Sludge Treatment and

Disposal

Screen

Primary
treatment
Skim
Grit
chamber and
settle
solids

Secondary
treatment
High Purity Oxygen
activated sludge process
Chlorination

Settled biomass
Methane
Blend

Solids
processing

Thicken

Heat

Centrifuge

Anaerobic
bacterial
digestion

Puget
Sound

Primary Settling Tank

(Photo by Tom Simpson, MAWP)

Secondary treatment: settling clarifiers & activated sludge aeration

basin (Photos by Tom Simpson, MAWP)
3

Sludge Types
Primary sludge
3 to 8% solids
About 70% organic
material

Secondary sludge
Consists of wasted
microorganisms
and inert
materials
About 90%
organic material
0.5 to 2% solids

Tipikal Karakteristik Sludge

Sludge Treatment
Thickening
Separation of as much water as possible by
gravity or floatation
Stabilization
Conversion of organic solids to more inert forms
by digestion, (so that they do not create odor or
cause oxygen demand)
Conditioning
Treatment with heat or chemicals so that water
can be more easily removed

Ilustrasi Reduksi Volume akibat

peningkatan Kadar Padatan

Sludge Treatment.
De-watering
Separation of as much water as possible
by vacuum, pressure or drying
Volume Reduction
Conversion of organic solids to more inert
forms by wet oxidation or incineration

Opsi Sludge Treatment

Sludge

Thickening

Digestion

Dewatering

Incineration

(Co-)
Composting

Dewatering

Landfill

Land Application

Sludge Treatment:
Thickening
Flotation
Especially effective
on activated sludge
Increases solids
content from 0.5 1% to 3-6%
Primary
Sludge
Secondary
Sludge

Gravity thickening
Best with primary
sludge
Increases solids
content from 1-3%
to 10%

Gravity Thickening
Further processing
Flotation

Thickening
Gravity Belt Thickener
(From: http://frontiertech.simplenet.com/
FTIgravitybelt.htm)

Flotation

Gravity Thickener
(From: http://www.thomasregister.com/
olc/dorroliver/sedi.htm)

Sludge Stabilization

Aerobic Digestion
Extension of activated
sludge
Accomplished by
aeration of sludge then
followed by
sedimentation
Supernatant goes back to
head of plant (high in
BOD, TKN, total-P)
Treated sludge is 3%
solids

Anaerobic Digestion
2 stage: acid
fermentation followed
by methane production
Advantages:
produce methane
do not add oxygen
As with aerobic
digestion, supernatant
goes to head of plant

Stabilization -- Aerobic

Aerobic Digestion

Stabilization -- Anaerobic
*CO2 + 4 H2 CH4 + 2 H2O
*CH3COOH CH4 + CO2

*Sludge transformed to H2 and CH3COOH by fermentation

Anaerobic digester microbiology

1. Extracellular hydrolysis (e.g. cellulase)
2. Fermentation leading to organic acids (VFAs),
acetate, CO2 and H2
3. Fermentation leading to acetic acid (CH3COOH),
H2 and O2
4. Methanogenesis leading to CH4,CO2 and H2O
Stabilization
Reduce pathogen content
Reduce odors
Complete VFA production and conversion
Volatile solids reduction (about 60%)
Gas production (70% CH4, 30% CO2) (anaerobic
only)
18

19

Sludge Treatment:
Conditioning

Chemical
Conditioning

Add lime, ferric

chloride, or alum
Can also add
polymers
Chemicals are
added just prior to
de-watering stage

Heat Treatment
High temperatures
(175-230 oC)
High pressures (10 to
20 atmospheres)
Advantages
bound water is released
and sludge is easily
dewatered

Disadvantages
complex process
highly concentrated
liquid stream

Sludge De-watering
Sludge Drying
Beds
Most popular
method
Simple
Low maintenance
Effected by
climate

Vacuum Filtration
Cylindrical drum
covered by mesh or
fabric - rotates into
partially submerged
vat containing
conditioned sludge
Apply vacuum to
pull out water
Achieves 15-30 %
solid content

Sludge De-watering
Belt Filter Press
Forces out water by essentially squeezing
water between two moving filter belts
Apply pressure to pull out water
Achieves ~19 % solid content
Lower energy consumption than vacuum
filters
Does not have problems with sludge
pickup like vacuum filters

Sludge Volume Reduction

Incineration
Complete
evaporation of
water from sludge
Requires fuel
Solid material is
inert
Exhaust air must
be treated prior to
discharge

Wet Oxidation
Treated sludge is
wet
Requires energy
Solid material is
inert
Exhaust air must be
treated prior to
discharge

Volume Reduction: High Temperature

Fluidized Bed Incineration

(From: http://www.
infilcodegremont.com/)

(From: http://www.unep.or.jp/CTT_DATA/WATER/
WATER_4/html/Water-173.html

Sludge Disposal
Method depends on regulations
Land Spreading

lawns, gardens
agricultural land
forest land
golf courses and other public recreational
areas

Municipal Solid Waste Landfill

Utilization in other materials