A New Sensing Technique for Optimum Sludge Conditioning for Waste Sludge Dewatering

A new sensing technique using a Hot-Film sensor for determining the optimum polymer dosage for sludge dewatering has been developed. Correlations between the behavior of the Hot-Film sensor and dewaterability of sewage and night soil sludge were investigated. The results of the study revealed the following: the Hot-Film sensor values depended on the filtrate characteristics related to the sludge dewaterability which is measured by the filterability of the conditioned sludge and by the moisture content of the dewatered sludge cake; the optimum polymer dosage for sludge dewatering corresponded with the minimum output value on the characteristics curve of the Hot-Film sensor. This paper describes the observations of the measurement test by the Hot-Film sensor as well as the results of the laboratory test of sludge dewatering for optimum sludge conditioning.