Introduction
Due to the nature of their operations, dairy plants are required to comply with strict hygiene regulations and safety standards applicable to food production. Technological processes in dairies involve intensive water usage, particularly for cleaning installations, tanks, and equipment. As a result, technological wastewater with a high content of organic substances – including fats and proteins – is generated.
Effective dewatering of the sludge produced during the treatment of such wastewater is crucial. It significantly reduces the costs associated with its transport and disposal, thereby contributing to the overall optimization of the wastewater treatment process.
MDQ series multi-disc screw press – an effective solution for sludge dewatering in the dairy industry
The newly established pre-treatment wastewater facility at a dairy plant in Ukraine was seeking a solution to ensure proper sludge management. The project’s general contractor – our long-standing client and a globally recognized provider of technological solutions for the water and wastewater industry – once again chose an Esmil screw press for the task. Following a thorough analysis of the input data, the MDQ-202C model was selected for implementation.
Design specifications
The sludge generated from the wastewater treatment process at the dairy plant in question is a mixture of DAF sludge and excess biological sludge, with an average dry solids content of 3%.
According to the requirements provided by the client, our task was to design and deliver a device capable of meeting the following performance criteria:
- Hydraulic capacity: 1.2 m³/h
- Mass throughput: 36 kg DS/h
- Guaranteed dry solids content in the dewatered sludge cake: 20 ± 5%
Results
The MDQ series multi-disc screw press once again demonstrated its high efficiency. During the commissioning phase, the unit operated reliably – even under mass loading conditions more than twice the levels specified in the design. Additionally, the incoming sludge had a TSS content of 6.4% (moisture content of 93.6%), which is over twice the expected 3% dry solids.
Achieved performance parameters:
- Hydraulic throughput: 1.2 m³/h (in line with design specifications)
- Mass throughput: 76.8 kg DS/h (more than double the projected rate)
- Dry solids content in sludge cake: 22.38%
- Suspended solids content in filtrate: 0.62% (separation efficiency: 99.38%)
Left: Parameters of the feed sludge (TSS content at 6.4%) Right: Dry solids content in the sludge cake after MDQ press (22.38%)
Separation efficiency
Summary
The project for the dairy plant in Ukraine serves as yet another proof that the MDQ series multi-disc screw press is an effective solution for sludge dewatering in the dairy industry. The device not only met all the design specifications but also demonstrated its effectiveness under conditions far exceeding the original assumptions (with more than double the expected mass load).
With stable operation, high dewatering efficiency, and ease of operation requiring minimal operator supervision, the MDQ press is the ideal choice for plants seeking modern and efficient sludge dewatering technologies.
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