Belt Filter Press Dewatering: Operator-Centered Optimization to Extend Useful Life of Installed Equipment
Orange County Sanitation DistrictOrange County, California
The Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) solid production is projected to exceed the plant dewatering capacity in the next few years. OCSD must increase the capacity of its belt filter presses (BFPs) to each treat 140 gpm to meet future handling requirements. To optimize the BFP, an operator-center approach is integrated into the process. A testing protocol was created to study the BFP system with: no changes, belt replacement, belt washing modifications, different polymer types, and a new polymer makedown unit. The test protocol was altered by the operator during testing to maximize the cake solids concentration. With 500 scfm belts installed, it was possible to obtain 20% solids (19.84%) at 140 gpm. However, it was not possible to achieve greater than 20% solids using mannich polymer with the tested makedown unit. Alternatively, emulsion polymer required 24 lbs/dry ton of polymer to achieve 21% solids. The results indicate that the optimization program achieved 140 gpm of influent sludge feed and produced 20% DS dewatered cake. A full description of the methodology and the test procedure is supported by the operating conditions, capture efficiency, and dryness of the dewatered cake for each test phase. The paper is relevant because it provides BFP operators with a demonstrated method for improving dewatering capacity and quantifying and documenting results without having to install additional capital facilities. The investigation also illustrates the importance of the interaction between engineers and operators to arrive at solutions that are acceptable to both groups of people. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings
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Posted: August 27th, 2010 | Filed under: >1M, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Cost Savings, Extended Useful Life of Equipment, Improved Plant Efficiency, Optimized Belt Filter Press Dewatering | No Comments »