De-Watering Unit

De - Watering Unit in India

Dewatering is the removal of water from solid material or soil by wet classification, centrifugation, filtration, or similar solid-liquid separation processes, such as removal of residual liquid from a filter cake by a filter press as part of various industrial processes.

Construction dewatering, unwatering, or water control are common terms used to describe removal or draining groundwater or surface water from a riverbed, construction site, caisson, or mine shaft, by pumping or evaporation. On a construction site, this dewatering may be implemented before subsurface excavation for foundations, shoring, or cellar space to lower the water table. This frequently involves the use of submersible "dewatering" pumps, centrifugal ("trash") pumps, eductors, or application of vacuum to well points.

Alternatives to sludge-drying beds include the rotary drum vacuum filter, the centrifuge, and the belt filter press. These mechanicals systems require less space than do sludge-drying beds, and they offer a greater degree of operational control. However, they usually have to be preceded by a step called sludge conditioning, in which chemicals are added to the liquid sludge to coagulate solids and improve drainability. Dewatered sludge can be buried underground in a sanitary landfill.

Where a suitable site for land disposal is not available, as in urban areas, sludge may be incinerated. Incineration completely evaporates the moisture and converts the organic solids into inert ash. The ash must be disposed of, but the reduced volume makes disposal more economical. Air pollution control is a very important consideration when sewage sludge is incinerated. Appropriate air-cleaning devices such as scrubbers , Packed Towers and filters must be used.