Brief description of MDQ-T Sludge Thickener

MDQ technology adapted for thickening is a new way to concentrate sludge from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants. Esmil Tsurumi MDQ-T multi-disc screw press thickeners are reliable, productive and space-saving equipment while consuming a minimum amount of energy, water and reagents, as well as requiring minimal operator’s and maintenance personnel’s attention.
Thickening is a process of increasing the concentration of sludge before subsequent processes, as well as a multiple (5-10 times!) decrease in its volume. As a rule, the moisture content of the initial sludge is 98.8-99.8%, sometimes 96.5%. The moisture content in the thickened sludge is usually 92-95%, sometimes up to 84%. Thickening allows:

• Increasing the concentration of sludge (activated sludge, wastewater treatment sludge) before dewatering, thereby increasing the capacity of the dehydrator and/or using smaller dehydration equipment. Dewatering with preliminary thickened sludge can help in achieving lower cake moisture content.
• Providing desired sludge concentration before the target technological process, for example, fermentation.

Scope of MDQ-T Esmil Tsurumi screw press thickeners

MDQ-T screw press sludge thickeners can be used in the following industries:

• Utility service wastewater treatment facilities;
• Biological treatment facilities of industrial enterprises;
• Wastewater treatment facilities;
• Biogas production.

We have a pilot unit, which is equipped with all auxiliary equipment and allows pilot testing at the customer’s site. The terms and conditions for such works are agreed upon the receipt of a request for testing.

Technical and technological advantages of Esmil MDQ-T Sludge Thickeners

• High performance with low reagent consumption. Sludge treatment with the use of reagents is carried out in a mixing reactor. The flocculant’s dose set by the operator is monitored by the automation system and maintained in real-time continuously. With the aid of an agitator with a frequency controller and visual control, it is possible to set the required hydraulic control for the best flocculation. As a result, high effectiveness of thickening is achieved with minimal reagent consumption (1-3 g/kg, depending on the type and concentration of initial sludge). Optionally, the screw sludge thickener is equipped with a dynamic mixer, which increases the mixing intensity at the stage of mixing the reagents with the sludge. Further flocculation is determined by the hydraulic conditions in the reactor. This option in most cases allows the unit’s performance increment.
• Effective thickening, handling of difficult sludge, low operating costs. The Esmil MDQ-T screw press sludge thickener is designed by adapting the MDQ dehydration drum. For efficient dehydration, the spacing between the movable and fixed rings have been changed, the screw profile has been changed, and the dehydration drum is installed at an angle. Thus, the MDQ-T possesses all the advantages of the MDQ technology: low energy, wash water and reagents consumption, low concentration of suspended solids in the filtrate, long service life of mechanical parts, the ability to work with oily and complex sludge, compactness, low noise level, inability to form aerosols indoors.
• Versatility. As practice has shown, this design can work quite effectively also in the dehydration mode. Thus, the screw press dehydrator can perform dewatering during scheduled maintenance or repair of the main dehydrator, or for other process needs. The wetnessresurce of the sludge at the outlet is 95-84% depending on the concentration and type of the initial sludge.
• Ease of use and repair. The equipment requires only periodic monitoring of the technological process and washing. All parts are easily available for service. As a rule, the replacement or repair of any assembly, even the drum, can be carried out on its own. The unit does not contain complex hydraulic and pneumatic or high-speed unit systems, there is no precision mechanisms and the machine does not require the involvement of highly skilled workers. Reliability of design, corrosion resistance. The equipment is made of AISI304 or AISI316 stainless steel. The drum rings are made exclusively from 3 mm sheet steel (no plastic). On the rim, the screw has hard wear-resistant metal welding. This is slow-speed equipment, and as a result, it has a very long lifetime and does not generate vibrations. The dehydrator uses high-quality components.
• Auxiliary equipment. To set up a comprehensive technological complex, one machine is not enough. Esmil Tsurumi MDQ-T screw press thickeners are supplied complete with auxiliary equipment – sludge and flocculant pumps, flow-meters, macerators, conveyors, flocculant solution preparation stations, level sensors, tank mixers, etc.
• High level of equipment automation. All Esmil equipment is fully automated. This ensures:
  – Timely switching on/off pumps, mixers, preparation of reagents;
  – The ability to adjust the speeds of drives, the time of their turning on/off;
  – Adjustment of the initial sludge flow when switching from one performance mode to another, as well as with performance changing; maintenance of proportional dosing of the reagent;
  – Alarms related to errors with a full description of the issue;
  – Issuance of operation signals using standard protocols to higher-level automation systems.