Polymer dose prediction for sludge dewatering with a belt filter press

This study was undertaken to examine the polymer mixing requirements for sludge dewatering with a belt filter press. This involved correlating full-scale field studies to small scale laboratory testing. Bench testing involved the use of a high-speed mixer and two sludge dewatering response tests: the capillary suction time test and the time-to filter test. Full-scale testing measured the belt press response to belt speed, sludge throughput, and polymer dose.

Data indicated that the conditioning and dewatering scheme of the three belt filter presses was a low shear, low total mixing energy operation. The Gt, or total mixing energy, of these operations was in the range of 8,000-12,000. Optimal dose predicted by the bench-scale testing correlated well to the optimal dose for maximum cake solids coming off the belt filter press. Also, the amount of water removed from the sludge with the belt press was largely a function of the type of solids present in the sludge and less of a function of the number of rollers or residence time in the press.