In all types of production and manufacturing, from the food and beverage industry to the manufacturing of different types of chemicals and compounds, water is used either as part of the process of in the cleaning of equipment and systems.
The result is a large amount of wastewater produced through these applications. The wastewater may have significant amounts of suspended solids, or it may contain chemicals or contaminants that are unsafe to be simply released into the sewer system. In some cases, such as in wastewater from breweries and distilleries, differing pH levels, BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) or even the presence of cleaning chemicals used in CIP (Clean In Place) cycles can be damaging to the environment as well as municipal water treatment systems.
The Basics
For these types of processes, biosolids dewatering systems provide the ideal solution. These are large tanks that contain special filtering materials and polymers that allow the solid material and contaminants to settle to the bottom of the tank in a sludge, while the water is suitable for disposal through the sewer or other approved method.
The material that collects in the bottom of the tank or container, which is often known as sludge or biosolids, can then be disposed of in an approved site. In some types of applications where the sludge is safe for use and falls within EPA standards, the biosolids dewatering sludge can be used on the soil in the agricultural industry.
The process of biosolids dewatering is very simple and requires limited if any management. A well-designed system just needs to be emptied of the sludge when the container reaches maximum capacity. With the use of roll-off containers, the solid material in the tank can be easily hauled off to the end location, creating an environmentally friendly method of processing wastewater in any size and type of processing facility.
