Scottish Water Solutions upgrades sludge treatment works

Increasing the work’s primary sludge extraction capabilities is core to the upgrade, which includes replacing the existing bridge scrapers on four primary settlement tanks with Zickert top and bottom sludge scrapping equipment.

It is also anticipated that the works will lower the operating costs of the facility as the process is more energy efficient.

After the sludge has been scrapped, the screened raw sewage in the tanks can then discharge the effluent in preparation for secondary tertiary treatment.

SWS construction manager, Paul Sharp, said Hydro International’s scrapping equipment was chosen because of its ability to process higher volumes of sludge, as it allows up to 2,220,000 litres of between 1.5% and 3% of dry solid thickened sludge a day to be extracted for additional treatment and dewatering.

Mr Sharp said: “We required a lightweight, energy efficient alternative to the existing equipment, and which could fit within the existing tanks.

“Additionally, less expensive whole life costs were important and we needed better sludge extraction and cleaner effluent than alternatives, such as bridge refurbishment would have been able to deliver.”

Carys Matthews