SLUDGE DRYING AND WATER TREATMENT MEET THE EXPECTATIONS OF TODAY'S CITIZENS

Solar as a waste management tool for our cities

Environmental laws require municipalities to treat sludge generated by their sewers. Several methods exist for decontaminating them and disposing of them with a minimum of nuisance to the environment or event better, transform them into valuable fertilizer.

Solar heat can be used to dry the sludge and prepare it for incineration or reuse. Solar heat can also be used in arid regions to distill and recover water settling ponds. This gives two products with high added value, drinking water and fertilizer for crops.

Solar sludge drying

Based on its experience with the city of Surprise (Arizona, USA), Rackam has developed an innovative solar drying solution for sludges. Rackam proposed a dryer that combines solar heat generated by its solar collectors and a ventilated greenhouse to evaporate water contained in the sludge with a very high efficiency. The dryer is equipped with a feed system, a discharge system and multiple automated flipping tools that insure uniformity of the dried product.