Pollution and the environment are some of the concerns of modern society. With progress comes with it the cost of growing cities. Finding ways to manage pollution and other waste has become a priority. There might be a new way of waste management, as fuel from sewage might be key to recycling.
Sewage water has been recycled in some ways, though not effectively. Harnessing its full potential might solve environmental pollution generated by large cities. Turning it into fuel is being researched by the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
The technology that would be used for the undertaking is called hydrothermal liquefaction. This process is almost similar to how nature creates crude oil. The process involves much pressure and heat which would produce in less time what has been produced in nature for millions of years.
Through this method, sewage could then be turned into something that is the equivalent of crude oil, according to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory site. Sewage sludge though is too wet, so the PNNL is finding a method that would not require drying it out. The drying process is viewed to be the reason why creating fuel out of sewage has been deemed as expensive.
Hydrothermal liquefaction has been found to be the best method to turn sludge water into fuel. This method can turn human waste into fuel as well, as Science Daily reports. By doing this waste can then be turned into simpler chemical compounds.
In its research, the PNNL has observed that much of the waste coming from sewage contains much carbon and even fat, as stated by Corinne Drennan, who is responsible for the research being done at PNNL. This carbon and fat can produce very high-quality bio crude and can be refined. Refining it would yield fuel such as gasoline and other fuel, she added.
Hydrothermal liquefaction has been found to be an efficient process as well in converting sewage sludge into bio crude. This has been the conclusion by the Water Environment and Reuse Foundation. The hydrothermal liquefaction process has been licensed by PNNL to Genifuel Corporation based in Utah. Genifuel is in a partnership with Metro Vancouver to build a demonstration plant for it.
Waste management has been seen as one way to solve the environmental crisis faced by cities. Turning fuel from sewage is key to recycling for the future. Earlier also scientists have found a way to convert carbon dioxide into ethanol.
