Abstract:
The current study investigated the formation of organic acids and alcohols as major intermediate products of wet oxidation of municipal sludge. Municipal sludge was subjected to 60-min wet oxidation at temperatures ranging from 220 to 240°C, with 20bar oxygen partial pressure. Acetic acid was the main intermediate compound produced in this study, followed by propionic, n-butyric, iso-butyric and pentanoic acids and methanol. It was found that the process severity has a significant influence on the formation and degradation of these intermediate products.