Sep 29, 2026Technology
Sludge Treatment in Waste-to-Energy: Co-Incineration Explained
How waste-to-energy plants co-incinerate sludge with municipal solid waste, reducing sludge volume and recovering energy in one process.
Sludge as a waste stream
Municipal sludge and industrial sludge are high-moisture wastes that are costly to landfill and require treatment before disposal. Co-incineration with municipal solid waste recovers their energy content instead of simply discarding them.
Co-incineration in the grate furnace
Qingfeng's three-stage mechanical grate furnace maintains stable combustion even with 20% sludge mixed into the waste stream, alongside agricultural waste and kitchen residues, with 5-15 tons/day leachate spraying.
Project reference
The Changning County waste incineration industrial park processes 10 tons/day of sludge together with 120 tons/day municipal solid waste, 10 tons/day kitchen waste and leachate, with a total investment of CNY 85 million.
