A METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SOLID PARTICLES FROM A LIQUID

Abstract: The separation of solid particles from liquids, in particular the dewatering and thickening of sludge, a drainage unit (9) being employed. The drainage unit includes a container (10) which is permeable to the liquid, for example is screen-clad, and is immersed in and surrounded by the sludge mass for drainage of liquid from the sludge into the container while solid particles are retained on the outside of the screen. The drainage unit further includes a reject system (14-16, 23, 114) for removal of liquid from the container, and also a flushing system (17-22) for cleaning the screen.

Description: A method and an apparatus for separating solid particles from a liαuid TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for separating solid particles from liquids, such as the dewatering and thickening of sludge produced at municipal and private sewage treatment plants, and sludge deriving from industrial operations. BACKGROUND ART Sludge is always produced in conjunction with the separation of solid particles from a liquid. In today's society, the volumes of sludge produced are on the increase at the same rate as municipal and industrial sewage and waste-water treatment plants are developed and extended. In most cases, the sludge is of a consistency which is visually reminiscent of sewage water. When the sludge must, by some means or other, be transported from the sewage treatment plant, it is vital - for both economical and environmental reasons - that its volumes be reduced as far as is possible. To this end, a number of various methods of approach are employed in sewage treatment plants, for instance by decanting the sludge liquor in sludge pools and sedimentation of the sludge in so-called gravitation thickeners, and separation of the clear-water phase. Despite these measures, the water content in the sludge is often very high, ranging from 95-98%. For more efficient dewatering, some form of mechanical dewatering equipment is, as a rule, required, such as centrifuges, screen belt presses etc. Using such equipment, it is possible to reduce an aqueous content of the 0 sludge to approximately 75-85%, or in other words, the total solids (TS) in the sludge is approx. 15-25%. In the main, such mechanical dewatering equipment is only employed at large-scale sewage treatment plants, because of their prohibitively high cost. The term large-scale sewage treatment plants is here taken to mean such as serve approximately 2000 person equivalents (pe) or more. In smaller sewage treatment plants, the sludge is often collected by a sludge tanker and is transported to a larger sewage treatment plant which is provided with sludge dewatering equipment. The sludge may also be conveyed to a landfill deposit or be spread on fields. However, the restrictions relating to the management and disposal of such sludge have been tightened to such an extent as to create serious difficulties in finding suitable deposition sites and persons who are prepared to take care of the sludge. With this in mind, the method and apparatus according to the present invention, which are both simple and economical in comparison with prior art dewatering equipment, also make for the equipping of small-scale sewage treatment plants to enable such plants to manage their own dewatering operations. OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Hence, the primary object of the present invention is to devise a method and an apparatus by means of which the sludge volumes which are to be transported away from small-scale sewage treatment plants may be reduced. In that the water content of the sludge is reduced (the dry solids content increases) the sludge will be of a more solid consistency, which thereby offers the possibility of transporting the sludge by means of other vehicles than sludge tankers, for example in containers. The sludge may also be mixed with other types of refuse or waste for the production of compost. A further object of the present invention is to devise a method and a dewatering apparatus which functions according to a simple drainage principle and requires a minimum of peripheral machinery, while permitting installation in existing sludge pools and sludge receptacles at sewage treatment plants. These and other objects according to the present invention as are more readily apparent from the following description will be attained by means of a method and apparatus as defined in the appended Claims. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the method according to the present invention, one or more drainage units are placed in a sludge receptacle or pool. The drainage unit essentially comprises a dewatering container which is fitted with a screen, protrudes down into the sludge mass and is surrounded thereby. In this context, liquid is drained from the sludge into this container, while solid particles are retained on the outer face of the screen. The liquid is removed from the container and a level difference is realized between the liquid located in the container and the surrounding sludge mass. This level difference is the sole driving force which is utilized for realizing the dewatering operation. The dewatered, or thickened, sludge is subsequently removed from the sludge container or pool and the screened container is cleaned, when necessary, by flushing by means of a flushing system disposed in the drainage unit. Replenishment of sludge into the sludge container, drainage of liquid from the sludge and removal of the screenings (or reject) from the interior of the container may all be effected simultaneously during a given period of time, until the contents of concentrated, or thickened, sludge in the sludge container begins to reach such a degree that dewatering is decelerated and the sludge container is filled to its maximum level. The present invention also relates to a drainage unit which is suitable for putting the method according to the present invention into practice. The drainage unit substantially comprises a dewatering container which has at least one screened wall and/or bottom and is intended to be immersed in a sludge mass for drainage of liquid from the sludge mass into the container, while solid particles are retained to the desired extent on its outside. It also includes a reject system for removal of liquid collected in the container and for realizing a level difference between the level of the liquid in the container and the surrounding sludge mass. The interior of the container may be in communication with the space above the surrounding sludge. Hence, the level difference is the sole driving force employed for the dewatering operation. The drainage unit further includes a flushing system for flushing the screened surfaces. In many physical applications, it may be desirable to attain as large a screening surface as possible, while limiting the vertical extent of the drainage unit as a whole. This applies, for example, in installations in relatively shallow sludge thickening pools. Furthermore, it may often be of crucial importance that the drainage unit be designed so as to encroach as little as possible on the available volume in the sludge container. According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dewatering container is, thus, designed as a double-walled shell construction which is open at both top and bottom, and is provided with at least one wholly or partly liquid-permeable wall. When the drainage unit is placed in a sludge mass, liquid drains off to the dewatering container formed by the space between the double walls of the shell construction. The container may be of any optional geometric configuration. According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the container .is, however, designed as a cylinder which is open at one end and is provided with a screened jacket, and is placed upright in the sludge mass with the open end above the sludge level. This cylindrical form allows for un.iform dewatering of a large sludge mass about the cylinder without giving rise to concentration gradients. The cylindrical form also makes it constructionally easier to cause the container to withstand the pressure to which it is subjected because of the level difference in and outside the container. The dewatering container designed as a double-walled shell construction may also be of any optional geometric configuration. However, according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shell construction is designed as a double-walled, open-ended cylinder with a screened inner and outer jacket and is placed upright in the sludge mass. The inner and outer jackets are interconnected at at least the downwardly facing end of the cylinder, such that the cavity between the inner and the outer jackets forms an annular dewatering container. This annular configuration allows uniform dewatering of a large sludge mass about and within the annulus. The dewatering container also takes up sl ght volume, in that the interior of the cylinder may be utilized for replenishment of sludge. The thus available screening surface area per unit of height will be considerable, which ensures efficient and effective dewatering even when the sludge level has fallen to the lower regions of the drainage unit. A further advantage inherent in the cylindrical form is that a rotating flushing system will be capable of cleaning the screened surfaces in a particularly efficient manner. Since the dewatering container is provided with an open end above the sludge level, no further measures will be required to equilibriate the air pressure between the interior of the container and the space outside the sludge mass. However, it is also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention to render the container completely enclosed, such that it may be immersed beneath the sludge level in its entirety. In this case, a ventilation means is provided, if necessary, from the interior of the container to the space above the sludge level. Such an embodiment may be advantageous when the sludge container in which the drainage unit is mounted is tall and narrow. The container may also be designed in the form of, for example, an upwardly open cylinder in which only the lower region of the jacket is screened. The upper region of the cylinder will then function as a ventilation to the space above the sludge level. The dewatering process may also be controlled by regulating the pressure in the interior of the dewatering container, for example by the creation of a partial vacuum. The upper, open end of the container may also be provided with a removable lid which may readily be displaced for inspection and maintenance of, for example, the flushing system. The lid prevents aerosols from disseminating from the container in conjunction with flushing of the screened surfaces. The draining unit may be manufactured in section in order, for instance, to facilitate installation in existing sludge catchments or in sludge containers with a narrow opening. The reject system may be designed for pumping of the reject (or screenings) from the dewatering container or for leading off the reject by force of gravity. The dry solids content of the input sludge is often a known quantity and it may be desirable to raise this dry solids content to a predetermined level, for example the sludge volume is to be dewatered until such time as its volume is reduced to a certain proportion of the original. Consequently, the reject system may be preset to discontinue the dewatering process when the desired volume reduction has been attained. For sludge dewatering, one or more drainage units may be disposed in a sludge receptacle, with one inlet for sludge in its pristine condition and a bottom outlet for dewatered sludge. When sludge is to be thickened, one or more drainage units may be disposed in a sludge pool. The drainage units are preferably placed in symmetrical relationship within the sludge pool. Drainage units may, for instance, be installed in existing sludge thickeners at sewage treatment plants. The sludge in the thickener may then be further thickened, which may, for example, be of considerable importance if the sludge is pumped to digestion tanks for digestion and gas formation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS The nature of the present invention and its aspects will be more readily understood from the following brief description of the accompanying Drawings, and discussion relating thereto. In the accompanying Drawings: Fig. 1 is a sectioned side elevation of a sludge container which accomodates one embodiment of a drainage unit according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a detailed view of one embodiment of a liquiα- per eable screened wall to the drainage unit of Fig. 1; . Fig. 3 is a sectioned side elevation of a sludge container whicn acconioddtes a secunu emϋ di ' inent of a drainage unit according to the present invention; Fig. 4 is a detailed view of one embodiment of a liquid- permeable, screened double wall for the drainage unit of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectioned detailed view of yet a further embodiment of a drainage unit according to the present invention; and Fig. 6 is a schematic top plan view of a sludge thickener in which a number of drainage units according to the present invention have been disposed. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the Drawings, in Fig. 1 reference No. 1 relates to a sludge container which in the illustrated embodiment is an open, cylindrical container with a conical bottom region. A sludge container of this type is particularly advantageous for use in the disposition of a drainage unit according to the present invention. The sludge container rests on supporting legs 2 which may be of such height that a container or the like may be placed beneath the sludge container for receiving dewatered sludge. The sludge container may be of sheet metal or glass fibre-reinforced plastic. Affording a light-weight construction as it does, plastic may be of great advantage in many contexts, for example if the container is to be moved from one place to another. Reference No. 3 designates an inlet conduit for pristine sludge, the conduit being led across the upper edge of the sludge container and discharging at the inner wall where the conical bottom region commences. The conduit 3 may also be designed as a divided conduit at the upper edge of the sludge container, so as to counteract syphon effects. As a rule, flocculation chemicals (such as polymer solutions) are added to the sludge to accomplish flocculation which will facilitate the dewatering process. These chemicals are added to the sludge before it is pumped into the sludge container. Consequently, it is of great importance that the flocced sludge be fed into the sludge container as gently as.possible and with the least possible degree of turbulence. Most appropriately, replenishment of the sludge container should be effected from its bottom and/or along its inner wall. Reference No. 4 designates an air bleeder valve and reference No. 5 a branch pipe for sampling the sludge pumped into the container. Reference No. 6 designates an alternative inlet for pristine sludge at the tip of the base cone. Reference No. 7 designates a pump, for example, an eccentric screw pump for pumping sludge by means of a hose which is connected to the inlet 6. The inlet 6 and the pump 7 may also be employed for pumping out dewatered sludge from the sludge container. At the tip of the base cone, there is disposed a bottom outlet 8, provided with a valve, for tapping off dewatered sludge. The bottom outlet may also be connected to various types of discharge apparatus for sludge, for example a screw conveyor or a pump. If difficulties are experienced in removing the sludge from the sludge container, a so-called floating screw may be installed in the conical section of the container. In the sludge container, there is disposed a drainage unit 9 which, in the illustrated embodiment, consists of an upwardly open cylinder 10 with a screened jacket 29. As is more readily apparent from Fig. 2, the screened jacket is constructed from a relatively large meshed supporting lattice 11 which, in its turn, rests upon reinforcements of profiled steel 12. A screen 13 is mounted on the outside of the lattice. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the screen may consist of fabric or of a mesh of plastic material such as polyester resin, polyamide, polypropylene or PTFE, but perforated stainless steel plates or metal sheeting may also be used. Depending upon the type of sludge involved, the sieve gauge of the screen may vary from one micron to 6 mm. However, for most applications, a gauge of between 0.5 and 2 mm would seem to be most appropriate. The bottom of the dewatering container 10 is sealed and tightened by rigid material to give body to the construction. However, the bottom may also be provided with a draining function, i.e. may be of the same construction as the walls of the container. The container 10 is mounted centrally and concentric¬ ally in the cylindrical sludge container. The upper, open end of the container is in communication with the space above the sludge, such that the same air pressure will prevail over the liquid in the container 10 as over the surrounding sludge in the container 1. Dewatering is accomplished solely on account of the level difference which is maintained between these containers. The container 10 extends down through the sludge container and may also project a distance down into the conical bottom region of the sludge container such that this region may also be utilized for dewatering. To permit undisturbed discharge of dewatered sludge, a certain space must, nevertheless, be left between the bottom of the container 10 and the bottom of the sludge container 1. Since both the sludge container 1 and the container 10 are cylindrical and are disposed in concentric relationship with one another, the dewatering flow paths in the surrounding sludge will be of equal length throughout, and, as a result, concentration gradients may be avoided. A reject outlet conduit 14 extends from the bottom region of the container 10 out through the sludge container. A level pipe 15 is connected to the reject outlet conduit, extends to a height which equals the maximum filling level of the sludge container, and is open at its upper end. Valve-fitted reject outlets 16 are disposed at different heights along the level point. By selection of the reject outlet 16, the dewatering process may be extended to a predetermined level and a desired, precalculated increase of the dry sol ds content of the sludge may be achieved. The drainage unit is also fitted with a flushing system for cleaning the container 10 between dewatering cycles. The flushing system consists of a rotary flushing arrangement disposed within the container 10, this arrangement being rotatably journslled in the bottom of the container and, at its upper end, being connected by means of a swivel link 17 to a flushing water conduit 19 provided with a valve 18. In the . illustrated embodiment, the rotary flushing arrangement consists of a central pipe 20 whence depart horizontal flushing tubes 21 provided with nozzles 22. The nozzles are inclined somewhat towards the jacket of the container 10 and are rotated by the water pressure, flushing the screened jacket from the inside of the container. The rotary central pipe may also be designed as a crank on which the nozzles are directly mounted. Other types of flushing equipment available on the market may also be employed, for instance rotary flushing heads provided with nozzles. The apparatus according to Fig. 1 operates as follows: SUBSTITUTE SHEET ISA/SE The pristine sludge is pumped, by means of a suitable pump, from, for example, a sludge catchment to the inlet 3 of the sludge container. If necessary, polymer solution may be added upstream or downstream of the pump for achieving the requisite flocculation in the sludge for the dewatering process. The sludge is fed into the container either at its bottom through the conduit 6, or via the tubular conduit 3. From the valved branch pipe 5, samples are taken of the sludge which is pumped into the sludge container. The sample is taken immediately upstream of the discharge of the pipe in order to give the greatest possible representative picture of flocculation in the sludge which is fed into the container. After completed in-feed of sludge, the air bleeder valve 4 is opened so as to prevent any possible syphon effect and to prevent the sludge from running back to the sludge catchment via the sludge pump. In the event that the inlet conduit 3 is designed as a divided conduit, the air bleeder valve 4 may be dispensed with. When the sludge container has been filled with a suitable volume of sludge, the sludge pump is stopped. Normally, the pump functions are controlled by means of level electrodes or level flip-flops. In conjunction with replenishment of sludge, the dewatering container 10 of the drainage unit will be filled with sludge liquor. However, that portion of the sludge which has flocculated will not be able to pass through the walls of the screen and into the container. When the dewatering process is set in operation, one of the reject outlet valves 16 on the level pipe 15 is opened and the sludge liquor is tapped out from the container 10. At the same time as the sludge level in the sludge container falls, the sludge will be concentrated. Because of the available facility of regulating the height of the reject outlet, it is possible, if required, to predetermine the dry solids content which the sludge is to have after the dewatering process. The dewatered sludge is removed from the sludge container through the bottom outlet 8, for example by allowing it to fall into a container which is placed beneath the sludge container. If the dry solids contentof the sludge is not excessive, the sludge may also be pumped off via the conduit 6 and the pump 7. The conduit 6 may also be used as an emergency outlet for recycling the sludge to the sludge catchment if the flocculation and the dewatering processes were to fail for some reason. Sludge which has become deposited on the outside of the container 10 is then flushed off by means of the flushing system. The vertical central pipe 20 slowly rotates and causes the nozzles 20 to sweep across the whole jacket of the container. The speed of rotation is determined by the position of the flushing pipes fitted with nozzles and the reaction forces generated by the water pressure. The flushing operation is controlled by the valve 18 on the flushing water conduit 19. The valve may be designed for manual or automatic operation. If required, several of the functions of the dewaterer may be designed for automatic operation. Fig. 3 illustrates a sludge container of a construction and mode of operation which corresponds to that described in conjunction with Fig. 1. Corresponding details in these figures have been given the same reference numerals. However, in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3, the drainage unit 9 disposed in the sludge container 1 consists of an open, double-walled cylinder with a screened inner and outer jacket. The inner jacket 26 and the outer jacket 25 are interconnected with an annular base portion 27. The space between these jackets and this annular bottom forms an annular dewatering container 10. As is illustrated more closely in Fig. 4, the screened jacket consists of a relatively large meshed supporting lattice 11 which, in its turn, rests on reinforcements of profiled steel 12. A screen 13 is mounted on the outside of the lattice. The screen may be of the type described above, in conjunction with Fig. 2. The annular bottom 27 of the dewatering container 10 is sealed by a rigid material in order to impart body to the construction. However, the bottom may also be provided with a drainage function, i.e. be of the same structure as the walls of the container. A reject outlet conduit 14 extends from the bottom region 27 of the dewatering container 10 through the sludge container. The drainage unit is provided with a flushing apparatus for cleaning the dewatering container between dewatering cycles. In the illustrated embodiment, the flushing apparatus consists of a rotary flushing arrangement disposed within the shell construction, the arrangement being, at its bottom end, rotatably journalled in a cross-beam 28 and being, at its upper end, connected by the intermediary of a swivel link 17 to a flushing liquid conduit 19 provided with a valve 18. The rotary flushing arrangement essentially comprises a central pipe 20 whence depart horizontal flushing tubes 21 provided with nozzles 22. The nozzles are inclined somewhat towards the inner jacket of the cylinder and are rotated by the water pressure, and flush both the inner and outer screened jackets from the inside of the cylinder. The rotary central pipe may also be designed as a crank which is supported solely at its upper anchorage point. The vertical prong of the crank, on which the nozzles are mounted, is disposed to project downwardly into the dewatering container, i.e. into the space between the inner and outer jackets, and to describe a planetary movement within this space. Both the inner and the outer jackets are thereby flushed from the inside of the dewatering container. Other flushing equipment available on the market may also be used, for example rotary flushing heads provided with nozzles. The apparatus according to Fig. 3 operates in a manner which corresponds to that described above in conjunction with Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a further embodiment in which the drainage units according to the present invention are employed. Reference No. 101 designates a circular sludge thickener in which four drainage units are symmetrically suspended in beams (not shown) as the upper edge of the thickener. The drainage unit may also be provided with floats and float in the pool, gradually sinking according as the level of sludge falls as water is drained off from the sludge. Here, the drainage unit is illustrated in substantially the same embodiment as that of Fig. 1. However, in this particular embodiment, the reject system consists of a pump 23 mounted in a particularly adapted pump pit 24 in the bottom of the container 10. A reject outlet conduit 114 is connected to the pump and is laid outside the container 10 and led to a suitable deposition site. The flushing system is of the same design as that illustrated in Fig. 1. Corresponding details in these figures have been given the same reference numerals. The drainage units in the sludge thickener may also be designed as a double-walled shell construction of the type described above in conjunction with Fig. 3. The sludge thickener functions in the manner corresponding to that described in conjunction with Fig. 1. Discharge pumping of reject liquor may be controlled by means of level indicators until such time as a predetermined level has been attained in the sludge thickener, whereby it is possible to determine the total dry solids content of the sludge after the thickening operation. The present invention should not be considered as restricted to those embodiments described above and shown on the drawings, many modifications being conceivable without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims: WHAT WE CLAIM AND DESIRE TO SECURE BY LETTERS PATENT IS: 1. A method of separating liquid from solid particles, in particular dewatering and thickening of sludge characterised in that the separation is effected in that one or more drainage units (9) are placed in a sludge catchment or a sludge container, the drainage unit essentially comprising a screened dewatering container (10) which is immersed in and surrounded by the sludge mass; that liquid is drained from the sludge into said dewatering container, while solid particles are retained on the outside of the screen thereof; that liquid is removed from the interior of said dewatering container until such time as the desired dry solids content is achieved in the surrounding sludge; that the sludge is removed from the sludge catchment/sludge container; and that the screened container (10) is, when necessary, cleaned by flushing, by means of a rotary flushing system disposed in the drainage unit. 2. A drainage unit for the separation of liquid from suspensions of solid material in liquid, in particular the dewatering and thickening of sludge, characterised in that it consists of a self-contained operative unit disposed to be placed in a sludge container or a sludge catchment for the removal of liquid from the sludge; and that it comprises a dewatering container (10) which has at least one screened wall (25, 26, 29) and/or bottom, and is intended to be immersed in the sludge mass for drainage of liquid from the sludge mass into the container while solid particles are retained to a desired degree on the outside of the screen, a reject system (14-16; 23, 114) for removing liquid collected in the dewatering container, and a rotary flushing system (17-22) disposed in said drainage unit for flushing the screened surfaces. 3. The drainage unit as claimed in claim 2, characterised in ' that the dewatering container (10) is constituted by the space between the walls (25, 26) in an open double-walled shell construction. 4. The drainage unit as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the shell construction consists of an open, double-walled cylinder with an inner and an outer jacket (25, 26), which are wholly or partly screen-clad; and that the cylinder is intended to be disposed upright in the sludge mass, the inner and outer jackets being interconnected at at least the downwardly facing end of the cylinder, such that the space between the inner and the outer jackets forms an annular dewatering container (10). 5. The drainage unit as claimed in any one of claims 2-4, characterised in that the reject system consists of a pump (23) disposed in the dewatering container, and a reject outlet conduit (114) connected to the pump. 6. The drainage unit as claimed in any one of claims 2-4, characterised in that the reject system further comprises a reject outlet conduit (14) and a level pipe (15) connected thereto with reject outlets ( 16) disposed at different heights. 7. The drainage unit as claimed in any one of claims 2-6, characterised in that the screened wall consists of a relatively coarse gauge supporting lattice or latticework (11, 12) on which the screen (13) has been disposed. 8. The drainage unit as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the screen (13) has a sieve gauge of from 1 micron to 6 mm, preferably of the order of magnitude of between 0.5 and 2 mm. 9. The drainage unit as claimed in any one of claims 2-8, characterised in that the flushing system comprises a number of nozzles (22) which are operative to flush the screen-cladded surfaces of the dewatering container. 10. The drainage unit as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the flushing system further includes a flushing water conduit centrally rotating in said drainage unit whence depart a number of flushing tubes provided with said nozzles. 11. The drainage unit as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that said nozzles are mounted on one or more rotary flushing heads. 12. The drainage unit as claimed in any one of claims 2-11, characterised in that it is disposed in a sludge container (1) with an inlet (3) for pristine sludge, and a bdttom outlet (6, 8) for dewatered sludge, the sludge container including, if necessary, further drainage units of the same construction. 13. The. drainage unit as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that it is cylindrical and is concentrically disposed in said sludge container which is cylindrical and is provided with a conical bottom portion. 14. The drainage unit as claimed in any one of claims 2-11, characterised in that it is disposed in a sludge pool (101), which, if necessary, contains further drainage units of the same construction.

Inventors: STEDFELDT HANS, STEDFELDT, HANS
Applicants: STEDFELDT HANS, STEDFELDT, HANS
Application year: 1987
Main classification: C02F11
IPC codes: B01D29, B01D36, B01D37, C02F11