Valmet TS reduces polymer usage by 20% in wastewater treatment
Mar 4, 2019
Sludge handling and dewatering contributes a large percentage to the operating cost at a municipal wastewater treatment works, specifically through the use of flocculation aids such as polyelectrolytes. In order to improve effectiveness, the Mitchells Plain Wastewater Treatment Works operated by the City of Cape Town, South Africa, installed two Valmet Total Solids Measurements (Valmet TS) in the sludge cake pipelines to provide immediate inline feedback on the dry solids percentage of the sludge cake.
Summary
Location
Cape Town, South Africa
Customer challenge
The cost of purchasing polymer is up to 10% of the total process-driven cost, and between 15 to 25% of the sludge dewatering costs.
Equivalent dewatering results can now be achieved using between R200 000 to R400 000 less polymer per annum, this is a saving of approximately 20% on polymer. The sludge-cake solids content information supplied by Valmet TS has also enabled operators to more rapidly become accustomed with the sensitivities of dewatering process control.
