Sludge from wastewater treatment systems is a common byproduct that needs to be properly managed to prevent environmental contamination. Sludge is a semi-solid residue that contains a high concentration of organic and inorganic materials, as well as patho

Characteristics of Sludge from Wastewater Treatment Systems

Sludge is a final product of the wastewater treatment process. It consists of organic or inorganic compounds and various hazardous substances that are difficult to treat.

Removing sludge from wastewater treatment plants is considered extremely difficult and complex. Therefore, advanced technology and techniques are required. The basic characteristics of sludge include:

Sludge Contains a Large Energy Source

Essentially, sludge contains energy that is 10 times the energy required for treatment. Dry sludge contains non-coal energy with a ratio of about 7780 Btu/lb.

Therefore, the energy in sludge can be utilized for various purposes.

Sludge Causes Environmental Pollution

If sludge is not treated promptly, it can become a direct pollutant to the environment, leading to disease outbreaks, affecting ecosystems, and community health.

Therefore, sludge treatment is an essential step in domestic, industrial, and medical wastewater treatment systems.

Current Status of Sludge Treatment from Wastewater Treatment Systems

Currently, there are many domestic wastewater treatment systems. Some systems are designed with sludge treatment features, while others choose to treat sludge through third-party professional units. In theory, it is like that, but in reality, there is a significant accumulation of excess sludge.

Over time, microorganisms and chemicals in the sludge decompose, causing air pollution and generating unpleasant odors. When the decomposed sludge dissolves into water, it seeps into active water areas, causing water, soil, and air pollution, leading to serious environmental consequences.

Types of Sludge Nowadays

Industrial Sludge

This type of waste is generated after industrial wastewater treatment. The composition of this sludge includes heavy metal content such as Cu, Cr, As, N, Cd, hazardous waste. Therefore, treating sludge in the system becomes complex and challenging. It also contains organic, inorganic, and chemical waste.

Industrial sludge includes two types: Hazardous industrial sludge and non-hazardous industrial sludge.

• Hazardous industrial sludge: Requires proper collection and treatment.
• Non-hazardous industrial sludge: Does not need to be disposed of and can be treated for various purposes.

Municipal Sludge

This type of sludge contains a high organic content, accompanied by hazardous chemicals and detergents. They accumulate from the domestic wastewater treatment process of the population.

Municipal sludge is diverse in composition and requires appropriate treatment processes to achieve the best results.

Medical Sludge

This type of sludge has high toxicity, many microorganisms, pathogens, antibiotics, chemicals, etc. Therefore, it is extremely harmful to the environment and humans.

Medical sludge needs to be collected and treated separately to completely remove all pollutants. Ensuring that when released into the environment, it does not affect the ecosystem.

Methods of Treating Sludge from Wastewater Treatment Systems

Using Microbial Products

This method is considered safe and stable. Simply put, it is the biological oxidation process of organic pollutants in sludge treatment. To apply this method, you need to prepare an aerobic tank, microbial products for sludge digestion, and a sludge treatment settling tank.

The microbial strains can be cultured in liquid form with high activity. This accelerates the biological decomposition process, reducing the excess sludge in the wastewater treatment system.

Using Gasification Method

This method converts carbon materials into synthesis gas. This gas is easy to burn, containing carbon, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane. It can be used to produce electricity, steam, fuel gas, etc.

This method has the advantage of significantly reducing sludge weight, using less oxygen gas, reducing gas emissions, and utilizing product gas. However, it requires high investment costs, complex processes, and ensuring clean/pure gas products.

Landfill Method

This method treats sludge by packaging and solidifying it to minimize and prevent the impact of sludge on the surrounding environment.

The condition is to landfill sludge in areas far from residential areas, water sources, and agricultural areas.

Incineration Method

Sludge is compacted, dried, and then incinerated at temperatures above 800°C.

This method is estimated to reduce 80% - 90% of waste volume. However, for solid waste sludge types, sediments, and liquid sludge, an incineration chamber with a temperature of up to 1000°C is required.

Above is the sharing of Toan A JSC experts on sludge from wastewater treatment systems. Hopefully, it has helped you understand this issue better and choose the appropriate treatment method. If you have any questions, please contact Toan A via hotline 0913.543.469 to be advised by experts.