Application of Filter Press in Tap Water Sludge Treatment

The sludge in the waterworks mainly comes from the flushing water of the sedimentation tank and the filter, and the sludge is generated by the dosing reaction. Its composition is complex and needs to be treated to meet the standards before discharge. The filter press is a very efficient solid-liquid separation equipment when treating tap water sludge. It is widely used in water treatment plants and industrial wastewater treatment processes. The following are some key points about the filter press treating tap water sludge.

Characteristics of Tap Water Sludge

High moisture content: initial moisture content is usually above 95%.
Small particles: particles in sludge are usually fine, which can easily cause filter cloth clogging.
Complex composition: may contain aluminum salts or iron salts (from flocculants), organic matter, and a small amount of inorganic impurities.

Process of Tap Water Sludge Treatment

Pretreatment stage
Flocculation sedimentation: Add flocculants (such as polyacrylamide, and polyaluminium chloride) to promote the flocculation of solid particles in the sludge and improve the dewatering performance.
Adjust pH: Ensure the sludge reaches the optimal dewatering state through chemical adjustment.

Dehydration stage
Feeding: The pre-treated sludge is transported to the filter press through a slurry pump.
Pressing: The hydraulic system operates, and the filter press applies pressure to the sludge to squeeze out the water in the sludge.
Filtrate discharge: The filtrate is discharged through the filter cloth, collected, and processed later.
Mud cake formation: The remaining solids form a filter cake, and the moisture content can be reduced to about 60%.

Subsequent treatment
Sludge cake transportation: The dehydrated mud cake can be transported directly.
Resource utilization: Some sludge can be used as soil improvement material or raw building material.

Key Points for Selecting Filter Press

Processing capacity: Select a filter press of appropriate specifications according to the amount of sludge produced by the water plant to meet the processing needs.

Filter cloth material: In view of the characteristics of fine particles in tap water sludge, select filter cloth materials with strong water permeability and anti-clogging, such as polyester or polypropylene filter cloth.

Automation degree: Filter presses with high automation (such as fully automatic chamber filter presses) can effectively reduce manual operations and improve efficiency.

Operation cost: Select equipment with low energy consumption and easy maintenance to reduce long-term operating costs.

Treatment Precautions

Clean the filter cloth regularly: prevent the filter cloth from clogging and ensure the filtering effect.
Control the dosage of the agent: reasonably control the dosage of the flocculant to avoid excessive or insufficient dosage affecting the effect.
Filtrate treatment: The filtrate usually contains a certain amount of organic matter and residual agents, which need to be treated to meet the standards before discharge.

Conclusion

The core of the filter press in treating tap water sludge lies in efficient dehydration and harmless treatment. Through flocculation sedimentation pretreatment, combined with filter press and other equipment, the sludge moisture content can be reduced from more than 95% to about 60%. Selecting the appropriate specifications, filter cloth material, and controlling the amount of flocculant can achieve efficient treatment and resource utilization of sludge. In short, the filter press has significant advantages in tap water sludge treatment and is the best choice for water treatment.

Application of Filter Press in Tap Water Sludge Treatment