Application of Amphoteric Polyelectrolytes for Sludge Dewatering

Abstract

Conventional sludge conditioning with polymer flocculants usually involves the addition of either a cationic polymer or a combination of a cationic and an anionic polymer. On the other hand, a combination of a metal coagulant and an amphoteric polymer was found to produce large, mechanically strong flocs. On the basis of this observation and by use of the colloid titration method 1,2 the efficiency of the sludge charge neutralization with a metal coagulant and the amount of polymer adhered to the sludge particle surfaces were measured to elucidate the mechanism of the amphoteric polymer attachment. This study indicated that amphoteric polymers were roughly divided into two main types by the cation-anion ratio of the polymer according to the efficiency of the charge neutralization. Furthermore, field survey results have demonstrated that a new system gave a two times higher dewatering rate, producing a dewatered sludge cake having a moisture content 2-5% lower than those obtained conventional methods.