Process:

The process consisted of dewatering of a primary settling basin for a large chemical plant using a Recess Chamber press.

Problem:

How to maximize production and still produce dry cakes (45 to 50%) solids

Resolution:

• Tested several emulsion polymers on R-meter and pilot recess chamber press to confirm results.
• Established appropriate polymer makeup equipment and appropriate dilution rate for optimum conditioning with the primary sludge.
• Ran full scale pilot tests with appropriate mixing energy for sludge conditioning with the polymer.
• Full scale operation scaled up well from the pilot test and produced very dry and hard cakes. (45% to 50% dry solids)

Serendipity:

• Cakes as dry as sludge treated with ferric chloride and lime.
• Slightly more production per run than just the lime and ferric calculated out.
• For this particular sludge, as short a cycle time as ferric and lime treatment.

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