Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Sludge Treatment and Disposal Process
I. Source, Nature and Treatment of Sludge

II. Sludge Thickening and Digestive Stability
III. Sludge Conditioning, Dewatering and Drying Incineration
清华大学环境学院
水处理工程第II篇生物处理技术与原理
Water and Wastewater Treatment Engineering
Section 1 Source, Nature and Treatment of Sludge
I. The Source of Sludge
• Screenings: grid or mesh, trash-like, little amount, landfill or incineration;
• Scum: aerated grit chamber or secondary sedimentation tank surface, may contain oil,
little amount, treatment with sludge;
• Sediment: grit chamber, large-proportion inorganic particles, little amount, landfill;
• Primary sludge: inorganic-based, large particles, easy to corrupt smelly, may contain
eggs and pathogens, the main target of sludge treatment;
• Secondary sedimentation sludge: the remaining sludge, organic, high moisture content,
easy to corrupt smelly, difficult to dewater, the main target of sludge treatment;
• Chemical sludge: after chemical treatment, besides suspended solids in raw
wastewater, sediment produced by chemicals, easy for dewatering and compaction.
II. Nature Indicators of the Sludge
Moisture
Solid Volatile Solids
Content
Toxic and
Dewatering
Hazardous
Performance
Substances
1. The Water Content and Solid Content
• Moisture content is the percentage of water content in the sludge.

• Solid content is the percentage of solid content or dry sludge.
• Lower moisture content (higher solid content) will greatly reduce the amount of
wet sludge (sludge volume);
• When the moisture content changes, the volume of wet sludge can be
approximated by calculating.
• In general: moisture content> 85%, the sludge is flow-like;
moisture content is 65 to 85%, the sludge is plastic-like.
moisture content  65%, the sludge is in solid state.
2. Volatile Solids
• VSS usually represents the amount of organic matter in the sludge.
• The higher organic content is, the worse the sludge stability is.
3. Toxic and Hazardous Substances
• Sludge contains a certain amount of N (4%), P (2.5%) and K (0.5%) and can serve as a
fertilizer to some extent.
• Sludge contains bacteria, viruses, parasites eggs, etc., Treatment is necessary prior to
the application;
• Sludge may also contain heavy metals.
4. Dewatering Performance
• Sludge dewatering performance is related to the nature of sludge, tempering methods

and conditions and so on.
• Before sludge dewatering, pretreatment is required to change the physical and chemical
properties of the sludge particles to destroy its gel structure and reduce its affinity for
water, thus improving the performance of dewatering. This process is called sludge
conditioning or tempering.
• Common indicators: sludge filter specific resistance value (R);
Sludge capillary suction time (CST)
• Specific resistance value (R) – the resistance of unit dry weight filter cake. the greater
its value is, the more difficult the filtration is , and the worse the dewatering
performance is.
III. Moisture Content in Sludge and Its Impact
• Free water (also known as interstitial water): the water exists in gaps of sludge particles
accounting for about 70% of the sludge water, and can be separated by gravity or
centrifugal force;
• Capillary water: exists in capillary of sludge particles, about 20%, and requires a larger
force;
• Adhesive water: the water that adheres to the surface of particles or cells.
• Internal water: exists inside the particles of sludge (including intracellular water)
Selection of sludge teatment method depends on the moisture content of the sludge and final disposal
IV. Sludge Treatment and Disposal Methods
1. Sludge Treatment and Disposal
• Way out: some or all is used, or returned to the natural environment in a certain form;
• Sludge utilization: mainly agricultural or industrial use
• Final disposal method: landfill, incineration, marine delivery, underground delivery
Landfilling: necessary pre-treatment, stabilization treatment;
• Incineration: a significant volume of reduction, sterilization; strict exhaust gas treatment,
high operating costs;
• Delivery: underground caves, abandoned mines, deep well, ocean, etc. - Has gradually
been banned!
2. The Pre-treatment Process of Sludge Disposal
Dewatering Concentrating
and Drying
Conditioning
Stabilizing
Adjustment
3. The Basic Flow of Sludge Treatment and Disposal
Dosing
Conditioning
Influent
Aerobic or Centrifugal Incineration

Anaerobic Dewatering
Gravity
First Digestion
Thickening
Treatment Vacuum Land
or Filtration Disposal
Flotation Heat
Secondary Thickening Treatment Filter Press Lightering
Treatment
Dewatering Sea-delivery
Wet Sludge
Oxidation Drying Beds Compost
The Supernatant
Reflux
Waste Concentrate Stabilization Dewatering or Final
Water Drying Disposal
Use of Urban Sludge and Final Disposal
Direct use: raw cooked) sludge mixed with fertilizer
Sludge
Agricultural fertilizer Sludge compost: compost alone or mixed with garbage
use
Sludge Direct use: mixed with grain
feed
Indirect use: vermiculture
Dry sludge particles: Fuel blending, sludge dry distillation

Use and final
disposal of Sludge combustion fly ash; Cement additives
Industrial
sludge
use Sludge bacterial protein: Manufacture of plastics and other proteins
Sludge gas: Fuels and chemical raw materials
Sludge landfill: Direct landfill, cooked sludge landfill, sludge ash landfill
Final
disposal
Sludge sea-delivery
Section 2 Sludge Thickening and Digestive Stability
I. Sludge Thickening Process
• Objective: to reduce the moisture content and volume of the sludge, and to
reduce the cost of post-treatment;
• Thickening objects: free water in sludge
• Main methods: gravity thickening method, flotation thickening method and
centrifuge thickening method.
1. Gravity Concentration
Intermittent Sludge Thickener
Sludge Entering
清华大学环境学院 Supernatant Sludge Tubes

Continuous Sludge Thickener
Gaobeidian Wastewater
Treatment Plant Sludge
Thickener
2. Flotation Concentration Method
• Suitable for sludge

with density close to 1,
drainage or prone to
bulking
• Pressure dissolved
air flotation
Flotation Concentrate Process Pumps - Dissolved Air Compressor Systems
1, Gas Tank; 2, Pressure Pump; 3, Air; 1, Back Water; 2, Pressure Pump; 3, Air
4, Outflow; 5, Pressure-reducing Valve; 6, Thickened Sludge; Compressor;
7, Flotation Concentrate Tank; 8, Scraping Machinery 4, Saturation Vessel; 5, Pressure Gauges;
6, Pressure Relief Devices; 7, Release Valve
3. Centrifuge Thickening Method
• Because of the different density between solid and liquid, the different
centrifugal forces in high-speed rotation make the two separated;
• Continuous work. HRT is only a few minutes. The solid containing rate of
sludge output is more than 4%.
II. Sludge Digestion Stability
• Sludge stabilization: organic matter in the sludge is converted into stable organic or inorganic
• Commonly use biological stabilizing method, but there are also the physical and chemical
stabilizing methods.
Biological Stabilization Approach
• Sludge Anaerobic Digestion

• Sludge Aerobic Stability
1. The Sludge Anaerobic Digestion
Schematic Diagram Of The
Conventional Digester
Biogas
Methane Gas
Chamber
Scum layer
Supernatant Layer Supernatant

Raw
Sludge
Reaction Layer
Ripe
Cooked Sludge
Layer Sludge
Schematic Diagram of The High-speed Digester • Free water (also known as interstitial
water): presents in the sludge with
heating and stirring device;
• Shorten the HRT, to improve the
biogas production, in the temperature
(30 ~ 35 ℃) conditions, the general
digestion time is about 15 days, with
stable operation;
• However, high-speed stirring makes
sludge in digestion tanks un-
thickened, and supernatant can not be
清华大学环境学院 separated.
Schematic Diagram Of Two –staged

Digester • Two stages are
connected, the first stage
is a high-speed digester,
the second stage is not
for stirring and heating,
but for concentration and
precipitating, thickening
and storage, and the
supernatant can be
separated.
• The ratio of the two HRTs
may be 1: 1 to 4: 1,
typically 2: 1
2. Sludge Aerobic Stability - (Aerobic Digestion)
• Reduction of volatile solids in sludge is close to anaerobic digestion method;

• Oxygen energy consumption is high and operating cost is high;
• Only suitable for small-scale wastewater plant;
• Mechanism is endogenous respiration: C5H7NO2 + O2 → 5CO2 + NO3- + 3H2O + H+
• Only about 80% of the cells can be oxidized, the remaining 20% are not biodegradable
• Air aerobic digestion, pure oxygen aerobic digestion
Section 3 Sludge Conditioning, Dewatering,
Drying and Incineration
I. Sludge Conditioning
Dosing Conditioning Method
• Add inorganic or organic conditioning agent with electric charges to the sludge to start
chemical reaction on the surface of sludge liquid particles. Neutralization of electric charges
takes place on the particle surface, so the water is freed, while the sludge particles are
agglomerated into large particles floc, which causes the specific impedance of the sludge (or
CST) to reduce.
• The conditioning effect is related to the type of conditioning agent, dosing quantity and
environmental factors.
1, Conditioning Agent
The most effective and cheapest is iron salts:
FeCl3·6H2O, Fe2(SO4)·4H2O, FeSO4·7H2O, Polymer Ferric Sulfate
Inorganic Conditioning (PFS)
Agent Aluminum Salt:Al2(SO4)2·18H2O、AlCl3、Al(OH)2·Cl, Aluminium
Polychlorid(PAC)
Often associated with iron salts and lime: When pH> 12, it can provide
Ca (OH)2 floc.
Organic Conditioning
Cationic Polyacrylamide, commonly used in the belt filter press
Agent
2, Determination of the Dosage of Conditioning Agents
Organic Conditioning Agent

Ratio Inorganic Conditioning Agent
(10²m/kg）
Cationic Polyacrylamide (‰)

Dosage (kg/L) Aluminium Polychlorid(%)
3, The Effect of Conditioning Factors
Varieties
Sludge of
Conditio
Nature ning
Agent
Water
Temperat
Dosage ure
pH Value
Dosing
Sequence Mixing Of
Sludge And
Of Conditioni
Conditioni ng Agent
ng Agent
II. Sludge Dewatering and Drying
• Objective: to remove the large amounts of water in sludge, reduce the size and weight;
• After dewatering, drying treatment, moisture content of sludge is decreased from 90%
to 60-80%, and the volume is 1 / 10-1 / 5 of the original.
• Natural drying usually adopts dry bed;
• Mechanical dewatering usually adopts frame filter press, belt filter press, centrifugal
dewatering machine.
1, Natural Drying Sludge Drying Bed
• natural evaporation and

infiltration;
• moisture content is up to 65%;
• for small and medium-scale
wastewater treatment plants
2, Mechanical dewatering
• In western European countries, the sludge dewatering process is 69.3% of the

total, in which mechanical dewatering accounts for 51.4%, and natural drying is
16.9%, other is 1%;
• The main mechanical dewatering includes: drum centrifuges (21.7%), frame

filter press (15.8%), belt filter press(11.4%), and vacuum filter(2.5%).
2, Dehydration Machinery
Vacuum Filter
• First used in mechanical sludge dewatering;

• Intermittent operation, large infrastructure investment, low
Frame Filter Press
filtration capacity;
• But solids content rate of its cake is high, filtrate is clear,
chemicals demand is small.
Frame Filter Press
Filter Chamber
Plate Frame
Plunger
Hydraulic Cylinders: Power
Remove the Cake after Pressure Release
10
Frame filter diagram
Seal Fixed Filter Cloth Spout Feed Chute
Cloth
Filter Plates
Partition Liquid Filtration Lateral view
Filter Plates Cloth
Frame
Dry Sludge
12
Frame Filter Press
Water and Wastewater Treatment Engineering 13
2, Dehydration Machinery
• the result of the development of synthetic organic polymers

(polymer flocculant);
Belt Filter Press • continuous working, easy to manufacture, simple operation
and management, less ancillary equipment demand;
• Flocculant is expensive, so operating costs are high.
N-PD L "Flexible-type" Filter Press Sludge Process Flow Diagram
1, Feeding
2, Pretreatment Area
3, Filter Cloth
Washing System
4, Drainage Overflow
Pipe
5, Wheels
6, Pinch Roller
7, Guide Pulley
清华大学环境学院 8, Belt Pulley
水处理工程"Flexible
第II篇生物处理技术与原理 9, Filtrate Discharge
type" filter can choose cloth line, turn layout institutions and 10, Filtrate Tray
15 N-PD L a versatile belt filter press.
pretreatment unit, which makes
2, Dewatering Machinery
• Centrifugal force field can reach more than 1,000 times as the
gravitational field;
Sludge Centrifuge
Technology And • Processing capacity is large. The land area for infrastructure
Rotating - drum is small, and operation is simple with high degree of
Centrifuge
automation;
• No or few chemical conditioning agents are required;
• High power cost, but low operating costs.
Centrifuge
Apron
Transmission Worm Roller
Drivers: Spiral
Sludge Inlet
Drum
Dry Solids Filter Pulp
清华大学环境学院 Dry Zone Wet Area

Centrifuge
Dewatering Centrifuge Cake Solid Rate: 70 to 80% Sludge Centrifuge
III. Sludge Drying and Incineration
• The dried sludge, by the dewatered sludge treatment, gets rid of capillary water, adsorbs
water and internal water mostly in sludge, and reduces the moisture content from 60-80%
to 10-30%;
• Sludge incineration is to remove all the adsorbed water, internal water and organic matters
in the dried sludge, so that the moisture content drops to zero, and the sludge is converted
into dust;
• Drying and incineration are reliable and effective sludge treatment method, but its
equipment investment and running costs are very high.

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Chapter 8 Sludge Treatment and Disposal Process

I. Source, Nature and Treatment of Sludge

• Moisture content is the percentage of water content in the sludge.

• VSS usually represents the amount of organic matter in the sludge.

• Sludge may also contain heavy metals.

• Sludge dewatering performance is related to the nature of sludge, tempering methods

Aerobic or Centrifugal Incineration

Dry sludge particles: Fuel blending, sludge dry distillation

Sludge gas: Fuels and chemical raw materials

清华大学环境学院 Supernatant Sludge Tubes

• Suitable for sludge

Flotation Concentrate Process Pumps - Dissolved Air Compressor Systems

Biological Stabilization Approach

• Sludge Anaerobic Digestion

Supernatant Layer Supernatant

Schematic Diagram Of Two –staged

• Reduction of volatile solids in sludge is close to anaerobic digestion method;

Organic Conditioning Agent

Cationic Polyacrylamide (‰)

• natural evaporation and

• In western European countries, the sludge dewatering process is 69.3% of the

• The main mechanical dewatering includes: drum centrifuges (21.7%), frame

• First used in mechanical sludge dewatering;

Hydraulic Cylinders: Power

Remove the Cake after Pressure Release

• the result of the development of synthetic organic polymers

Dry Solids Filter Pulp

清华大学环境学院 Dry Zone Wet Area

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