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Membrane thickeners

Membrane technology provides separation of suspended solids from liquid through a highly-selective permeable polymeric or ceramic material under positive or suction pressure. Membranes can therefore be used to thicken sludge by allowing water to pass through through the membrane, leaving the thickened solids on the unpermeated side.

Cake being discharged from a sludge dewatering belt filter press

Sludge separation − filtration

Filtration theory defines the way in which water flows through the bed, which is formed of the sludge solids (cake)

Sludge cylindrical sedimentation tank with a galvanised metal platform and railings above it

Sludge thickening

An overview of sludge thickening − an introduction to theory and related technologies

Flat sheet membrane

Other sludge thickening processes

Other processes include membrane thickening − water is extracted through a membrane, increasing the solids concentration

Membrane thickeners related videos

Sludge solids separation theory Source: Judd Water & Wastewater Consultants / YouTube

Sludge solids separation theory

Sludge solids separation theory − a brief introduction to the theories around sludge sedimentation, cake filtration and cake compression.

Membrane thickeners features and blogs

HTC/AD integration flowsheet

Feature

Co-processing of sewage digestate by hydrothermal carbonisation

Hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) can be used to co-process anaerobic digestion (AD) digestate and lignocellulosic (or plant-based) feedstocks to improve the the hydrochar product quality. This AD waste co-processing route has been studied at bench scale. Read article

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Figure 6. Pyrolysis process schematic

Sludge-to-energy recovery methods − a review

Random equations, for blog on SI vs US units

US vs SI units: a conversation on conversion

Fig. 4. SP filtrate and acidified sludge samples

Phosphorus recovery by sludge acidification and dewatering

More Membrane thickeners topics…

Centrifuges

Centrifugal thickening increases sludge concentration by encouraging particles to migrate to the walls of a rapidly rotating

Flotation thickeners

Dissolved air flotation thickens sludges by encouraging the solids to float to the surface where they can be skimmed off

Gravity belt thickeners

Gravity belt thickening thickens sludge by allowing the water to drain from the sludge under gravity through a permeable belt

Gravity thickeners

Gravity thickening increases the solids concentration by allowing the particles to settle to the base of a vessel

Rotary drum thickeners

Rotary drum thickening increases sludge solids concentration by agitating the solids in a cylindrical drum with porous walls

Conditioning
Conditioning is the pretreatment of sludge upstream of thickening and dewatering to promote solid-liquid separation
- Heating
- Reagent dosing
Thickening
Thickening processes concentrate the sludge by removing part of the free water, such that the product can still be pumped
Dewatering
Dewatering processes mechanically remove a significant proportion of the sludge water to produce a 15-45% cake product
Drying
In sludge drying the sludge moisture is removed as water vapour by heating, generating a pelleted or powdered product

More process and operation topics…

Sludge stabilisation

Sludge stabilisation − alkaline stabilisation, lime and solids dosing, plus anaerobic and aerobic digestion

Thermochemical processes

Thermochemical methods are used to either significantly reduce the sludge solids content or pre-treat sludge upstream of AD

Sludge quality

Sludge is the main waste stream from the treatment of wastewater

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