Treatment FAQ

what does the return sludge pump do in waste treatment

by Emely Sporer Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Return Activated Sludge Pump An activated sludge process refers to a multi-chamber reactor unit that makes use of highly concentrated microorganisms to degrade organics and remove nutrients from wastewater to produce a high-quality effluent.

The facility was built in 1934–35, when the sewage treatment method was changed from a chemical process to a biological one, and is used to return biologically active sludge from the aeration tanks back into the treatment process.

Full Answer

What type of pump should I use to return activated sludge?

Sulzer has a range of pumps that can be used successfully for the return of activated sludge. The submersible sewage pump type ABS XFP, submersible mixed flow pump type ABS AFLX and submersible propeller pump type ABS VUPX are all well suited to this application.

What is sludge pumping?

Sludge is defined as any mixture of pulverized solids denser than water, suspended in a liquid. Mixing solids into sludge or slurry is an efficient way to handle and transport very large quantities of solid materials by means of a sludge pump.

How is sludge treated and removed from wastewater?

There are various options for treating sludge including stabilization, thickening, dewatering, drying, and incineration. The costs for treating sludge and removing sludge from wastewater are roughly the same. Typically a polymer chemical is used for the volume reduction process known as dewatering.

How long does it take to remove sludge from a reactor?

Depending on the temperature, the solids retention time (SRT) in the reactor ranges from 3 to 5 days for BOD removal, to 3 to 18 days for nitrification. The excess sludge requires treatment to reduce its water and organic content and to obtain a stabilized product suitable for end-use or final disposal.

What is the purpose of the return activated sludge pumps?

An activated sludge process refers to a multi-chamber reactor unit that makes use of highly concentrated microorganisms to degrade organics and remove nutrients from wastewater to produce a high-quality effluent.

What is return sludge?

Return sludge, a mix of water and solids that include live bacteria, is removed from the secondary clarifier bottom and pumped back to the aeration basin. If the sludge isn't removed, settled-sludge levels will rise. Eventually it will spill over the clarifier effluent weirs and into areas where it is unwanted.

How does sludge pump work?

0:001:53Selecting a Sludge Pump - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI sludge pumps are used to move waste fluids with high solids. Content. They are typically used inMoreI sludge pumps are used to move waste fluids with high solids. Content. They are typically used in sewage trash. And industrial waste applications.

What is the purpose of this pump wastewater treatment?

Role of Pumps in Wastewater Treatment These pumps are used to move wastewater from the collection pit to the treatment plant and back into the industry. There are plenty of wastewater pumps depending on the application and usage requirements.

What is return sludge ratio?

Return activated sludge (-ratio) The surplus sludge, the end product of the biological process, is sent to sludge treatment. In order to be able to maintain the desired sludge concentration in the aeration tank, the sedimented sludge deposited in the final clarification must be returned to the aeration basins.

How do you increase return on activated sludge?

You can increase the hydraulic detention time by decreasing the return sludge pumping rate. In order to maintain the same mass of activated sludge under aeration at a reduced return sludge pumping rate, you can add a chemical flocculant to the secondary clarifier to thicken the return sludge.

What type of pump is used for sludge?

Progressive cavity pumps are great for sludge. They impart little to no shear on the sludge, and generate low pulsation rates.

Which pump is used for slurry?

CentrifugalCentrifugal, positive displacement, and vortex pumps can be used for slurry. Centrifugal slurry pumps can have between bearing-supported shafts with split casing or rubber- or metal-lined casing. Configurations include horizontal, vertical suspended and submersible.

What is sludge transfer pump?

Sludge pumps are used for transferring highly viscous solid laden liquid with minimal water content. Roto pumps have a rich history in supplying progressive cavity pumps for deposit transfer applications. Due to this premium sludge transfer capability, these pumps are also known as sludge pumps.

What is the use of pump?

A pump is a device that moves fluids (liquids or gases), or sometimes slurries, by mechanical action, typically converted from electrical energy into hydraulic energy. Pumps can be classified into three major groups according to the method they use to move the fluid: direct lift, displacement, and gravity pumps.

What are the two main types of water pumps?

There are two basic types of water pumps: centrifugal and positive displacement. Both types are designed to move water from one place to another continuously. A centrifugal water pump uses a rotating impeller to move water into the pump and pressurize the discharge flow.

What is the difference between a lift station and a pump station?

The lift station is specifically designed for the pumping of waste or sewage material to a higher elevation versus the Pump Station which is designed to raise water, not sewage, to a higher elevation.

What is Sludge?

The term “sludge”, at an industrial and mining level, is very different than the watery mud that we’re used to seeing. Sludge found in industrial processes can be highly viscous, abrasive, corrosive, or a combination of all three.

What is a Sludge Pump?

The design of a slurry pump is critical to making sure that the abrasive characteristics of the sludge do not destroy the pump. Furthermore, sludge may contain larger solids that will inevitably lead to clogs or obstruction in many types of pumps.

Sludge Pump Challenges

Transporting liquid slurry or slurry comes with different challenges for different materials and it is not easy at all, mostly because liquid sludge is very difficult to pump and move depending on its thickness.

What is sludge in water treatment?

Solids and wastes are collected as sludge in a variety of water treatment processes. These could include excess sludge from different sources such as the underflow of clarifiers. Produced sludge in different stages of water/wastewater treatment facilities should be dewatered and disposed of properly. Sludge is a difficult and special fluid ...

What are the consequences of poor sludge management?

Poorly designed sludge treatment and management systems can lead to undesirable consequences, such as plant shutdowns, financial loss, penalties and operational problems. Familiarity with the basic sludge management and treatment components outlined here will help operators ensure these systems are not overlooked. WT

What is the seal on a pump fluid chamber?

Sealing of the pump fluid chamber is usually achieved by flexible trunnions. In other words, the sludge chamber is usually sealed with flexible trunnions, which eliminates packings, mechanical seals and requires no flushing water or other forms of flushing/lubrication.

What is double disc pump?

A double disc pump is a positive displacement pump that uses a trunnion (elastomer), a disc and a connecting rod to force sludge from the suction side to the discharge side of the pump by creating a vacuum inside the pump body. The suction and discharge valve chambers (with the check valves) help to manage higher-than-normal concentrations of grit and solids in pumped sludge.

What is a positive displacement pump?

Positive displacement pumps have been used in sludge and dense liquid services. Some positive displacement pumps have presented poor performance and low reliability. Therefore, special care is needed to select the proper positive displacement pumps for sludge services.

What is dewatering equipment?

Dewatering equipment is needed to reduce the volume of liquid in produced sludge. Sludge dewatering can be carried out by different systems such as a filter press, decanter centrifuge and others. Most often a filter press system is used, although other options for dewatering are available.

How many sludge pumps should be in a plant tank?

Ideally, each tank should be provided with a minimum of two sludge pumps (one operating and one standby), which can be used for circulating and mixing of contents. Usually, if a plant produces different sludges — such as primary sludge and secondary sludge — they are combined and treated together.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9