on the ASHRAE Handbook and gives an answer to the solar influence issue [8]. Moreover, the CFD model takes into account internal hydraulics, all thermal exchanges and water evaporation but on a short time period because a drying representative time scale would be computationally too expensive. This way, water evaporation is set in this first approach on first drying rate condition. Then, a second model is developed on Matlab Simulink in order to overtake this last limitation. This zero-dimensional model would be set up thanks to the solar influence calculated by the Ansys - Fluent code. Thermal exchanges are identical with the 3D model, but the large time-scale resolution allows using drying kinetics as introduced previously, therefore a drying cycle simulation is achievable.

4. Results & Discussions

4.1. Solar dependence and prediction The "Solar Load Model" gives very similar solar radiation with experimental measurements in Fonsorbes (Fig. 3).
1200
Measurments

1000 800 600 400 200 0 18/6/08 0:00

Solar Load Model

Psun [W/m]

18/6/08 6:00

18/6/08 12:00

18/6/08 18:00

19/6/08 0:00

Figure 3. Comparison of horizontal solar flux [W/m]

Figure 4. Absorbed solar flux [W/m] of sludge as a function of date and hour in Fonsorbes

This model allows obtaining this radiation as a function of time and greenhouse location, and it is computed for different date or latitude. For each boundary wall, the solar flux multiplied by its absorption coefficient is stored and can be displayed (Fig. 4). This data is locally used by the 3D model in order to parameter the solar influence in the thermal balances. Moreover, it creates a database which can feed the 0D model with solar profiles all year long depending on walls incidence angle and greenhouse location.

Modelling of the solar sludge drying process SOLIA 4.2. Hydraulic results The 3D model needs a numerically greenhouse construction and space discretization (Fig. 5). This model allows solving heat balances and internal hydraulics induced by fans and the extraction with the previous solar considerations. Hydraulic results underline a progressive augmentation of air temperature along the greenhouse. The internal fans induce a good homogenization of temperature without natural convection. The mass evaporation is assumed to be fixed at a maximum drying rate in this model without consequences on global results because of short time solving. The water evaporation profiles underline the internal air volume impacted by this mass transfer.

Inlets Sludge Fans Extracted air Concrete

Figure 5. Geometry of Solia unit (Fonsorbes)

Figure 6. Example of temperature field [K]

This 3D model allows understanding internal mechanisms and is useful to optimize geometry or position dependence. Therefore, prediction of one drying cycle is required. 4.3. Drying cycle scale with 0D model The systemic approach allows drying efficiency evaluation by predicting all temperature profiles which are coupled to sludge drying behavior. Therefore all boundary surface temperatures are computed with a 0D model (glass walls and roof, concrete and sludge) from input data like solar radiation and external moisture and temperature. The internal air moisture is also computed; consequently the drying performance can be translated to an extracted water quantity. The windrow height and dryness are obtained by computing our drying model according to simulated states and process operation. The 0D model should firstly be confronted on experimental data acquired on Fonsorbes unit before its use to predict Solia efficiency on one drying cycle. Some simulation results are displayed on the figure 7 to illustrate the windrow volume reduction with time and the sludge dryness evolution. This validation has been achieved on one specific batch drying cycle i.e. 43 days to dry 51m of initial sludge volume from 37% to 89% dryness.
80

70 60 Windrow height [cm]

Sludge dryness [%]

60

50 40 30 20 10 0 0 2 4 6 Time [days] 8 10
Model Height Meas. Height Turning [on/off]

40
Model Dryness Meas. Dryness

20

Air Extraction [0.1%]

6 Time [days]

10

Figure 7. Example of windrow height and dryness evolution on 10 days

The results are in agreement with experimental ones despite the high variance of experimental measurements in terms of height and dryness. In the same manner, the dynamics of temperatures (sludge, internal air and walls) and air moisture are also coherent.

N. Roux et al. However, a parametric study on the exchange depth and absorption coefficients would improve the model predictions.

5. Conclusion
The complementarities of these two models lead to a good comprehension of the unit operation at different time and space scales. The 3D one is used to predict solar influence according to the greenhouse location, geometry and position, and can create a database useful for both models. Moreover, internal hydraulics and operation can be observed in accordance to operating conditions. The 0D model is focused on large timescale in order to reach a representative drying cycle, thanks to kinetics implementation and our stratified model. The results of this model are quite close to the experimental ones; however a numerically sensibility analysis and a parametric identification with more experimental data are required. Then Solia units design and operation could be optimized with these tools according to its location.

Notations
Parameters a Solar absorption coefficient A Area Cp Specific heat f F h Lv M P R t T V X Identified function Vision factor between walls Convective exchange coefficient Latent heat of water vaporisation Mass Solar radiation (normal to wall) Radiative heat Time Temperature Volume Sludge water concentration [-] [m] [J.kg-1.K-1] [-] [-] [W.m-.K-1] [J.kg-1] [kg] [W.m-] [W] [s] [K] [m] [kg water.kg-1 dry solids] Greeks letters Infrared emissivity Density Solar transmission coefficient Stefan-Bolztmann's constant [-] [kg.m-] [-] [W.m-.K-4]

Indices 1 a Bo cr ext eq h r v V Vsup

First or maximum drying rate Air Sludge Critical External Equilibrium Wet Reduced Vapour Glass Glass roof

Abbreviations 0D Zero-dimensional 3D Three-dimensional

References
[1] D. Jung, N. Roux, C. Lemoine, J. Pannejon, Modlisation du procd Solia, STIC & Environnement Symposium, Calais, 15p, 2009. [2] H. Hamadou, Modlisation du schage solaire sous serre des boues de stations d'puration urbaines, Ph.D. thesis, Universit Louis Pasteur Strasbourg I, 2007. [3] N. Kechaou, Etude thorique et exprimentale du processus de schage de produits agroalimentaires, Thesis, Facult des Sciences, Tunis, 2000. [4] M. Kouhila, Etude exprimentale et thorique des cintiques de schage convectif partiellement solaire des plantes mdicinales et aromatiques de la rgion de Marrakech, Thesis, Universit Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech, Maroc, 2001. [5] M.F. Modest, Radiative heat transfer, Academic Press-Elsevier Science, 2003, 822p. [6] G.R. Oswin, The kinetics of package life, Int. Chem. Ind., 65, 419, 1946. [7] R. Slim, Etude et conception d'un procd de schage combin de boues de station d'puration par nergie solaire et pompe chaleur, Ph.D. thesis, Mines Paris, 2007. [8] ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals, Eq. 20 and Table 7, Chap. 30, 2001.