PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF DEWATERING ENHANCED BY ELECTRO-OSMOSIS

ABSTRACT

Dewatering mechanism due to electro-osmosis is fairly different from that of mechanical dewataine which has been used conventionally. and electro-osmotic dewatering has Several advantages compared with the mechanical dewatering and it can be remarkably effective for hardly dewaterable sludges such as very fine Particles and gelatinous materials. In electro-osmotically enhanced dewatering, however, it would be a great problem that the achievement of complete water removal within the sludge could not be possible in principle. Because. when a liauid state in the sludge becomes to be not continuous gradually with proceeding of dewatering, the sludge does not lead electricity and and then electro-osmosis is no longer caused.

Applying electro-osmosis to sludge dewatering practically, methods for improvement of the electro-osmotic dewatering must be investigated taking account ofapos;such a situation for the performance of high dewatering efficiency. Some practical applications of the dewatering which can be considered to be available are described in this paper.     

Modelling the electro-osmotically enhanced pressure dewatering of activated sludge

The mechanical dewatering of biological materials, such as activated sludge, is troublesome due to their high compressibility. The dewatering can be improved drastically by the use of electro-osmosis, a technique in which a direct current electric field is applied to the filter cake, inducing an electro-kinetic displacement of the liquid phase. In this article, a model is presented which describes this process for a one-dimensional, one-sided filter press. The model starts from two existing models, each describing a part of the process [Iwata, M., Igami, H., Murase, T., 1991. Analysis of electroosmotic dewatering. Journal of Chemical Engineering of Japan 24(1), 45-50; Sørensen, P.B., Moldrup, P., Hansem, J.A., 1996. Filtration and expression of compressible cakes. Chemical Engineering Science 51(6), 967-979]. A robust solution scheme for the basic flux and continuity equations is used to describe filtration and expression. Regarding the electro-osmosis, an adapted form of the Darcy equation, expressing electro-osmotic induced flow as well as pressure induced flow, is integrated into the former solution scheme. This permits the simulation of the overall process using a single model. Validation of the model revealed that the experimental piston height during dewatering can be described accurately provided that temperature effects are taken into account.     

ELECTRO-OSMOTIC DEWATERING OF FINE SUSPENSIONS: THE EFFICACY OF CURRENT INTERRUPTIONS

An important factor in the dewatering of fine suspensions by electro-osmosis is efficient mechanical collection and removal of water that is electrically generated. The mechanical collection can be the rate-determining step,controlling the overall dewatering. When the water is not efficiently removed, on-off power regimes appear to give as good results as continuous power application. This is not the case when water removal is highly efficient. A true test of the effect of different power regimes is possible with a thin bed of the suspension in a vacuum-assisted electrofilter, which provides a strong driving force to collect the water. Under these conditions, the rate of dewatering for full-wave or continuous power is always about double that for half-wave or on-off power regimes. These results suggest that recurring claims in the literature of the advantages of current interruptions or reversals in electro-osmotic dewatering may be erroneous or only partially correct.     

电渗透-过硫酸铵协同污泥脱水过程中胞外聚合物的变化

为了研究电渗透-过硫酸盐协同污泥深度脱水的机制,利用自制装置对市政污水处理厂的污泥进行了脱水研究,系统研究了在过硫酸铵投加量、电压梯度、污泥厚度和机械压力的操作条件下,污泥中胞外聚合物的组分（蛋白质和多糖）变化情况及对污泥脱水效果的影响。结果表明,在过硫酸铵投加量为30mg/gDS、电压为25V/cm、污泥厚度为2.0cm、机械压力为23.1kPa条件下,污泥含水率可以降低至57.4%。不同脱水条件均会造成胞外聚合物组分变化,其中过硫酸铵加量和电压是影响胞外聚合物组分以及污泥脱水效果的主要因素。     

电渗透/Fe-过硫酸盐氧化协同强化污泥深度脱水

利用电渗透和高级氧化技术,采用自制实验装置对城市污水处理厂的脱水污泥进行了脱水研究,系统研究了过硫酸盐投加量、铁盐与过硫酸盐比例、电压梯度、脱水时间和污泥厚度对污泥脱水的影响。结果表明,电渗透-高级氧化复合技术可以改善污泥的脱水性能,在污泥样品为140 g、过硫酸盐投加量为100（mg·g DS）^-1、Fe²⁺与过硫酸盐比例为1：1、机械压力为17.59 kPa、控制初始电压为11 V·cm^-1时,污泥的含水率可以降低至60%以下,与单独使用电渗透技术相比,泥饼具有更好的均匀性,便于后续的运输和安置。     

Comparison of Electro-Osmosis Experiments on Marine Sludge with Different Electrode Materials

One-dimensional laboratory electro-osmosis experiments of marine sludge in Dalian (China) were conducted on a self-made apparatus to research consolidation effects of copper, aluminum, and ferrum electrodes. Although there was potential loss in the contacts of the anode and marine sludge, the electro-osmosis method was still found to be an effective way to reduce the moisture content and increase the shear strength of marine sludge. In particular, ferrum electrodes performed the best for Dalian coastal marine sludge. The bad performance of copper anode can be justified by the generation of non-conductive paratacamite, atacamite, and nantokite on its surface. Overall, these new discoveries can benefit the choice of electrodes in the marine sludge electro-osmosis dewatering application.     

Effect of Electro-Osmotic Dewatering on the Quality of Tofu Sheet

As a new dewatering technology with high efficiency and energy saving, electro-osmotic dewatering can be applied to food processing. The objective of this work was to study the effect of combined field dewatering (CFD) involving electro-osmosis and mechanical pressure on the quality of tofu sheet. Combined field dewatering was performed on the dewatering process of tofu sheet for 10 to 30 min at a voltage ranging from 30 to 50 V under various pulse-time ratio (t₊ = 120 s, t_- = 5 s) electric field and 0.047 MPa pressure field. The texture and structure of tofu sheet after treatments were examined by a rheometer and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The result showed that the three quality indexes, i.e., hardness, tensile strength, and ductility of tofu sheet near the anode were 45%, 30%, and 12% higher respectively than those dewatered by common mechanical pressure method. However, those near the cathode were 15%, 25%, and 10% lower respectively. When the electric field was applied for 10 min at 30 V, these indexes reached their maximum values. Meanwhile, the tofu sheet structure near the anode was more compact and homogeneous than that near the cathode. The result indicated that CFD could enhance the quality of tofu sheet.     

Influence of Electric Field Application with Decreasing One Sided Area of Electrodes on Electro-Osmotic Dewatering

Electro-osmotic dewatering is typically operated under an electric field of direct current condition. In the process of electro-osmotic dewatering, water content in part of the material near the electrode opposite to the drainage surface is locally reduced, resulting in an increase of electrical contact resistance between the electrode and the material being dewatered. Then the efficiency of the electro-osmotic dewatering process is reduced remarkably.

In order to improve the performance of electro-osmotic dewatering, it is supposed that a porous plate-type electrode used generally opposite to the drainage surface may be replaced to several rod-type electrodes, which are inserted into the material with dewatering. Using rod-type electrodes, the area of those electrodes becomes smaller than the plate-type electrode.

From this point of view, electro-osmotic dewatering was experimentally investigated by decreasing one-sided area of electrodes, namely the area of the plate-type electrode opposite to the drainage surface, and the influence of such an electric field application on improvement of the dewatering process is discussed in this article.     

Influence of Electric Field Application with Decreasing One Sided Area of Electrodes on Electro-Osmotic Dewatering

Electro-osmotic dewatering is typically operated under an electric field of direct current condition. In the process of electro-osmotic dewatering, water content in part of the material near the electrode opposite to the drainage surface is locally reduced, resulting in an increase of electrical contact resistance between the electrode and the material being dewatered. Then the efficiency of the electro-osmotic dewatering process is reduced remarkably.

In order to improve the performance of electro-osmotic dewatering, it is supposed that a porous plate-type electrode used generally opposite to the drainage surface may be replaced to several rod-type electrodes, which are inserted into the material with dewatering. Using rod-type electrodes, the area of those electrodes becomes smaller than the plate-type electrode.

From this point of view, electro-osmotic dewatering was experimentally investigated by decreasing one-sided area of electrodes, namely the area of the plate-type electrode opposite to the drainage surface, and the influence of such an electric field application on improvement of the dewatering process is discussed in this article.     

分级加载电压下考虑有效电势变化的软黏土电渗固结理论

分级加载电压技术能够有效延长电渗处理的时间,改善地基的处理效果并能有效降低能耗。在利用分级加载电压技术开展电渗试验时,随着土体的排水固结,土体各点的电势会发生明显的变化,这与现有的电渗固结理论假设土体各点电势保持不变有所差异。利用自主设计的电渗试验仪器开展了分级加载电压下的电渗室内试验,分析了电渗过程中土体有效电势变化的规律。基于该规律并结合Esrig固结理论建立了在阳极处不排水、阴极处排水条件下考虑土体有效电势变化的电渗固结理论,得到了分级加载电压条件下考虑土体有效电势变化的超静孔隙水压力和平均固结度的解析表达式。研究表明,在电压分级加载过程中,土体有效电势变化规律表现为随时间先基本保持不变,后呈抛物线状先增后减。通过试验案例验证了考虑土体有效电势变化所求得解析解的合理性,且该数值计算结果相较于Esrig数值计算结果,前者更加接近实测值,该固结方程的建立为后续分级加载电压技术的推广应用提供了理论依据,也为实际工程提供了参考。     

Dewatering of drinking water treatment sludge by vacuum electro-osmosis

The objective of this research was to evaluate the dewatering of drinking water treatment sludge (DWTS) by vacuum electro-osmosis dewatering (VEOD) technology. DWTS has a high moisture content, with the water existing as free water, pore water, surface adhesion water and internal combined water. Vacuum filtration of 0.05 MPa can quickly dewater sludge and has low energy consumption, but can only remove free water and some pore water. The moisture content of the DWTS was reduced to below 79% by vacuum filtration technique alone. At this moisture content, all free water had been expelled by vacuum filtration. Electro-osmosis optimized for the experimental conditions (0.05 MPa, 2.5 V/cm) began after vacuum filtration ceased, and drew pore water and surface adhesion water to the cathode, where it was expelled through vacuum filtration. The VEOD process removed all free water. In addition, pore water and surface adhesion water were reduced by 60.2% and 15.9%, respectively.     

Influence of vacuum pressure,pH, and potential gradient on the vacuum electro-osmosis dewatering of drinking water treatment sludge

This paper describes research that evaluated the influence of vacuum pressure, pH, and potential gradient on the vacuum electro-osmosis dewatering (VEOD) of drinking water treatment sludge (DWTS). In the first phase of the VEOD process, a vacuum pressure of ?0.05 MPa was applied alone to DWTS for 30 min, removing almost all free water and part of pore water. In phase two, electro-osmosis was applied in combination with intermittent vacuum filtration, further reducing pore water and surface adhesion water in DWTS. However, statistical analysis indicated that the optimum dewatering parameter values were vacuum pressure at ?0.06 MPa, pH at 6.2, and potential gradient at 2.5 V/cm, which resulted in a relevant energy consumption of 0.35 kW.h/kg removed water.     

污泥深度脱水技术研究进展

随着经济的发展和国民生活水平的提高,污水污泥的排放量逐年增加,环境问题愈发严重,污泥的处理处置成为焦点问题,污泥脱水是制约污泥处置处理进一步发展的关键。本文针对目前污泥深度脱水技术开展,首先简述了不同来源污泥的分类及其基本特性,然后重点阐述了不同污泥预处理技术,分析了各污泥深度脱水技术作用机理,并对各自脱水效果及优缺点进行比较分析。结果表明,物理法中水热预处理对污泥的可脱水程度提升最大。较低声强、短时间的超声波处理对污泥脱水性能有着明显的改善。化学法在污泥过滤性能以及脱水速率方面有很大优势,酸碱处理后污泥zeta电位上升,污泥过滤性能及脱水速率得到改善。高级氧化法处理后污泥脱水效果高于酸碱处理,微生物细胞被溶解释放出有机物,可脱水程度改善。生物法处理污泥除改善污泥脱水性能外,还有对环境污染小等特点,但耗时较长。最后对污泥的后续脱水工艺进行综述,介绍了现存的主流脱水工艺,包括机械脱水、热干化技术、水热脱水工艺等;并针对不同的污泥后续利用方法,选取合适的预处理技术,提出相应优化的污泥处理工艺流程。     

A Study for Development of Real-Scale Thermal Filter Press Dewatering (TFPD)

Real-scale thermal filter press dewatering equipment (plate size: 630 mm × 630 mm) was installed and operated at a waterworks for one year in an attempt to achieve sludge reduction. During the period, the dewaterability was evaluated according to the seasonal sludge properties in order to compare the dewaterability of thermal dewatering and mechanical dewatering, as well as to determine the economics of thermal dewatering. According to the results, the winter season sludge showed a 36% decrease in water content and a two-thirds reduction in dewatering velocity compared to the summertime sludge. In addition, the dewatered cakes of the thermal filter press dewatering equipment showed a lower specific cake resistance and water content in the dewatered cakes than the mechanical filter press dewatering equipment, indicating superior dewaterability. This was attributed to the easier removal of the filtrate remaining in the capillary tubes due to thermal dewatering. The energy consumption for thermal dewatering was 300 kJ/dry solids (DS) kg. A comparison of the sludge dryers indicated that it is possible to produce dewatered cakes that consume less energy and can be recycled. According to the performance evaluation results, the real-scale thermal filter press dewatering equipment had high adaptability to the changes in seasonal sludge, showing excellent dewaterability compared to the mechanical filter press dewatering equipment, and was economical due to the lower energy consumption.     

ELECTROOSMOTIC DEWATERING PROCESS AND DESIGN EQUATIONS

This paper deals with electroosmotic dewatering that can be very effective for sludge which is difficult to dewater by conventional mechanical techniques. First, the dewatering mechanism of sludge due to electroosmosis is analyzed theoretically based on an electroosmotic flow through a compressible packed bed of particles, and then its processes under the conditions of both constant electric current and constant voltage are discussed both theoretically and experimentally. Further theoretical expressions for the dewatering rate and the electric power consumption are proposed using a simple model in which the sludge bed consists of two parts: a dewatering bed and a dewatered bed. The equations obtained theoretically are demonstrated to be applicable to the design of electroosmotic dewatering equipment.     

ELECTROOSMOTIC DEWATERING PROCESS AND DESIGN EQUATIONS

This paper deals with electroosmotic dewatering that can be very effective for sludge which is difficult to dewater by conventional mechanical techniques. First, the dewatering mechanism of sludge due to electroosmosis is analyzed theoretically based on an electroosmotic flow through a compressible packed bed of particles, and then its processes under the conditions of both constant electric current and constant voltage are discussed both theoretically and experimentally. Further theoretical expressions for the dewatering rate and the electric power consumption are proposed using a simple model in which the sludge bed consists of two parts: a dewatering bed and a dewatered bed. The equations obtained theoretically are demonstrated to be applicable to the design of electroosmotic dewatering equipment.     

An overview of electro-osmosis in fuel cell polymer electrolytes

Electro-osmosis, the transport of water with protons, in polymer electrolyte fuel cell membranes is important because it effects water management within an operating cell on both a global and local level. The electro-osmotic drag coefficient is the number of water molecules transported per proton and is a quantitative measure of the extent to which electro-osmosis occurs in a given polymer electrolyte. The methods for which electro-osmotic drag coefficients have been determined are reported. An effort is made to report proton electro-osmotic drag coefficients extensively, while a few non-proton cation electro-osmotic drag coefficients have been chosen for illustrative purposes. The results reported have implications for fuel cell performance and in the development and characterization of new polymer electrolyte membranes.     

贡湖湾淤泥干化技术的研究

河湖淤泥干化处理一直是难以解决的技术,各国都进行了几十年的试验研究,特别是对处理大量淤泥的干化工程,始终没有找到行之有效的科学方法.无锡市退渔还湖项目实验研究表明,在具备干化场地和时间的条件下,干化处理大量淤泥的干化池,应采用类似建筑用土建造或具备自渗性结构的渗排水系统干化池;需时间短速度快来干化大量淤泥的干化池,应采...     

Effect of Digested Sludge Properties on Mechanical Dewatering Efficiency: An Experimental Approach

To optimize the anaerobic digestion process of residual sludge, co-substrates addition and pre-treatments are increasingly being employed. Nevertheless, if these processes allow the optimization of biogas production, they can significantly impact the efficiency of mechanical dewatering processes for digested sludge. In this article, the impact of co-substrate addition (oily sludge) and thermal pre-treatment on the efficiency of mechanical dewatering of digested sludge was investigated. To this purpose, mechanical dewatering experiments were conducted at lab-scale by using a filtration-compression cell to determine the limit dryness of various digestates. In addition, control factors of the mechanical dewatering efficiency of digested sludge were investigated. Results highlight that 67% of the variance of the limit dryness of digestates is due to the variable “volatile solid/total solid ratio.”     

污泥脱水预处理技术综述

随着城市化进程的不断加快,城市污水处理的规模和质量不断提高,所产生的剩余污泥作为固体废弃物的处理与处置也越来越成为制约污水处理效果的关键问题。由于污泥混合体的架构复杂且含有微生物组成的细胞和胞外聚合物(EPS)等亲水性物质,污泥脱水困难。污泥预处理作为强化污泥脱水和后续稳定化处理的关键技术能够有效改变污泥组成形态、促进污泥中细胞水和结合水向自由水的转变,是提高污泥脱水效率的主要方法。当前,主要的污泥脱水预处理主要包括:物理法、化学法和上述两种方法的组合等方式。文中主要讨论了不同预处理方法对污泥脱水性能的影响。