WERF: ENHANCEMENT OF CONDITIONING AND DEWATERING PROCESSES BY ELECTRICAL ARC PRETREATMENT

摘要

The purpose of the work described in this paper was to investigate electrical arcrnpretreatment of biosolids prior to chemical conditioning and dewatering. The processrnuses a very high intensity electrical arc, provided in very short pulses such that powerrnconsumption is not excessive. Reported specifications are 10-50 KV discharges at 60-rn120 Hz, with a current from 10 to 100 amps. Laboratory evaluations employed a skidmountedrndemonstrator unit with anaerobically digested biosolids from a wastewaterrntreatment facility. The data show that the electrical arc pretreatment alters propertiesrnof biosolids in a manner that can improve dewaterability, but only polymer doses thatrnare lower than the optimum that would be used in the absence of electrical arcrntreatment. The electrical arc pretreatment thus could be used to reduce polymerrnrequirements, but not to achieve a degree of dewaterability beyond what may bernreached by use of polymer alone. The cost effectiveness of the device thereforernhinges on the relative benefit of reduced polymer expense vs. cost of the electricalrnarc equipment. However, identification of the mechanisms by which the electrical arcrneffects improvements in dewaterability may allow further optimization to the point ofrnsignificant increases in achieved cake solids as well.