WOULD YOU USE A CLARIFIER OVER A FILTER PRESS AND WHERE DO SLUDGE DRYERS COME IN?
Well the short answer is that you generally would not use a
clarifier over a filter press. They
would be used sequentially. The
clarifier provides step one of the solids settling process while the filter
press condenses the accumulated solids.
In a clarifier, the solids settle into a slurry by gravity
feeding the wastewater from the top of the unit directed to the bottom through
an underflow weir. The water would flow back
up through the inclined parallel plate pack and the solids settle in the bottom
cone(s) as thickened slurry.
The solids from the clarifier are then either pumped into a
holding tank to allow additional settling or directly from the bottom clarifier
cone into a filter press. Utilizing a
sludge thickening tank is generally accepted procedure as this will allow the
operator more time and options to run the filter press.
When the solids have settled into thickened slurry, they are
then pumped into the filter press via a diaphragm pump. A filter press is used anywhere there is a
need to separate heavy solids from a liquid.
Once the slurry is compressed in the filter press, a filter cake is
formed and the water that gets pumped out of the press can go back through to
the system for further treatment to ensure complete compliance.
The clarifier and filter press combination drastically
reduce sludge disposal costs by reducing the sludge volume.
If you want to reduce volume even further, you can add a
sludge dryer at the end of the process.
It will take filter press cake and dry it to a consistency of kitty
litter. In some cases, sludge can be
reduced by as much as 4:1.
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