Sludge Dewatering Processes for Various Wastewater Treatment Applications3085061
Sludge dewatering is the process of removing water from sludge. After wastewater treatment, the remaining material generally has a high water content material. This final step in the treatment process reclaims a lot of the liquid.
The sludge handling and disposal procedure is a significant price for wastewater facilities. Improvements to older techniques as nicely as innovative alternatives are now available for treatment plants. Some of these options include:
Belt Filter Presses
This type of gear has been around for many years and is still considered one of the industry standards. These systems are easy to operate and familiar to most facility staff but are not the very best alternative for containing odors.
Centrifuges
Centrifuges have been greatly enhanced over the long period of time that they have been used in the sludge dewatering process. They are known to be fast (about 3000 rpm), which indicates they require normal maintenance. Still, they are built to be extremely reliable and simple to operate. Centrifuges usually produce the driest cake, meaning the most water possible has been removed. Simply because they are self-contained, the odor control is not a big problem. This versatile piece of gear handles altering conditions and does well in all sorts of treatment applications.
Rotary Disc Press
This is a fairly new technique that entails feeding flocculated material in between gradually rotating screens within each disc assembly. The equipment might include from one to six discs per unit. Customers like the slow rotation (generally between one and 3 rpm) and how the entire system is self-contained.
Inclined Screw Press
Similar to the rotary disc press, this system feeds flocculated material into an inclined screw that rotates inside a stainless still wedge wire screen. It also operates at a very slow speed and is self-contained. It uses minimal horsepower compared to other methods, resulting in lower operation costs.
Horizontal Screw Press
This system is similar to the inclined screw press, but the flocculated material is fed into a horizontal rotating screen. It functions well when greater quantities are anticipated. They have been used traditionally in the pulp and paper industry, and much more lately with wastewater treatment plants.
The correct sludge dewatering gear for a treatment facility depends on a variety of factors such as:
- Sludge quantity and composition - How much space is accessible for gear - How quickly the sludge dewatering must take location - Operator experience and preferences - Odor control preferences - How the sludge cake might be used, such as land applications, landfill disposal, alternative fuels, or extra processing for some other objective
A professional service should be consulted to help evaluate the facility's needs to make sure the very best, most efficient system is becoming used for its specific applications.
