Sugar beet flume solids separation and mud pressing

摘要

Abstract Waste water regulations require minimizing impacts to surface and ground water including flume mud pond systems. Western Sugar Cooperative's Fort Morgan factory installed screening systems to remove sugar beet particles from flume water and provide marketable feed product. This also removes organic material in the system reducing potential impacts to groundwater and odors. Two twin wire mud presses were installed to remove topsoil from the flume system. The overall mud press system included automatic polymer batching, individual spray wash systems for each wire or belt, and solids handling to stage the recovered topsoil. The initial startup phase has indicated good moisture reduction (about 50% solids) along with reasonable performance with the highly variable incoming solids type. Next steps will attempt to optimize the belt press operation including mud feed system, polymer addition, screen washing and maintenance. Future systems will likely be required to address topsoil generation and recycling as compost or soil amendment.