EIMCO Belt Concentrator

Sludge Thickener
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FLSmidth’s EIMCO® Concentrators
Operating Principle
The EIMCO® Gravity Belt Concentrator is
based on the principle of solids-liquid
separation enhanced by chemical
conditioning of the solid particles by
either agglomeration of flocculation.
Three sequential unit operations are
included: 1) conditioning of the slurry, 2)
gravity drainage of the liquid from the
solid particles, and 3) a mild pressure
filtration zone to enhance cake solids
discharge.
Chemical Conditioning
Conditioning chemicals are injected into
the slurry through a four tangential inlet
injection ring followed by a variable
orifice venturi type mixer. The tangential
inlet ring and variable orifice venturi
provide even distribution and allow
variable mixing intensity to ensure
optimum utilization of conditioning
chemicals. Efficient chemical utilization
provides low conditioning costs per ton
of dry solids.
Conditioning and Distribution of the
Slurry onto the Gravity Drainage Zone
Following polymer/chemical injection,
the slurry is conditioned in the feed
Compression Filtration Zone
After the gravity zone, a mild
compression zone squeezes additional
liquid from the filter cake prior to
discharge. The compression blanket
consists of an adjustable plate that
presses against the cake, retarding the
sludge, creating a mild pressure zone
prior to discharge. This compression
zone substantially increases dewatering
efficiency.
Filter Belt Cleaning Assembly
After the filter cake is removed from
the media, the filter belt passes
through a totally enclosed spray wash
distribution box. Retention time of the assembly. High-pressure self-cleaning
slurry is approximately 30 seconds in a nozzles blast entrained solids from the
quiescent flow regime to allow further filter media.
enhancement of the floc size and
structure. The smooth weir overflow
feed box evenly and uniformly
distributes the slurry across the full
width of the gravity drainage zone.
Gravity Dewatering Zone
Two gravity dewatering options are
available; 1(a single horizontal belt
gravity zone, or 2) a drum concentrator
followed by a horizontal belt gravity
zone. The horizontal dewatering zone
supports a filter belt media on transverse
polyethylene slide strips. Rigid structural
support of the polyethylene slide strips is
provided by a stainless steel grid
assembly. The polyethylene grid support
allows filtrate to drain through the
media into collection troughs.
Furoughing devices in the gravity
drainage zone plow deposited solid
particles from the filter fabric, allowing
liquid to pass through the media without
the added resistance of deposited solids.
Multiple rows of plows are provided,
and each plow can be raised for cleaning
and filter media replacement.
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Applications

• FLSmidth concentrators can be Typical Performance Results

installed in new or existing plants Feed WT% Thickened Sludge Volume
to thicken sludge prior to Type of Sludge
T.S. Sludge WT% T.S. Reduction %
digestion equipment. Influent to
Pulp and Paper Fiber 1-5 7-15 70-95
the plant and digester can be
Aggregate Concrete Slimes 8-20 30-55 50-60
increased without having to
enlarge the digesters. With
digestion becoming a necessity, Alternatives of FLSmidth’s EIMCO Concentrator
effective thickening ahead of
Clarifier
digestion will become critical. Function DAF Concentrator
Thickener
FLSmidth concentrators are a
Solids Capture Good Excellent Excellent
cost- effective alternative to
reduce the pathogen levels of Sensitivity to Septicity Good Poor Excellent
sludge. Ease of Operation and Control Poor Excellent Excellent
Capital Cost Good Excellent Excellent
• FLSmidth concentrators can be Energy Consumption Poor Fair Excellent
installed in new or existing
Operating and Chemical Cost Fair Excellent Fair
processing plants to economically
dewater aggregate slimes. Where Maintenance Fair Good Excellent
solids content of the cake needs Land Required Good Fair Excellent
to be dewatered to 55-60%, the
EIMCO Concentrator has been Alternatives to FLSmidth’s EIMCO
proven to be an economical Concentrator include Dissolved Air
solution. Flotation (DAF) and conventional
clarifiers/thickeners. In many cases,
• Recovery of aggregate and sand neither of these alternatives can
from spent concrete truck provide the economics of an FLSmidth
washings. concentrator, as shown in the
following table.
• Waste sludge dewatering in Pulp
and Paper mills and foundries.

• Metal filings removal from

re-circulating cooling oil in Metal
Finishing plants

• As a thickening stage in Metal

Plating.

• Thickening sludges prior to

ponding.
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Features

Belt Drive Frame

All components of the drive assembly
are sized to provide an AGMA rating
of at least 1.25. Speed is controlled by
a variable frequency controller
mounted in the system control panel.
The standard drive uses an electric
motor and right angle gear reducer,
which drives the discharge pulley of
the unit through a chain and sprocket
assembly. An optional drive consists of
a hydraulic motor powered by the
system hydraulic package. This option
requires a slightly larger system
hydraulic package but uses fewer
components than the electrical drive.
In applications requiring explosion
proof motors, the hydraulic drive is
less expensive.
Benefits: Standard Electric
Drive
• 10 to 1 variable speed range
• Low maintenance costs
• Fewer mechanical components
• Proven reliability
Bearings
Self-aligning, spherical roller bearings
with seals and end caps have an L10
rating, which exceeds 3,500,000
hours. Bearings are split-case pillow
block design, bolted to the frame. An
optional lubrication manifold can be
supplied
The frame of FLSmidth’s EIMCO
concentrator is constructed of 8 x 4 x 1/4
inch structural tubing with a structural
moment of inertia of 44.5 inches, which
provides an extremely rigid unit.
Professionally certified finite element
analysis and strain gauge tests demon-
strate a safety factor of over 10 at 50 pli
belt tension.
Benefits
• Accurate roll alignment for
excellent bearing and filter belt life
• No worry of frame damage
during shipping, installation,
operation, or maintenance
• No concern with operational
loads being transmitted to
support structure and building
Optional Hydraulic Drive
Benefits:
• 0-100% infinite variable speed
range
• Low installation cost
• Low maintenance Costs
• Proven reliability
• Inherently safer

Benefits
• Minimum maintenance
• Long Life
• Quick, easy replacement
• Standard off-the-shelf bearing,
anchor bolts, nuts and
components

Features (cont.)
Feedbox
Heavy gauge stainless steel is used for
the construction of the feedbox,
which has a smooth overflow weir.
The large volume, baffled bottom
compartment provides a quiescent
flow regime. Transition from the inlet
pipe to the full width of the unit is
smooth, while providing for sludge
conditioning in the feedbox. Feedbox
volume provides for .25 to .5 minutes
retention time for sludge
conditioning.
Benefits
• Excellent sludge distribution
• Maximum utilization of gravity
drainage
• Retention time allows for sludge
conditioning
• No feedbox plugging problems
• No moving components, less
maintenance
• Excellent corrosion resistance
Plows
Multiple rows of plows are provided.
The plow assembly pivots to allow the
plows to be rotated up out of the way
during belt changing or to facilitate
cleaning of the plows. Plow angle can
easily by adjusted to maximize the
furrowing action.
Benefits
• Maximize furrowing action and
hydraulic throughput
• Simplifies maintenance and
cleaning
• Eliminates potential damage of
the filter belt from the plows
5
Gravity drainage Zone
Effective filtration area is the key
factor in maximizing hydraulic
throughput capacity. More filtration
area is provided by the 17-foot long
EIMCO gravity drainage zone than by
any other current design. The filter
belt runs over polyethylene slide
strips, mounted on stainless steel
supports. Individual slide strips can be
easily replaced and are adjustable to
maintain a uniform level slide surface.
Over 100 pounds per square foot of
slurry can be carried on the stainless
steel supports with only a 0.05 inch
center span deflection.
Benefits
• High throughput
• Maximum solids concentration
• Rigid heavy-duty support
structure and slide strips
• Long wear life
• Easy replacement
• Low maintenance costs
• Easy cleanup to reduce sludge
build-up and odors
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Features (cont.)

Sludge Compression Zone Belt Tensioning

A compression zone consisting of a The belt is adjustable by the hydraulic
plate assembly mounted ahead of the system to automatically maintain
discharge roll compresses the sludge proper tension (a pneumatic system is
to express additional liquid prior to available as an option). A hydraulic
discharge. cylinder pivots on the rigid frame,
which assure alignment on the
Benefits tensioning roll. Controls are located
• Maximum sludge thickening on the frame for ease of operation.
• Simple adjustment
• Increased effectiveness Benefits
• Prevents upsets • Off shelf replacement parts
• Easy access for maintenance
Proportional Belt Tracking • Long belt life
Belts are maintained in proper • Low operating cost
alignment by a hydraulic sensor. An • Low maintenance
optional pneumatic system is
available, which operates the same as
the hydraulic design. When lateral
belt movement occurs, a hydraulic
cylinder is proportionally actuated to
extend or retract one end of a pitch
roll. Movement of the pitch roll
changes the alignment of the roll,
causing the belt to shift to the proper
position. The servo-control valves
provide continuous smooth,
proportional control of the alignment
roll, providing trouble-free belt
alignment. All components are easily
accessible for maintenance. A
separate alarm system also senses
extreme mis-alignment, which shuts
down the concentrator.

Benefits
• Accurate alignment
• Long belt life

Features (cont.)
Belt Washing
Continuous washing of the belt is by
high-pressure spray nozzles and
stainless steel manifold. Overspray is
contained inside the wash box by
rubber seals. Self-cleaning shower
spray nozzles with internal wire
brushes are provided. By using filtrate
from the gravity drain zone, wash
water consumption can almost be
eliminated.
Benefits
• Low operating costs
• Maximum performance
• Reduced maintenance
• Maximum media life
• Low water consumption
Rotary Drum Concentrator-
Efficient Dewatering of
Dilute Slurries
Prior to feeding the slurry to the gravity
belt concentrator, a five compartment
dewatering drum can be provided.
Composed of five stainless steel, 4-foot
diameter discs, the drum is supported
by a center shaft with externally
mounted bearings to prevent
contamination from the slurry. Each
disc has an opening offset from
proceeding disc openings to permit
thickening sludge to be retained prior
to flowing into the next disc section.
Rotational speed of the drum
determines the amount of time the
thickening sludge is retained in each
section. Filter media attached to the
drum by retaining clamps permit liquid
to pass while retaining solids. The
7
thickened sludge is discharged form
the fifth disc section to a chute and
into the feed box of the lower gravity
belt concentrator. On dilute slurries
furloughing plows are ineffective
because the slurry lacks sufficient body
to furough. With the rotary dewatering
drum, deposited solids are removed
from the media by the rotating action.
Free liquid passes through the media
without resistance of the deposited
solids. A rotary dewatering drum is
more effective at initial thickening on
dilute slurries than a furoughed
horizontal drainage zone.
A tighter filter media can be used on
the drum to avoid solids loss that can
occur with initial dewatering. A more
open filter media can therefore be
used on the gravity drainage
dewatering belt for enhanced liquid
discharge after the material has been
pre-thickened in the rotary drum.
Benefits
• Handles dilute feeds at maximum
throughput
• Optimizes initial dewater
• Increases efficiency
• 20% increase in hydraulic
capacity per square foot of
filtration area
• Two independent dewatering
zones provide additional freedom
 Rev. 06/2010 al-us
Performance, sizes and dimensions
www.flsmidth.com

Belt Thickener-Filter Press Size A B C D E F G

Package Slashes Dewatering 1.0 M 19’-6” 4’-8” 6’-2” 5’-0” 15’-6” 4’-4” 1’-4.5”
Costs 2.0 M 19’-6” 4’-8” 9’-6” 8’-4” 15’-6” 4’-4” 1’’-4.5”
A new flow sheet for alum-treated 3.0 M 19’-6” 4’-8” 12’-10” 11’-8” 15’-6” 4’-4” 1’-4.5”
water and wastewater sludge
dewatering that combines an FLSmidth When feed solids are increased to the
EIMCO® Gravity Belt thickener and range of 6-8 wt% with a Gravity Belt
Shriver® Filter Press can reduce the Thickener, filtration rates increase by
capital cost of dewatering hardware by 300-400% allowing a proportional
as much as 50% with no reduction in reduction in filter press sizing and
final cake solids concentration. expense. Further savings can be realized
This opportunity exists because filter in the downsizing of feed tanks and
press filtration rates are very sensitive to pumps, and in the lighter structures
feed slurry solids concentration. required to support smaller equipment.
Because cake forms first along the
media lining, each plate chambe, An additional advantage of this
filtrate must be forced through a arrangement is that the effects of Operators of this small wastewater
growing layer of existing cake. With polymer flocculents added to the belt plant opted for pre-thickening
dilute slurries, the production of a thick thickener feed can be visually observed industrial sludge on an FLSmidth
enough cake to ensure trouble-free and immediately adjusted. This allows EIMCO Gravity Belt Thickener prior to
discharge is a slow process. For much more effective and economical dewatering in a Shriver Filter Press. This
example, the filtration rate of typical chemical treatment than is possible resulted in a 50% reduction in filter
alum sludge with 2 wt% feed solids is when polymer is added to the filter press size, and $30,000 net capital
0.08-0.14 lbs./hr/ft.sq. This slow rate press feed. savings on the equipment package. In
combined with heavy hydraulic loading plants with larger sludge flows, much
translates into very large, heavy, greater savings may be expected.
complex and expensive filter presses.

Minerals Processing
Technology Center
FLSmidth Salt Lake City, Inc.
2850 S. Decker Lake Dr.
Salt Lake City, UT 84119
Tel: +1 801 526 2103
E-mail: info.slc@flsmidth.com

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for general reference only and may change any time. Please contact us for specific information or data that may relate to your interest.