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[Influence of non-ionic surfactants on sludge dewaterability]
Hai-Pan Hou1, Wen-Hong Pu, Ya-Fei Shi
1School of Environmental Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China. houhaipan@163.com
Huan Jing Ke Xue= Huanjing Kexue
|September 6, 2012
Summary
Alkyl polyglucosides (APG) significantly improve sludge dewatering by reducing particle size and increasing efficiency. This study shows APG reduces filtration resistance and water content in dewatered sludge cake.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Current sludge dewatering technologies yield sludge cake with ~80% water content, failing to meet stringent disposal standards.
- Improving sludge dewaterability is crucial for efficient and cost-effective waste management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of non-ionic surfactants, specifically octylphenol ethoxylate (OPEO) and alkyl polyglucosides (APG), on sludge dewaterability.
- To compare the effectiveness of OPEO and APG in enhancing sludge dewatering performance.
Main Methods:
- Assessed sludge dewaterability using specific resistance to filtration (SRF) and dewatering efficiency.
- Investigated the morphological changes in conditioned sewage sludge compared to raw sludge.
- Conducted plate-frame pressure filter experiments to quantify dewatering improvements.
Main Results:
- Non-ionic surfactants refine sludge floc particle size, creating more homogeneous structures and enhancing dewatering efficiency.
- APG demonstrated superior performance over OPEO in sludge dewatering.
- APG at 0.05% DS reduced SRF to 42% of raw sludge and achieved 93% dewatering efficiency.
- Plate-frame filtration showed APG reduced dewatered cake water content by ~10% and reached 97% efficiency.
Conclusions:
- Non-ionic surfactants, particularly APG, are effective in improving sewage sludge dewaterability.
- APG shows significant potential for application in enhancing sludge dewatering processes.
- The findings provide valuable insights for optimizing sludge treatment and disposal strategies using APG.
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