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Sewage sludge conditioning with polyelectrolytes

Emily Ferreira & Prof Japie Schoeman
japie.schoeman@up.ac.za
Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Pretoria
Problem statement
Not much information is available regarding Results
the optimum dosage for sewage sludge Filtrate clarity
conditioning with polyelectrolytes in a belt
press at local waste water treatment plants. 400
Objectives Simfloc 08

Turbidity (Ntu)
300
1. Determine the optimum dosage for sludge
dewaterability and filtrate clarity for each of Simfloc 09
the sludge conditioners (polyelectrolytes). 200
Flowpam 356
2. Identify best performing polyelectrolyte.
100

0
Experimental 2 3 4 5 6 12
Polyelectrolytes tested
Dosage (mg/g)
• Simfloc 08, Simfloc 09 and Flowpam 356.
•Sewage sludge collected from the Filtrate clarity from the simulated belt press
Olifantsfontein waste water treatment plant. as a function of polyelectrolyte dosage
Sludge dewaterability will be determined by
means of a Capillary Suction Time (CST)
apparatus. Conclusions
Filtrate clarity determined by means of a • Simfloc 09 best performing
simulated belt press and turbidity meter. polyelectrolyte for sludge
dewaterability and filtrate clarity.
Results
Solids content of sewage sludge: 3% (mass Optimum dosages
percentage). Simfloc 09
Sludge dewaterability • Sludge dewaterability CST = 18.4 s
• Filtrate clarity = 23 NTU
300 Simfloc 08
Simfloc 08
250 • Sludge dewaterability CST = 17 s
200 Simfloc 09 • Filtrate clarity = 30 NTU
CST (s)

Flowpam 356
150 Flowpam
356 • Sludge dewaterability CST = 15 s
100 • Filtrate clarity = 37 NTU
50 Reference
0 Olivier, V and Vaxelaire J (2006), “
0 2 3 4 5 6 12 Conditioning with polyelectrolytes in a
belt press.” Drying technology, 24,
Dosage (mg/g) 1225-1233.

Sewage sludge dewaterability as a function

of the polyelectrolyte dosage