Effect of Co-Dewatering for Aerobic Granular Sludge and Alum Sludge

Abstract

Sludge dewatering plays a crucial and indispensable role in the sludge treatment and disposal process, directly affecting the subsequent disposal costs and environmental risks. Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) and alum sludge (AS) from water treatment plants are two common types of sludge with distinct dewatering properties. In this experiment, we thoroughly investigated the effects of co-dewatering by mixing AGS and AS in different proportions. The results showed that the addition of the AS effectively altered the composition and characteristics of the AGS, which significantly improved its settlement performance. When the AGS and AS were mixed in a specific proportion, the water content of the dewatered AGS was reduced from 81.2% to 70.9%, which fully demonstrated a significant improvement in the AGS dewatering performance achieved through the mixed treatment. It is recommended to be widely promoted and applied in practical engineering.