Optimization of sludge conditioning and dewatering using sludge network strength and residual polymer concentration

脱水是降低污泥处理和最终处置成本的关键。然而，由于运行过程中污泥特性和固体浓度的不断变化，污泥调节和脱水的优化仍然是一个挑战。理想情况下，应实时检查和优化聚合物剂量，但大多数处理厂仍使用操作员通过检查蛋糕固体来手动调整聚合物剂量。这通常会导致聚合物投加量过多，通常为30%-40%，这不仅增加了聚合物成本，还降低了蛋糕的干燥度，从而降低了处置成本。此外，排放到环境中的过量聚合物对水生态系统也有毒性影响。因此，需要可靠的系统来实现污水处理厂聚合物投加量的实时优化。目前的技术通常依赖于进水污泥的固体浓度或出水的浊度，这在捕捉重要的污泥特性和预测脱水性能方面并不理想。需要一种创新的方法来调节和脱水优化。该方案通过在线和实时监测网络强度和残余聚合物浓度，提供了一种全新的脱水优化方法。网络强度是捕捉污泥物理、化学和流动特性变化的一个整体参数，优于当前系统所依赖的监测单个参数，如污泥固体浓度。聚合物残留量的测定是根据剩余聚合物在污泥中的残留来优化投药量的直接方法。研究的短期目标是完成开发脱水优化系统所需的基础性研究任务，该系统利用网络强度进行前馈控制，利用剩余聚合物浓度进行反馈控制，实现脱水优化。该研究计划的长期目标是完成完全集成的脱水自动化系统的开发。预计该研究计划将为处理厂带来重大节省，降低污泥脱水和最终处置的成本，减少处理的碳足迹，并将排放的聚合物对水生生态系统的不利影响降至最低。这项研究将有助于培养高素质的污泥处理人才，以及处理系统的优化和自动化，这些都是需求很高的领域。这项研究具有产生新产品和系统的强大潜力，并将使加拿大经济受益。

Dewatering plays a key role in reducing the cost of sludge treatment and final disposal. However, optimization of sludge conditioning and dewatering continues to be a challenge due to continuous changes in sludge characteristics and solids concentration during operation. Ideally, polymer dose should be checked and optimized on a real-time basis but the majority of treatment plants still use operators to manually adjust the polymer dose by checking cake solids. This usually leads to overdosing of polymer typically by 30-40%, which not only increases polymer cost but also decreases cake dryness, and thus disposal costs. In addition, excess polymers discharged to environment have toxic effects on aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, there is a major need for reliable systems that can achieve real-time optimization of polymer dose at wastewater treatment plants. Current technologies typically rely on solids concentration of incoming sludge or turbidity of the effluent, which are not ideal in capturing important sludge characteristics and predicting dewatering performance. An innovative approach to conditioning and dewatering optimization is needed.This proposal presents a completely new and novel approach to dewatering optimization through in-line and real-time monitoring of network strength and residual polymer concentration. Network strength is a holistic parameter that captures the changes in the physical, chemical, and flow characteristics of sludge and is superior to monitoring individual parameters such as sludge solids concentration which current systems rely on. Measurement of residual polymer is a direct way of optimizing the polymer dose based on excess polymer remaining in sludge. The short-term goal of the research is to complete the fundamental research tasks required for the development of a dewatering optimization system that uses network strength for feed-forward control and residual polymer concentration for feed-back control to achieve dewatering optimization. The long-term goal of the research program is to complete the development of a fully integrated dewatering automation system. The research program is expected to lead to important savings for treatment plants, reduce the cost of sludge dewatering and final disposal, decrease the carbon footprint of treatment, and minimize the adverse impact of discharged polymers on aquatic ecosystems. The research will help to train highly qualified personnel in sludge treatment and optimization and automation of treatment systems, which are all high-demand areas. The research has a strong potential to generate new products and systems, and will benefit the Canadian economy.