High-power ultrasonic enhanced de-watering (HUED)

Abstract

Continual improvement to the worldwide standard of living has led to an extraordinary and rapid increase in the levels of sludge being produced in several industrial sectors. How these sludge materials are managed or disposed of affects both the environment and industry balance sheets. In addition, environmental standards that are increasingly more restrictive are making the treatment and disposal of wastewater sludge more and more expensive for municipal treatment plants. With total solids contents typically below 15%, municipal and industrial sludges are mostly water. Economically removing as much water as possible from these sludges makes their disposition both easier and less expensive. This thesis describes work that explores the potential of enhancing traditional sludge dewatering processes by applying high-power ultrasound or a combination of ultrasound and electrokinetics.