BELT DEWATERING PRESS

Anaerobic digestion converts the organic matter removed from the wastewater into a stable, inoffensive material that can safely be landfilled. However, the digested sludge is still 96% to 98% water. As such, it would be difficult and costly to transport, and present a serious problem to the landfill operator. The belt dewatering press removes water from the sludge, increasing the “percent-dry yield”.

The sludge is first treated with a long-molecule polymer to improve water release, then transferred to the dewatering drum.The dewatering drum is a large, rotating cylinder of screen mesh which aids in the formation of large floc particles and allows released water to drain from the sludge. The flocced sludge then is deposited on the lower of two 2-meter wide porous-weave belts. The sludge is sandwiched between the two belts under pressure and run around a series of rollers. The dewatered sludge “cake” that comes off the end is typically 15% to 20% dry solids. This material is conveyed to a dump truck and taken to the Cortland County landfill.