subject: Dewatering As Part Of Waste Reduction: The Environmentally Sensitive Solution [print this page] Dewatering As Part Of Waste Reduction: The Environmentally Sensitive Solution
Dewatering treatments provide a cost effective and environmentally friendly method of reducing the amount of waste requiring disposal. The role of the modern day filter press is to remove the solids from the sludge and change it into a dry filter cake. The dry cake can then be disposed of by land fill, incineration or other methods dictated by the Environmental Agency depending on toxicity. The filtrate can then either be re-used on-site for further cleaning thus saving on mains or river water or disposed of down the drain. This of course is only done if the filtrate is non toxic and harmless.
Dewatering not only saves on water but will significantly reduce the amount of waste to be disposed of; reducing haulage transportation costs, time and labour providing the customer an overall reduction in disposal costs. For example, a customer has 100 tons of liquid waste to dispose of, off site, of which typically only 10% may be solid material with the remaining 90% filtrate. With the use of mobile dewatering equipment 90 tons of filtrate can be recycled back to plant, rather than transporting 100 tons of liquid off site.
This is a great improvement on the current situation where most liquid waste is disposed of in liquid form by mobile tankers for disposal either to a treatment centre or suitable landfill site.
The normal routine is that a dewatering expert or technician will make a site visit and carry out a site survey where a sample of the liquid waste will be taken and tested to ensure the waste can be filtered. It will also determine the quality of the filtrate and dryness of solid filter cake in addition to the permitted method of cake disposal.
This process can be carried out in a laboratory or on the premises using a test filter press. Once this has been completed calculations can be made and a full proposal submitted to the client. Dewatering is most often used in sludge removal as part of lagoon cleaning, drain and sewer cleaning and in a few instances, tank cleaning. In most instances, dewatering filter presses that are fully mobile are also self-contained. An example would be a fully mobile 1300mm2 membrane type filter presses with 80 chambers, providing a cake drop capacity of approx 3.5m3 per cycle. Given that on some products a cycle can be completed in one hour, the units have the capability to handle and process up to 30m3 of sludge per hour. The press can be run 24/7 if required although in the case of very large jobs, most contractors will deliver a semi static unit which can be delivered and operational on the same day. Typically the units will be supplied with 2 operatives for the complete operational period.
In Conclusion, dewatering filter press services offer the fantastic benefit of both a cost saving and an environmental solution. It is a service offered globally and certainly a service worth contracting.
