Abstract
Sewage sludge is the solid, semisolid, or slurry residual material that is produced as a byproduct of wastewater treatment processes. This residue is commonly classified as primary and secondary sludge. Primary sludge is generated from chemical precipitation, sedimentation, and other primary processes, whereas secondary sludge is the activated waste biomass resulting from biological treatments. Quite often the sludges are combined together for further treatment and disposal. Sludge from biological treatment operations is sometimes referred to as wastewater biosolids. Of the constituents removed by the treatment, solids and biosolids are by far the largest in volume, and their processing, reuse, and disposal present perhaps the most challenging environmental problem and complex problem in wastewater treatment processes. Therefore, the chapter is devoted to the discussion of the sources, characteristics, quantities, disposal, digestion, and stabilization of sludge so as to present background data and information on these topics that will serve as a basis for the designing of sludge processing, treatment, and disposal facilities.
TopSludge And Its Moisture Content
Primary Sludge
Primary sludge is produced through the mechanical wastewater treatment process. It occurs after the screen and the grit chamber and consists of unsolved wastewater contaminations. The sludge amassing at the bottom of the primary sedimentation basin is also called primary sludge. The composition of this sludge depends on the characteristics of the catchment area. Primary sludge consists to a high portion of organic matters, as faeces, vegetables, fruits, textiles, paper etc. The consistence is a thick fluid with a water percentage between 93% and 97%. Sludge settled in primary settling tanks comes under this category which contains 3% to 7% solids out of which approximately 60% to 80% are organic. Primary sludge solids are usually gray in color, slimy, fairly coarse, and with highly obnoxious odors. This sludge is difficult to dewater without treatment, hence digestion is necessary. This type of sludge can be digested readily by aerobic or anaerobic bacteria under favorable operating conditions.