Sludge Dewatering

mbrule6465:

Having clay as one of your solids your probally loading up on your process where the water on the inside is seal out from drain off by the clay.

you may want to develop multiple staged processes to de-water this.

Example,

Stage 1 would be running it through a rotary drum strainer, this would be a self cleaning.

http://www.dontechindustriesinc.com/RotaryDrum.htm

Stage 2 could be a belt filter press, by keeping the product rather thin this you would be able to drain off the water more effectively

http://www.mine-engineer.com/mining/belt_fp.html

Depending on your budget, you could start with stage (2), this would would be more effectively

phoenix911

GA. Placing the sludge cakes in a vacuum chamber will also help, as the water will vaporize away.

Heat would still have to be applied @ say 29" hg. water would vaporize at approx. 112 degrees F

I would have to check with WASP.

phoenix911

The question is, "Do you require the water to be removed for reuse"? The answer being a no, then add calcium carbonate (drywall). This will dry your sludge enough to allow for a land fill/pond for reclamation. If yes, an old pulp and paper roller train with a continuous canvas might work. Good luck!

There was no mention of what type of press you are using now but...

You might look into this

http://www.fkcscrewpress.com/sludge1.html

Need more information to answer this. Why do you want higher solids?

Common reasons are:

1. Product is not solid enough for land fill and needs the be disked in or solidified at greater expense at the land fill.

2. Shipping cost is too high to landfill if shipping extra water.

3. Your waste could be someone else's product if it were dryer.

4. If it were dryer it could be a fuel source.

5. If it were dryer it could be stored and further dried in "solar beds"

There are different solutions to each problem, not one for all!

I have seen additives, screw presses, centrifuges, fan presses and polymer changes work for different sludges and applications.

Please provide more information.