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A Comparative Study of Sludge Dewatering Units for Sludge Management

Saleh Al-Muzainia
a
Environment Sciences Department, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Safat, Kuwait

Online publication date: 02 November 2004

To cite this Article Al-Muzaini, Saleh(2005) 'A Comparative Study of Sludge Dewatering Units for Sludge Management',
Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 39: 2, 473 — 482
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 JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH
Part A—Toxic/Hazardous Substances & Environmental Engineering
Vol. A39, No. 2, pp. 473–482, 2004

A Comparative Study of Sludge Dewatering Units

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for Sludge Management

Saleh Al-Muzaini*

Environment Sciences Department, Kuwait Institute for

Scientific Research, Safat, Kuwait

ABSTRACT

A comparative study of three different types of municipal sludge dewatering unit

was performed including sludge dewatering, centrifuge, and sand drying bed. The
purpose of that was to examine the capability of each dewatering unit for
dewatering municipal sludge at the Jahra treatment plant. The testing program
was performed to select the most feasible and effective unit under local
conditions. From the experiment approach, it was clear that the application
results of various dewatering units were different and depends entirely on the
basic properties of each unit. It has been also found that mechanical dewatering
units can operate and are the most feasible and effective to reduce the large
quantities of sludge as a treatment byproduct.

Key Words: Sludge dewatering; Belt filter; Centrifuge; Mechanical dewatering;

Sand dry bed.

*Correspondence: Saleh Al-Muzaini, Environment Sciences Department, Kuwait Institute

for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat 13104, Kuwait; E-mail: smuzaini@safat.
kisr.edu.kw.

473

DOI: 10.1081/ESE-120027538 1093-4529 (Print); 1532-4117 (Online)

Copyright & 2004 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. www.dekker.com
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474 Al-Muzaini

INTRODUCTION

The Jahra treatment plant was built in 1981 and serves the western and eastern
side of the city of Jahra. The Jahra city is located about 15 km to the west of Kuwait
City. The Jahra plant was designed to treat 70,000 m3/d of sewage. Current studies
show that the plant is receiving about 55,000 m3/d of sewage (MPW, 2000). The
sludge produced by the plant is sent after treatment directly to drying beds. There are
30 drying beds and they are able to dry about 100 m3 of sludge. The drying beds in
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the plant are being fully used and it is apparent that the plant will require 3–4 times
the existing drying capacity area when it becomes fully operational. Lack of
sufficient area in the vicinity of the plant restrict the expansion of existing sand-
drying beds which lead to the generation of odors especially during summer causes
public annoyance and complains of headaches. Generally, municipal wastewater in
Kuwait is of high strength and is often septic because of low flows, long retention,
and high temperature.[1–3]
Sand-drying beds are less complex, easier to operate, and require less operational
energy than mechanical dewatering systems. They easily produce a sludge cake with
25 to 46% solids and can exceed 60% solids with additional drying times.[4–6]
Although the sand drying beds currently use and produce a satisfactory
dewatered sludge, pilot tests on two mechanical systems were conducted to compare
their efficiency with the existed sand dry units. Equipment tested included belt filter
unit and centrifuge unit. Reynold[7] showed that the dewatered sludge content by
mechanical dewatering depends primarily upon the nature of the sludge, its original
solid content, and whether or not a polymer is used.
Steel and McGhee,[8] Al-Layla et al.,[9] TCBFP,[10] and Innocenti[11] have all
shown that municipal sludge has liquid, organic, and inorganic solids content.
Mechanical dewatering units, such as the belt filter and centrifuge are used to remove
the liquid and to increase solids contents. Novak et al.[12] reported that use of the
polymer was found to be important in the mechanical dewatering processes.
The purpose of the this article is to compare results of a testing program in
term of performance capabilities of a belt filter, centrifuge, and sand dry unit for
dewatering municipal sludge at the Jahra treatment plant. The following presents a
summarized comparison of the pilot-testing program undertaken at the Jahra
facility.

Sand Dry Bed

Sand-drying bed processes found early applications in wastewater to dewater

sludge but their use declined with wide-scale use of mechanical units. Sand beds are
usually used for small industrial or community waste treatment plants. The sludge
can be dewatered on open or covered sand beds. The method is very simple and
requires minimum operator attention. They also require considerable amounts of
land and are subject to such uncontrolled variables as rainfall, temperature,
humidity, and drainage rate.
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A Comparative Study of Sludge Dewatering Units 475

Process Description

The sludge drying bed unit has dimension of 25 m by 15 m. It consists of a 40 cm

thick layer of sand over 20 cm of graded gravel. The sand has a uniformity coefficient
of not more than 40 and an effective grain size of 0.3 to 0.75 mm. A network of
buried pipes collects the filtrate that percolates through the sand and gravel. The
buried pipe includes 10 cm lateral subdrains that connect to a single 15 cm main
subdrain for each cell. The subdrain pipes are 50 cm long sections of asbestos cement
pipe with open joints. A piece of tar paper is placed on the top of each open joint to
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prevent material from falling into the pipe. The filtrate from the subdrains flows via
a 20 and 25 cm drainage sewer to a manhole upstream of the treatment plant, where
it repeats the treatment process. Sludge that remains on the top of the sand bed is
solidified by the percolation of water downward into the sand and also from
evaporation from the surface of the sludge. The sludge can be dried in nine days in
the summer and within 15 days in the winter, and produces a cake of up to 40%
solids. The schematic layout of a sand dry bed is shown in Fig. 1.

Performance

The study at the Jahra Plant was conducted for approximately a year. Samples
were collected from a representative dry bed. The collected samples were analyzed
for moisture content, oil and grease, sand content, and alkalinity. Samples were also
analyzed for heavy metals and bacteriological indicators.
The lead, nickel, copper, cadmium, and chromium levels in the dried sludge were
determined using the graphite furnace of a Shimadzu (model 680) atomic adsorption
spectrophotometer.
Parameters such as total coliform, fecal coliform, and salmonella were selected
to monitor the level of pollution in the dry sludge in the Jahra plant. The total
suspended solids and volatile suspended solids were measured. Total oil and grease
content were determined by Horbia Ocma—200 (Japan).
Sample preparation and analyses were conducted according to the standard
methods for the examination of water and wastewater.[13]

Dry Sludge Characteristics

Monthly samples were collected and analyzed to determine the physical and
chemical characteristics of dry sludge produced at the Jahra plant. The results are
presented in Tables 1 and 2. Oil, grease, and sand content in the sludge are above the
typical values, which are 15 and 70 mg/L respectively. It is well-established that the
high sand content in the sludge is due to sandy storms during summer. The sludge in
Jahra is of high-strength oil and grease because the highest organic content flows
into domestic sewage.
The amounts of total suspended solids and volatile suspended solids are high.
This suggests that the Jahra plant always receives high concentrations of suspended
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Figure 1. The schematic lay out of a sand dry bed.

Al-Muzaini
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A Comparative Study of Sludge Dewatering Units 477

Table 1. Physical characteristics of sludge produced at

the Jahra plant.

Parameter Concentration

Solids in wet sludge (%) 3.6

Moisture (%) 15.6
Oil and grease 510.0a
Sand content 20.0a
Alkalinity (CaCO3) 4.0a
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Total suspended solids (TSS) 7,599b

Volatile suspended soild (VSS) 4,933b
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 1.10b
Chlorides (Cl) 400.0a
Phosphate (PO4) 0.80a
Total coliform 160.0c
Fecal coliform 300.0c
Salmonella 150.0c
a
As mg/g dry.
b
As mg/L.
c
As colonies/g dry basis.

Table 2. Chemical characteristics of sludge at the Jahra treatment plant

compared with typical values.

Concentration Pollutant concentration Ceiling

(monthly average) allowable concentrations
Pollutant (mg/g) (mg/kg) (mg/kg)

Arsenic NM 41 75
Cadmium 0.6 39 85
Chromium 20.0 1,200 3,000
Copper 110.0 1,500 4,300
Lead 70.0 300 840
Mercury NM 17 57
Molybdenum NM N/A 75
Nickel 45.0 420 420
Selenium NM 36 100
Zinc NM 2,800 7,500
TKN 1.9 N/A N/A
NHþ 4 -N NM N/A N/A
NO3-N NM N/A N/A

N/A—not available, NM—not measured.

solids, which may cause septic conditions in sewers. The presence of high
concentrations of solids in the sludge indicates low dewaterability and high specific
resistance to filtration. Reduction of volatile solids is recommended to help reduce
odor problems and pathogenic exposure.
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478 Al-Muzaini

The analysis of heavy metals showed that the levels of Cd (0.001 mg/kg), Cr
(0.02 mg/kg), Cu (0.110 mg/kg), Pd (0.070 mg/kg), Ni (0.04 mg/kg), Cl (400 mg/g
dry), and phosphate (0.80 g/g dry). No sludge samples showed any significant
concentrations of heavy metals, and the detected levels in most cases were below
the recommended levels for controlled sludge disposal. The dry sludge was also
analyzed for TKN (0.002 mg/kg); however, the levels of TKN were below
international levels.
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Comment

Operation of the sand dry bed unit is satisfactory. However, there are several
areas which, may need improvements such as shortening the exposure time and
adding chemicals as a conditioner. As can be seen by slow drying, a vacuum-assisted
dry bed system for dewatering should be installed as an appropriate technology for
sludge dewatering.

Belt Filter Press

The Belt Filter Press unit was developed in the 1960 s and receives considerable
attention by municipal authorities. The description of process unit which has been
used for this study is shown in Fig. 2 (P.E. Trading, SDN and BHP, Malaysia).

Figure 2. Schematic diagram of the belt filter unit.

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A Comparative Study of Sludge Dewatering Units 479

Process Description

The unit consists of two belts forming a closed loop around a series of metal
rollers. These rollers can be adjusted in a manner that brings the belts closer and
closer. The belts are driven by a variable speed motor, which allows the belt speed to
be adjusted. Both the belts and rollers are fixed on a stainless steel frame. The sludge
enters the unit and flows between the belts, which forces the liquid out of the sludge
by compression. The dried sludge is discharged and the belts pass through a series of
sprays for cleaning. In addition, a polymer-mixing tank is mounted on a stainless
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steel frame. Polymer No. 7633-1 and sludge feed pumps and necessary piping are
provided.

Performance of Belt Filter Unit

Conditioning of wet sludge was necessary to achieve satisfactory yield from the
belt filter unit. Conditioning of the sludge was allowed to drain the water freely. In
addition, the belt speed and roller pressures were adjusted to obtain the desired cake
solid content. For a small plant, such as Jahra Plant, the dewatering unit was run 3
wk to one month.
The performance of the belt filter can be measured in terms of the yield of solid
on a dry weight basis expressed as percent. The quality of the produced cake was
measured by its moisture content on a wet weight basis expressed as in percent. In
this experiment, the unit was operated at highest performance so that it could
produce a cake that could be separated easily from the filter with high solid content.
Table 3 presents the performance testing program of the belt filter. A design rate of
13.10 content kg/m2/h is estimated for this type of filter and is based on experimental
output.

Comment

It is relatively simple to operate and it operates in a continuous mode. The

results of tests were representative of what could be expected. If the unit put on a full
scale, it will behave quite good without any problems in operation.

Table 3. Performance of belt filter.

Before After Dewatered

Experiment dewatering dewatering TVS sudge Yield
No. TSS (mg/L) TSS (mg/L) (mg/L) % Solids (kg/m2/h)

1 0.004 10,000 6,000 19–23 12.98

2 0.005 10,850 6,200 19–24 13.70
3 0.006 12,000 6,400 20–25 13.10
4 0.005 11,000 7,200 18–25 13.25
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480 Al-Muzaini

Centrifuge

Various types of centrifuges are used for solid–liquid separation in municipal

fields for over 50 years. Improvements in the centrifuge equipments have resulted
excellent results for dewatering of the municipal sludges. Recently, centrifuges are
becoming more known and have been utilized widely for sludge dewatering.

Description of Unit
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The most widely used centrifuge for wastewater sludge treatment is the solid
bowl or decanter type with electric motor drive. The machine consists of a
cylindroconical rotor that rotates between two bearing blocks supported by a base
frame and includes a decantation bowl, screw conveyor, and a speed reducer. The
unit is driven by horizontal axle double electric motors. The screw conveyor driven
by the speed reducer turns at slightly higher speed than the bowl.
Polymer No. 7633-1 was added to the sludge and mixed thoroughly before the
treatment. In general, mixed sludge and polymer is fed into a rotating mechanism
that separates it into a dense cake containing the most solid discharge stream and a
dilute central stream containing the remaining fine density solids. Figure 3 presents a
diagram of the centrifuge unit (Scientific Supply House Company, Germany).

Performance of Centrifuge Unit

During the testing program, the testing operating parameters of the centrifuge
unit were varied systematically achieve the driest percentage of dry cake. Table 4
presents data on centrifuge performance. The performance of the unit was

Figure 3. Centrifuge unit.

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A Comparative Study of Sludge Dewatering Units 481

Table 4. Centrifuge performance.

Description Unit Value

Loading kg/min 4.97

Dewatering sludge % solids 19–20
Concentrate solids mg/L 11,000
Polymer dosage mg/L 3–4
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satisfactory during the test period. The unit produced approximately 19–20% solids
from a feed line containing 0.005 mg/L solids or 1.2% solids.

Comments

Operation of the centrifuges is satisfactory. It was noted that the unit was able to
increase the solids content of sludge which will reduce the handling costs. The produced
sludge was quite dry, and it will lend itself more ready to applications for reuse.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Comparative pilot plant testing for municipal sludge dewatered was conducted
including a belt filter, centrifuge, and sand drying bed unit. The main objective of the
testing program was to examine the capability of each dewatering equipment for use
in Kuwait. The results of comparative study of municipal sludge dewatering
equipment can be summarized as follows.
Belt filter unit was operated at a loading of 13.10 kg/m2h, producing an average
cake solid of 20–25%. Centrifuge unit was operated at loading rate of 4.97 kg/min,
producing average cake solid of 20%. Polymer no. 7633-1 was selected and showed
high effectiveness for sludge produced at the Jahra plant. The suitable dosage was
estimated to be 3.5 mg/L. Sand drying beds was operated and produced about 4 m3
of sludge per cell, with 25–40% solids and can exceed 60% solids with additional dry
time. From the achieved results showed that sand drying beds are inadequate to
handle the projected sludge production. The centrifuge produces a cake that appears
very dry compared with belt filter. The polymer type and quantity for both belt filter
and centrifuge almost identical. From the data collected, more extensive testing is
required to determine the best unit that could meet the Kuwait public works
requirements for sludge dewatering.

REFERENCES

1. Samhan, O.; Ghobrial, F. Trace metals and chlorinated hydrocarbons in sewage

sludge of Kuwait. Wat. Air Soil Pollut. 1987, 36, 239–246.
 ORDER REPRINTS

482 Al-Muzaini

2. Al-Muzaini, S.; Smhan, O.; Hamoda, M.F. Sewage related impact on Kuwait’s
marine environment: a case study. Wat. Sci. Tech. 1991, 23, 181–189.
3. Tomar, M.; Abdullah, T.; Abdullah, J. Effect of aeration on generation and
emission of hydrogen sulfide in wet wells lifting stations. Wat. Air. Soil. Pollut.
1995, 81, 385–399.
4. Hammer, M.J. Water and Wastewater Technology; John Wiley and Sons Inc.:
New York, USA, 1975.
5. Eckenfelder, W.W., Jr.; Santhanam, C.J. Sludge Treatment. Pollution
Engineering and Technology; Series No. 14, Marcel Dekker, Inc.: New York,
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1981.
6. EPA. Process Design Manual for Dewatering Municipal Wastewater Sludges,
Report No. EPA-625/1-82-014; US Environmental Protection Agency, 1982.
7. Reynold, T.D. Unit Operation and Processes in Environmental Engineering;
California Brooks, Cole Engineering Division: New York, U.S.A., 1982.
8. Steel, E.; McGhee, T. Water Supply and Sewage; McGraw Hill: New York,
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9. Al-Layla, M.; Ahmed, S.; Middlebrooks, E. Handbook of Wastewater Collected
and Treatment; Garland STPM: London, 1980.
10. TCBFP. Belt filter press dewatering of wastewater sludge. Task committee on
belt filter presses. Journal of Environmental Engineering 1988, 114 (5),
991–1007.
11. Innocenti, P. Techniques for handling water treatment sludge. American Water
Works Association 1988, 14 (2), 1–4.
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13. APHA. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 19th
Ed.; American Public Health Assoc.: New York, 1995.
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