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SLUDGE DEWATERING: THE CAPE TOWN PERSPECTIVE
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE Presented by: KEVIN FAWCETT Date: Tuesday, 4th September 2007
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INTRODUCTION Past experience was that sludge disposal would look after itself The reality that sludge handling could possibly account for as much as 50% of operating costs was ignored Many WWTW in Cape Town relied entirely on sludge lagoons and sludge drying beds as the primary option for sludge dewatering In 1995 the then Cape Town City Council approved the installation of plant to effect sludge thickening, dewatering and thermal drying of the sludge at Cape Flats WWTW, some 20 years after the WWTW was commissioned
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Cape Flats WWTW: 200 Ml/day
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Original drying beds
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CFWWTW: Sacrificial land disposal
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CFWWTW: Sludge Management Options
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CFWWTW: Sludge solids mass balance
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Estimate of operating costs for each option: 1995 Costs
Process Description Rand/ton # 1 Disposal(Vissershok) 2229 2 Dewatering/composting/disposal(Vissershok) 854 3 Dewatering/drying(60%DS)/composting/disposal(Swartklip) 741 4 Dewatering/drying(60%DS)/disposal(Swartklip) 683 5 Dewatering/drying(90%DS)/disposal(Swartklip) 622 6 Digestion/dewatering/composting/disposal(Swartklip) 534 7 Pre-thickening/digestion/dewatering/composting/disposal(Swartklip) 506 8 Dewatering/disposal(Vissershok) 448 9 Dewatering/private disposal 382 10 Digestion/dewatering/drying(90%DS)/disposal(Swartklip) 327 11 Digestion/dewatering/drying(60%)/composting/disposal(Swartklip) 315 12 Pre-thickening/digestion/dewatering/drying(60%DS)/composting/disposal(Swartklip) 294 13 Pre-thickening/digestion/dewatering/drying(90%DS)/disposal(Swartklip) 295* 14 Digestion/dewatering/disposal(Swartklip) 273 15 Digestion/dewatering/drying(60%DS)/disposal(Swartklip) 269 16 Pre-thickening/digestion/dewatering/disposal(Swartklip) 260 17 Pre-thickening/digestion/dewatering/drying(60%DS)/disposal(Swartklip) 250
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CENTRIFUGES SLUDGE THICKENING & DEWATERING
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DEWATERED SLUDGE INLET
PELLETS OUTLET DRYING DRUM DEWATERED SLUDGE INLET THERMAL DRYING PLANT
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Process Considerations when selecting centrifuges
Anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge prior to dewatering could present problems with respect to Struvite precipitation Screening of sludge is necessary to prevent accumulation of fibre in the centrifuge bowl Installation of tungsten carbide tiles should be a necessity if the feed sludge is in any way abrasive
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Struvite
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ANAEROBIC DIGESTED SLUDGE
4 to 5% Dry Solids
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STRAINPRESSES - REMOVAL OF FIBRE AND FOREIGN OBLECTS FROM SLUDGE
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Strainer Boxes Lifting chain 6mm perforations
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Centrifuges can be problematic
Poor operation, grit and fibre in sludge Not following the suppliers operating and maintenance instructions
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Tungsten Carbide Wear Tiles
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Centrate & sludge cake inspection Points
Regular wear check profiles of the scroll are essential
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Macassar WWTW
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Wildevoelvlei WWTW
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Incorrect belt tensioning
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Foreign objects between belts
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Roller failure
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Roller failure due to poor manufacture
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In a number of instances old established technologies are still appropriate
Biofilter Plant
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However the same does not apply to activated sludge plants- high sludge production rates
Winter sludge disposal costs = R0,75m
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Conveyance of dewatered sludge cake: What is the appropriate technology?
Screw Conveyors: Centreless or Shafted Progressive Cavity Pumps The following slides indicate some short comings and problems and where conveyors are appropriate
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Where sludge storage silos are not required, conveyors and skips are appropriate
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Accessibility for maintenance
Failure of silo screw conveyors= empty the silo
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Old versus upgrade version
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Sludge cake transfer to disposal skip
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Where do we go from here?
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Athlone WWTW: Anaerobic digesters/ drying beds
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Possible Solution? Progressive Cavity Pump
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Dewatered cake and silo pumps
Can insert a knife gate valve for installation at the base of sludge storage silo Advantage = In the event of repairs to pump can isolate silo without having to empty it
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Level sensors Pumped discharge
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Proposal for ATHLONE WWTW
Progressive cavity pumps Centrifuges
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Conclusion Have we made the correct decision – time will tell
What ever dewatering technology is selected it is essential that the appropriate operating and maintenance skills are in place before the plant is commissioned Consider the possibility of entering into a maintenance agreement with the equipment supplier to ensure sustainability of the equipment All Metro’s and Municipalities have between them a multitude of varied experiences in the wastewater industry, both good and bad – it is time that we engaged in open discussions with each other to learn from each others experiences and hopefully the selection of the “appropriate technology” will become easier.
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