5 Key Benefits of Mechanical Dewatering for Industrial Applications

Dewatering is essential in many industries, including wastewater treatment, manure processing, and food. It separates water from slurries and sludges, making them easier to transport and handle. Several mechanical sludge dewatering techniques are available, including belt filter presses and centrifuges. These technologies can significantly reduce sludge disposal costs charged on a weight basis.

Improved Water Quality

Dewatering increases treated water quality by removing many solids and contaminants. It also reduces sludge volume, making it easier to transport and dispose of. The dewatered sludge is often reused in wastewater treatment or sold as a soil conditioner. This significantly reduces the environmental impact of sludge disposal. Mechanical dewatering methods like belt presses separate sludge into liquid and solid parts. They do so by gradually squeezing the sludge between opposing belts held in place by rollers. Using full-scale equipment during pilot testing provides accurate design and performance data. This allows users to determine the maximum solids loading of the dewatering machine and the polymer feed rate, press pressure, filtrate volumes, and solids concentrations.

Reduced Energy Consumption

Dewatering is often used on construction sites to remove the excess water and make it easier for workers to move around. This is particularly important in excavations and tunneling to prevent waterlogging in the soil.

Mechanical dewatering utilizes mechanical forces such as pressure or centrifugation to separate the water from the solids. This technique is effective for various industrial applications, including wastewater treatment, mineral processing, and mining. Mechanical dewatering can be done using a variety of machines, such as belt presses and filter presses. These devices use mechanical pressure to dewater the sludge, leaving behind a dry, cake-like product that is easy to transport or store. This process can be much cheaper and more efficient than thermal processes for water removal. This makes it an excellent option for large-scale operations.

Reduced Waste

Mechanical dewatering removes water from a slurry to reduce the volume of waste and produce a dry solid product for transport, storage, or disposal. This can save on costly waste removal or treatment services that are charged based on the weight of wet waste. Belt presses and centrifuges are standard mechanical dewatering methods. They separate sludge (residual sludge from wastewater treatment plants or fecal sludge from on-site sanitation such as septic tanks or pit latrines) into liquid and solid parts. The liquid part can be disposed of in a landfill, composted, or incinerated, while the solid part is often buried on-site.

Increased Productivity

Dewatering reduces the volume of wastewater sludge, making it easier to transport or dispose of. It also increases the efficiency of post-treatment processing, such as thermal drying, resulting in energy savings and reduced costs. Mechanical dewatering separates sludge into solid and liquid parts using belt filter presses, screw presses, or centrifuges. The sludge can then be landfilled, gasified for energy generation, or sold as a nutrient-rich fertilizer. A rotary drum vacuum filter (RDVF) is the least expensive option.

Increased Profits

The mechanical dewatering process can help reduce costs by removing the need for costly flocculants and a workforce. This allows for savings that can be reinvested into the operations of the wastewater plant or recycled back into the production process. Mechanical dewatering equipment uses mechanical forces like vacuum or centrifugal motion to separate water from solids. This can reduce waste disposal costs for facilities that pay on a weight basis. Sludge dewatering is one of the most efficient ways to reduce disposal costs. This reduces sludge volume and makes it easier to transport, store, or dispose of. This also reduces the need for settling ponds and saves energy used in heat-drying processes. It also reduces transportation costs, as the dry cake is more compact and lighter to transport.