Vacuum Evaporation of Viscous Sludge for Solids Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water treatment processes are inefficient in removing large quantities of entrained solids from wastewater in a timely manner, particularly in animal processing facilities, and often result in the production of malodorous sludge that is difficult to manage and process.
Innovation Solution
A heated apparatus with an internal vacuum is used to remove entrained solids from wastewater, employing a series of jacketed screw heat exchangers and a closed-loop system that evaporates water under vacuum conditions, allowing for efficient separation of solids and containment of odors, with the ability to process large volumes of wastewater and produce a usable dried solid product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional treatment methods are used to remove entrained solids from wastewater, then most solids can be removed, but the remaining sludge becomes highly viscous and difficult to process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by heating the sludge to elevated temperatures (e.g., 100-200°C or higher) to fundamentally alter its physical properties. This thermal treatment reduces the viscosity of the sludge, making it easier to pump and process while maintaining the solids removal effectiveness of conventional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions by heating sludge to its boiling point or beyond, causing water to evaporate and transition from liquid to vapor phase. This phase change concentrates the solids and reduces sludge volume, transforming difficult-to-handle viscous material into a more manageable form suitable for further processing or disposal.
2Quantity of substance
If sludge is placed in outdoor lagoons for settling, then solids can separate from water, but the system releases malodorous fumes and is vulnerable to weather-related spills
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a controlled, enclosed environment that replaces the open atmospheric conditions of outdoor lagoons. By confining the sludge treatment process in sealed vessels and maintaining controlled atmospheric conditions, the system prevents malodorous fumes from escaping into the environment while eliminating weather-related spill risks associated with outdoor storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the passive gravitational settling mechanism of outdoor lagoons with an active thermal processing system. Instead of relying on gravity and extended settling time in open containers, the system uses heating and evaporation to actively separate and concentrate solids, achieving faster and more reliable separation while eliminating the harmful effects of outdoor lagoon operation.
3Quantity of substance
If existing water treatment processes are used for animal processing wastewater, then some solids removal occurs, but the process is too slow and inefficient for large volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing a preheating stage before the main treatment process. The incoming sludge is preheated using heat exchangers that recover thermal energy from the outgoing treated stream, preparing the material for faster and more efficient subsequent processing. This preliminary thermal preparation accelerates the overall treatment kinetics and improves productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous processing where sludge flows continuously through heating, evaporation, and separation stages rather than batch processing. The system maintains continuous operation with heat recovery loops that continuously exchange thermal energy between incoming and outgoing streams, maximizing productivity and enabling the treatment of large volumes of animal processing wastewater efficiently.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively processes large quantities of wastewater to remove entrained solids in a timely manner, producing a dried and separated solid product while containing odors within the treatment apparatus, making it suitable for use in animal processing facilities and other large-scale wastewater treatment applications.
Implementation Method 1
a heated apparatus with an internal vacuum is used to remove entrained solids from wastewater... that evaporates water under vacuum conditions
Implementation Method 2
A heated apparatus with an internal vacuum is used to remove entrained solids from wastewater
Implementation Method 3
employing a series of jacketed screw heat exchangers... that evaporates water under vacuum conditions
Data Source
AI summary
A water treatment system for treating viscous sludge containing entrained solids in water by evaporating the water from the viscous sludge to produce water and dehydrated solids including a tank with an internal agitator with an associated rotary meter to dispense metered quantities of the sludge into a subsequent dehydrator for heating the sludge to evaporate the water therefrom to produce dehydrated solids exiting through a meter and a gas containing evaporated water going to a condenser connected to the dehydrator to receive gas therefrom for condensing it into a liquid that is discharged from the system and provide dehydrated gas to a subsequent vacuum pump that maintains a relatively static vacuum.