Sludge treatment: Why is it important?
One of the essential issues for the development of society and for respecting the environment is the access to a proper sludge treatment to guarantee the minimum impact on the environment. Sludge is a mixture of water and solids produced in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP).
When we treat wastewater, a large amount of sludge is generated. The treatment of this sludge is regulated under specific legislation and, once treated, it can be used as fertilizer for the agricultural industry.
Sludge treatment
There are 3 main sludge treatment stages, which are mentioned below:
- Thickening.
It reduces the volume of sludge, eliminating water and increasing the concentration of solids. The main goal is to improve the efficiency and economic optimization of subsequent processes. There are different types of thickening:- Gravity thickening.
- Thickening by flotation.
- Mechanical thickening.
- Stabilization.
The purpose is to reduce pathogens, remove smells and reduce or eliminate the decomposition capacity of the OM. There are different stabilization processes:- Biological stabilization. This process is divided into: aerobic stabilization, thermophilic aerobic stabilization, composting and anaerobic stabilization.
- Chemical stabilization. This is an alternative to the previous stabilization. The goal is to reduce or minimize pathogens and reduce odor-causing microbes.
- Conditioning. Sludge with a gelatinous density makes drying operations difficult. In these cases, a previous conditioning is carried out to improve the characteristics of the sludge for its dewatering.
- Dehydration. This process is used to reduce the moisture content of the sludge and its volume. Its main goals are:
- Increase the dry matter content to 3-40%.
- Decrease transportation costs due to volume reduction.
- Improve the use and transport of sludge.
- Avoid smells.
DAGA, specialized in water purification and treatment systems
At DAGA we work to achieve the best wastewater treatment by betting on innovation and processes that respect the environment, as well as ensure public health.
If you are interested in knowing more about water treatment you can visit our blog.
