Efficient Mechanical Dewatering for Sludge Management

Case Study: Success Story – A Year of Seamless Operation at the Ohio Biogas Plant, USA

At ESMIL, we’re dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that redefine efficiency and reliability in wastewater management. We’re thrilled to share our success story from a Biogas Plant in Ohio where our MDQ Multi-disc Screw Press has been operating for a year. This achievement speaks volumes about the transformative impact our technology can have on your operations.

The Challenge:

The Biogas Plant in Ohio faced several challenges with their previous dewatering equipment, an old centrifuge:

Frequent Failures: The old centrifuge failed too often, resulting in costly repairs and extensive downtime.
High Labor and Engineering Costs: Operating and maintaining the centrifuge required significant operator and engineering labor, increasing operational costs.
Performance Optimization: The plant needed to achieve high capacity, maintain high dry solids content in the cake, attain a high capture rate with low filtrate TSS, and minimize polymer consumption.
Variable Sludge Properties: The continuously changing sludge properties posed a challenge in maintaining a stable dewatering process.
Filtrate Reuse: There was a desire to reuse part of the filtrate for polymer solution preparation to reduce freshwater consumption.

Our Solution:

ESMIL provided a comprehensive solution tailored to the plant’s unique needs:

MDQ-454C Multi-disc Screw Press: Our state-of-the-art, 4-drum, MDQ system, designed for high-performance dewatering, offered the ideal solution.
Filtrate Reuse Feature: We incorporated a filtrate reuse feature, optimizing resource utilization.
Polymer Solution Preparation System: An advanced polymer solution preparation system ensures precise dosing and efficiency.
Dynamic and Static Mixers: Our polymer injection system featured both dynamic and static mixers for thorough polymer blending.
Comprehensive Control System: A fully integrated control system manages the entire dewatering complex, ensuring seamless operation.

The Achievements:

The results speak volumes about the success of our solution:

MDQ Design Capacity: 2450 lbsDS/h, 60 gpm.
MDQ Nominal Capacity: 2950 lbsDS/h, 90 gpm.
Cake Dry Solids: 26 – 32%.
Filtrate TSS: 700 – 1200 ppm.
Minimal Operator Intervention: The MDQ requires minimal operator time, reducing labor costs.
Stability: Our MDQ system operates stably even with continuously changing sludge properties.
Reduced Water Consumption: Freshwater consumption decreased significantly due to the use of about 30% filtrate for polymer solution dilution.

Conclusion:

ESMIL MDQ Multi-disc Screw Press is the ultimate solution for Biogas Plants seeking efficiency and reliability:

High Reliability: Say goodbye to frequent equipment failures and costly repairs.
Clean Filtrate: Our system delivers clean filtrate, crucial for further filtrate disposal steps.
High Dewatering Performance: Achieve remarkable results with high dry solids content in the cake.
Quiet and Vibration-Free: Enjoy a noise-free and vibration-free operation.
Ease of Operation: Our systems are designed for hassle-free operation.

Don’t let dewatering challenges hold your operations back. Join the ranks of satisfied customers who have experienced the ESMIL advantage. Contact us today to explore how our MDQ Multi-disc Screw Press can revolutionize your wastewater management. Efficiency is not a goal; it’s a guarantee with ESMIL.

ESMIL - Case Study - Success Story: A Year of Seamless Operation at the Ohio Biogas Plant, USA

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Case Study: Unlocking Efficiency in Wastewater Management – Esmil’s Dewatering Expertise – Indiana, USA

Case Study: Western Hancock Utilities, Indiana

At Esmil, we pride ourselves on delivering cutting-edge solutions for the most challenging wastewater treatment scenarios. We are pleased to share our success story with Western Hancock Utilities in Indiana, where our expertise in dewatering waste-activated sludge (WAS) made a significant impact on operational efficiency.

Challenge:

Western Hancock Utilities faced the pressing challenge of efficiently dewatering WAS from their oxidation ditch at the wastewater treatment plant. Achieving optimal dewatering results and minimizing polymer consumption were key objectives. The system was sized to handle up to 185 GPM at 1.5% initial DS content waste-activated sludge. The minimum cake DS requirement was 18%.

Solution:

Esmil stepped up to the challenge by offering an on-site pilot test, which allowed us to gather solid data points and identify the most efficient polymer and polymer consumption levels. Our commitment to precision and excellence shone through in every aspect of the project

1 – Pilot Test Success: Our pilot test yielded stellar results, demonstrating our ability to achieve the desired levels of dewatering efficiency and dry solids concentration.2 –
2 – Comprehensive Dewatering Package: Esmil provided Western Hancock Utilities with a comprehensive dewatering solution, including:

Esmil multi-disc dewatering press with advanced controls.
A polymer feeder for precise chemical dosing.
A sludge pump equipped with a flow meter for accurate monitoring.
Two Esmil shaftless screw conveyors to efficiently transport dry cake away from the press discharge to a designated dumpster.

3 – Smooth Start-Up: Our team ensured a seamless and successful start-up of the dewatering system, all completed within the designated timeframe in July 2023.

Results:

Thanks to Esmil’s expertise and state-of-the-art dewatering technology, Western Hancock Utilities achieved all that they required and more at their wastewater treatment plant. Our commitment to data-driven solutions allowed us to optimize polymer consumption, minimizing operational costs while maximizing performance.

Choose Esmil for Your Dewatering Needs:

This success story with Western Hancock Utilities is just one example of our dedication to delivering exceptional results. When you partner with Esmil, you benefit from:

Innovative solutions tailored to your specific challenges.
A commitment to data-driven decision-making for efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Reliable and professional project execution, from pilot tests to start-up.

Esmil is your trusted partner in wastewater management, providing cutting-edge solutions that make a measurable impact on your operations. Contact us today to learn how we can help you optimize your wastewater treatment processes and achieve remarkable results.

ESMIL - Case Study - Unlocking efficienty in wastewater management: ESMIL’S Dewatering expertise - Indiana, USA

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Case Study – Dairy Processing Plant (Pennsylvania, USA)

CAPACITY OF WWTP up to 26,5 m3/day
END USER / CUSTOMER – Dairy Processing Plant (Pennsylvania, USA)
START OF OPERATION – March 2023

At Esmil, we excel at providing tailored solutions that address even the most unique industrial challenges. Our recent success story in Pennsylvania demonstrates our commitment to efficiency, cost savings, and environmental responsibility.

The Challenge:

A processing/industrial facility in Pennsylvania faced a daunting task – dewatering up to 26.5 m3/d of dairy sludge, starting with an initial dry solids content ranging between 3 and 3.5%. Their primary goal was to elevate the dry cake solids to above 15%, significantly reducing the expenses associated with haul out.

Our Innovative Solution:

Esmil stepped in with an approach that perfectly matched the plant’s requirements:

2-Drum Multi-Disc Screw Press MDQ-202CD: With relatively light processing needs, we specified the MDQ-202CD, a compact yet high-performance dewatering solution.
Enclosed Shaftless Screw Conveyor: As part of our comprehensive solution, we included our enclosed shaftless screw conveyor, ensuring smooth and efficient transport of dewatered sludge.

Minimizing Polymer Consumption:

Our solution not only achieved the desired dry cake solids content but also kept polymer consumption to a minimum. Esmil’s MDQ dewatering technology empowers operators to optimize polymer dosing during setup. Operators can control the polymer dosing process. They can visually monitor the flocculation tank and adjust polymer dosing in real time. The operator interface terminal (OIT)T allows for precise adjustments to achieve optimal flocculation. Operators can fine-tune the polymer dose until the perfect flocculation point is reached, ensuring maximum efficiency.

The Outstanding Result:

Esmil’s solution not only met but exceeded the customer’s expectations:

Achieving High Cake Solids: The MDQ-202CD system successfully increased the dry cake solids to above 20%, dramatically reducing haul-out expenses.
Cost Efficiency: Minimizing polymer consumption was achieved without compromising performance, ensuring cost savings and environmental responsibility.
Customer Satisfaction: The customer was completely satisfied with our solution, which was installed in March 2023.

ESMIL_Case Study_Dairy Processing Plant (Pennsylvania, USA)

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Case Study: Modernization of the sludge dewatering complex (Trzcianka, Poland)

CUSTOMER – Municipal Construction Department in Trzcianka
OBJECT – Municipal wastewater treatment plant in Trzcianka
MODEL OF DEHYDRATOR – MDQ 452-С
START OF OPERATION – October 2022

Issue

The wastewater treatment facilities in Trzcianka were built in the 1980s and had a capacity of 2,400 m³/day. The wastewater treatment used the active sludge method, in which the sludge was sent to stabilization chambers and then to sludge clarifiers. The treated wastewater was discharged through a drainage ditch to the Trzcinica River. In 2006-2007, wastewater treatment facilities were modernized and expanded to include both the biological and sludge treatment stages. As a result of these measures, the capacity of wastewater treatment facilities increased to 4000 m³/day. The volume of wastewater received during the year is currently approximately 700,000 m³.

In 2022 Municipal Construction Department in Trzcianka invested significantly in the modernization of both the water supply and sewerage systems and the wastewater treatment facilities themselves. One of them was the modernization of the sludge treatment stage.

The sludge treatment technology at the Trzcianka wastewater treatment facility includes anaerobic stabilization of excess sludge in two separate fermentation chambers (WKF), followed by dewatering and hygienization with lime for agricultural use. Before the modernization, sludge from the WKF chambers with a dry matter content of 1.5-2.5% was sent to the belt filter press, and as a result of dewatering, it was possible to achieve approximately 16% DM in the dewatered sludge.

Due to rising energy prices, the frequency of equipment breakdowns and the high cost of transporting dewatered sludge, the company’s management decided to replace the equipment in the sludge dewatering building with more efficient and cost-effective equipment that provides an automated dewatering process. In search of an optimal solution, the Municipal Construction Department of Trzcianka ordered pilot tests in real conditions on a full-size Esmil MDQ-201 Multi-Disc Screw Dehydrator from PRODEKO-EŁK Sp. z o. o., which is part of the Esmil Group. The tests were positive and promising, and the dewatering technology based on Esmil MDQ Dehydrators convinced the management. In July 2022, a tender was held for the supply, installation and start-up of the Sludge Dewatering Complex based on a Screw Press, which was won by PRODEKO-EŁK, meeting all the Customer’s requirements.

Solution

As part of the modernization, PRODEKO-EŁK Sp. z o. o., a part of the international ESMIL group, supplied, installed and started up the Sludge Dewatering Complex in the autumn of 2022, which included the following equipment:

Mutli-Disc Screw Press Esmil MDQ-452 C
Horizontal Screw Conveyor approximately 2 m long
Inclined Screw Conveyor with a length of approx. 6 m, which partially extends outside the building
Pump for sludge feeding + flow meter
Polymer inlet pump + flow meter
Polymer make-down unit
Macerator pump
Control cabinet of the entire complex with a touch panel

Esmil PRODEKO-EŁK also carried out a comprehensive supply of pipelines and cables for the complex, as well as mechanical and electrical installation of the devices. After the complex start-up and adjusting the equipment’s
operating parameters, the treatment facility operators rated all the advantages of process automation and technology that requires virtually no operator intervention, especially compared to the previously used belt filter press. In addition, the absence of wearing parts, lower operating costs (electricity, washing water, etc.) and a much higher degree of dewatering result in significant savings. It is worth noting that despite the larger amount of sludge processed per day, the overall polymer consumption per month is comparable. The previously used belt press allowed for the processing of approximately 1,300 m3 of sludge per month on average, while the multi-disc screw press MDQ-452 C enabled the processing of approximately 1,700 m3 of sludge per month on average. In both cases, the monthly consumption of the flocculant in the form of an emulsion is approx. 1 m3. A detailed comparison of the operating parameters of both equipment is presented in Table 1.

Table 1: Comparison of the previous belt filter press and the Multi-Disc Screw Dehydrator Esmil MDQ-452 C

	Belt Filter Press	Multi-Disc Screw Dehydrator Esmil MDQ-452 C
DM content in the incoming sludge	1,5 – 2,5 %
Hydraulic flow capacity	~ 6,5 – 8 m3/h	8 – 15 m3/h
Dewatering performance	~ 97,5 – 200 kg DM/h	120 – 375 kg DM/h
DM content in dewatered sludge	~ 16 %	18 – 22 %
Reduction of sludge volume	6-10 times	9-14 times
Polymer dosage	15-19 kg/t DM	12-15 kg/t DM
Amount of polymer used in emulsion form per 1 m3 of sludge	≈ 0,8 l	≈ 0,6 l
Sludge processing per month	1200 - 1400 m3	1700 - 1800 m3
Electricity consumption	8,7 kW	4,2 kW
Washing water consumption	10 m3/h	0,2 m3/h

The advantages of using the Sludge Dewatering Complex based on Esmil Multi-Disc Screw Press MDQ:

better sludge dewatering, due to the reduced volume of sludge, which means less storage space is required and transportation costs are reduced;
more dewatered sludge per day;
less use of polymer, washing water and electricity;
no parts that wear out quickly;
does not require maintenance;
automated process.

ESMIL - Case Study - Modernization of the sludge dewatering complex (Trzcianka, Poland)

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Case Study: Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (Bridge City, TX, USA)

MODEL OF DEHYDRATOR – MDQ-354(2) CL
START OF OPERATION – 2020 June

Issue

In the plant sludge drying beds for sludge dewatering were used. This method required lots of labor and constant maintenance. Due to this reason, the customer was looking for the efficient and minimal maintenance solution.

Solution

On-site pilot tests were carried out, using mobile dewatering unit MDQ-201, to find the best dewatering technology. According to the test results Esmil offered sludge dewatering complex based on Multidisc Screw Press Dehydrator MDQ-354(2) CL. The complex includes – influent sludge feed pump, polymer feeder, three screw conveyors and service platform.

Type of sludge	aerobically digested excess sludge
Operating time	up to 8 h/day, 3 days/week
Unit sludge capacity	up to 9 (18) m³/h up to 320 (400) kg DS/h
Inlet sludge DS content	3.5 %
Cake DS content	approx. 22-23 %
Polymer consumption	14.6 l/tonDS
TSS concentration in filtrate	200 ppm
DS capture rate	99.4 %

*in case of adding two additional dewatering drums.

ESMIL - Case Study - Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (Bridge City, TX, USA)

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Case Study: Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (Webster, Texas, USA)

MODEL OF DEHYDRATOR – MDQ-354 C
START OF OPERATION – 2018 August

Issue

The customer had an interest in reducing sludge disposal costs in their municipal wastewater treatment plant by obtaining lower maintenance costs and lower energy consumption. The plant treats wastewater from nearby residential areas and numerous local restaurants and generates about 120 gallons of aerobically digested sludge from their digesters per minute.

Solution

On-site pilot tests were carried out, using mobile dewatering unit MDQ-201, to find the best dewatering technology. According to the test results Esmil offered sludge dewatering complex based on Multidisc Screw Press Dehydrator MDQ-354 C. The complex includes – macerator, polymer feeder and service platform.

Type of sludge	aerobically stabilized excess sludge
Operating time	9-10 h/day, daily
Initial sludge capacity	20 m³/h 310 kg DS/h
Inlet sludge DS content	1.3-1.5 %
Cake DS content	16-18 %
Polymer powder consumption	8.8 g/kgDS
TSS concentration in filtrate	70 ppm
DS capture rate	up to 99.7 %

ESMIL- Case Study - Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (Webster, Texas, USA)

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Case Study: Soapberry WWTP (Kingston, Jamaica)

MODEL OF DEHYDRATOR – MDQ-353 C
START OF OPERATION – 2020 February

Issue

Soapberry WWTP located near Kingston Harbour has been operated since 2004. Biological wastewater treatment process is based on wetland lagoons. The WWTP has not previously had any sludge processing equipment, therefore since the start-up of the plant lagoons have been gradually filled with dry solid particles. As a result, sludge accumulation had impact on biological process efficiency, because of the reduced effective volume of the lagoons. For this reason, customer was looking for the solution to clean the bottom of the lagoons and process the sludge.

Solution

The lagoons cover an area of nearly 6 km². Bottom sludge from the lagoons is removed by remote controlled dredger supplied by Dragflow. For this reason, Esmil offered Mobile dewatering complex based on Multi-disc Screw Press Dehydrator MDQ-353 C. The complex includes mechanical screen, sludge tank, influent sludge feed pump, polymer solution preparation unit, polymer dosing pump, water tank, water pump and screw conveyors. All the equipment is mounted on the common platform. The complex can be fitted in a standard 40’ container or on a trailer, which allows an easy relocation.

Type of sludge	biologically digested lagoon sludge
Operating time	up to 23 h/day
Initial sludge capacity	10-15 m³/h
Inlet sludge DS content	2-3 %
Cake DS content	approx. 23-26 %
Polymer powder consumption	1-2 kg/tonDS
TSS concentration in filtrate	100 ppm
DS capture rate	more than 99 %

ESMIL- Case Study - Soapberry WWTP (Kingston, Jamaica)

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Case Study: Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (Argentia, Newfoundland, Canada)

MODEL OF DEHYDRATOR – MDQ-102 C
START OF OPERATION – 2019 November

Issue

The customer was looking for a low-cost, yet reliable and easy to operate solution for sewage from a construction site of an offshore platform treatment.

Solution

Project was carried together with our partner MABAREX. Esmil offered Multi-disc Screw Press Dehydrator MDQ-102 C, which is the part of the containerized wastewater treatment plant.

Results

Type of sludge	excess activated sludge from MBR
Operating time	6-10 h/d
Unit sludge supply	0.5-1 m³/h
Inlet sludge ds content	0.5-1 %
Cake DS content	15-17 %
Polymer consumption	5 kg/ton DS
TSS concentration in filtrate	20-100 ppm
DS capture rate	more than 98 %

ESMIL - Case Study - Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (Argentia, Newfoundland, Canada)

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Case Study: KB Bioenergy, inc. (Akron, OH, USA)

TYPE OF INDUSTRY – Renewable energy
MODEL OF DEHYDRATOR – MDQ-354 CL
START OF OPERATION – 2020 January

Issue

The customer was looking for a solution to replace one of the three existing centrifuges as well as to increase dry solid content, reduce energy consumption and improve operation.

Solution

On-site pilot tests were carried out, using mobile dewatering unit MDQ-201, to find the best dewatering technology. According to the test results Esmil offered sludge dewatering technology based on Multi-disc Screw Press Dehydrator MDQ-354 CL together with service platform.

Results

Type of sludge	anaerobically digested sludge
Operating time	23 h/day, 6 days/week
Unit sludge supply	up to 78 gpm up to 3,276 lbDS/h
Inlet sludge ds content	8.4 %
Cake ds content	26.5 %
Polymer consumption	16.5 lb/ton DS
Tss concentration in filtrate	350-500 ppm
Ds capture rate	up to 99.4 %

ESMIL - Case Study - KB Bioenergy, inc. (Akron, OH, USA)

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Case Study: Guggisberg Cheese (Sugarcreek, OH, USA)

TYPE OF INDUSTRY – Dairy products
MODEL OF DEHYDRATOR – MDQ-353 C
START OF OPERATION – 2018 December

Issue

The customer had an interest in reducing sludge disposal costs in their industrial wastewater treatment plant by obtaining lower maintenance costs and lower energy consumption. The plant treats industrial wastewater from a nearby cheese factory and generates about 15,000 gallons of activated sludge from their MBR system per day.

Solution

Results

Type of sludge	aerobically stabilized MBR sludge
Operating time	8 h/day, up to 5 days/week
Unit sludge supply	up to 12 m³/h up to 230 kgDS/h
Inlet sludge ds content	2%
Cake DS content	approx. 18-20%
Polymer consumption	4.0 g/kg DS
TSS concentration in filtrate	50 ppm
DS capture rate	99.7%

ESMIL - Case Study - Guggisberg Cheese (Sugarcreek, OH, USA)

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