Sludge volume cut
July 1st 2006

The Smurfit Paper Mill in Snodland, Kent, has reduced disposable waste from its sludge effluent treatment process by 50% of its original volume and recovered a valuable commercial product since introducing a CQ5000 decanter centrifuge from Centriquip.

Until recently, the mixed primary and biological sludge was dewatered by a belt press which produced cake at about 25% dry matter. After trial work with the Centriquip portable pilot plant, it was found that not only did the centrifuge produce cake with 35% dry matter but it would also dewater the biological sludge on its own which meant that more fibre could be recovered from the waste stream. This combination reduced the amount of sludge for disposal by 50%.

The result for Smurfit is a reduction in volume of sludge to just 250t/week, with better handling characteristics and return of the valuable paper fibres to the process.

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