The Problem
The development of sustainable waste management strategies, whatever the waste stream, has historically been hindered by a lack of knowledge of both the quantities and characteristics of the material to be dealt with. This is especially true for sewage sludge, which by its very nature varies in composition and physical characteristics both geographically and over time. And it is even more true for the sludges now being encountered, as modern processes increase solids contents, and vary composition.

It is essential to provide fundamental data on the processing characteristics of the material in order to make informed decisions on the most sustainable treatment and disposal strategy to be adopted, and the correct size of equipment for the duty.

As part of it's long-running Water and Waste Water Mixing Consortium, BHRSolutions is launching a project aimed at improving knowledge of sludge properties. The proposed research will benefit wastewater service providers and contractors alike.

The Aims
The primary objectives of the work are:

• To initiate what will become the worlds most comprehensive source of sludge property data.
• To prompt further research into sludge property trials considering sludges in combination with other materials.

The Work Programme
The project involves a number of clearly defined phases:

• Data collection from supporting organisations and analysis of sludge properties
• Setting up of the sludge database and associated website
• Dissemination of research activity and results to members of the WWM Consortium

The Benefits of SludgeData
The deliverables from this project will save industry money by:

• Improving sludge process design
• Improving equipment selection and sizing
• Helping to avoid costly failures
• Reducing energy consumption.

The results will enable new sludge strategies and co-treatment options to be adopted with confidence and reduced risk. Questions like

• How thick can I get my sludge before my pump fails?
• What can I co-treat with my sludge whilst still using my existing equipment?
• What effect will this new process have on the sludge produced?

will be more readily and reliably answered.

For more information on joining WWM, please contact us.