På Kvarnsvedens Pappersbruk används gran som vedråvara för mekanisk massatillverkning. Bark är en biprodukt och används som bränsle vid ångproduktion. Innan barken eldas behöver den avvattnas för att öka det effektiva värmevärdet. Detta sker i roterande barkpressar från Saalasti. Torrhalten på barken efter pressarna varierar från ca 37–48 % beroende på många parametrar. Medeltorrhalten under perioden år 2018–2019 var 42 %. En tumregel säger att varje % ökad torrhalt på barken innebär en besparing på 1 MSEK per år eftersom mindre skogsbränsle och kol behöver köpas in. Då torrhalterna efter barkpressarna varierar mycket så var syftet i den här studien att ta fram ett underlag för lämplig körstrategi genom att undersöka och utvärdera i vilken grad parametrarna påverkar utfallet av barkpressningen. Detta gjordes genom omfattande mätningar före och efter barkpressningen på de parametrar som gick att mäta. Resultat från studien visar att olika torrhalter erhölls beroende på vilken barkpress som användes och kan kopplas till slitaget på utrustningen. Vidare är kaktjocklek den parameter som tydligast visar korrelation med torrhalten. Brist på mätdata gjorde att övriga resultat blev svårtolkade. För bästa torrhalter bör låg tjocklek på barkkaka och låg pressvalshastighet eftersträvas, samt att körning i den barkpressen med minst slitage bör prioriteras. För vidare analys och slutsatser krävs ytterligare undersökning. / At Kvarnsveden Paper Mill, spruce is used as a raw material for mechanical pulping. Bark is a by-product and is used as a fuel for steam production. Before the bark is burnt, it needs to be dewatered to increase the effective heating value. This is done in rotating bark presses from Saalasti. The dry content of the bark after the presses varies from around 37–48 % depending on many parameters. The average dry content during the period 2018–2019 was 42 %. A rule of thumb says that every % of increased dry content on the bark means a saving of 1 MSEK per year, since less hogged fuel and coal need to be purchased. Since the dry contents of the bark presses vary widely, the aim of this study was to develop a basis for a suitable operating strategy, by examining and evaluating how different specific parameters affect the outcome of the bark pressing. This was done through extensive measurements before and after the bark pressing, on the parameters that were measurable. Results from the study show that different dry contents were obtained depending on which bark press was used and can be linked to the wear of the equipment. Furthermore, the bark bed thickness is the parameter that most clearly shows correlation with the dry content. Lack of measurement data made other results difficult to interpret. For best dry contents, low thickness of bark and low rotational speed of the press roll should be sought and operating in that bark press with least wear should be prioritized. For additional analysis and conclusions, further research is required.

No description available.

No description available.

This research was designed to investigate the effect of cations on activated sludge characteristics and also to determine their influence on digestion performance. For this purpose, cations in solution and in floc were evaluated along with various activated sludge characteristics and the collected waste activated sludge underwent both anaerobic and aerobic digestion. It was found that large amounts of biopolymer (protein + polysaccharide) remained in the effluent of WWTP that received high influent sodium but had low iron and aluminum in floc. However, sludges from plants with high sodium and high iron and aluminum dewatered well and produced high quality effluents, suggesting that iron and aluminum have significant positive effects on floc properties. Following anaerobic digestion, a significant increase in solution protein occurred and correlations between solution protein, ammonium production, percentile volatile solids reduction and iron in floc were obtained. These data indicate that iron-linked protein is released to solution when iron is reduced and its degradation is responsible for volatile solids reduction in anaerobic digestion. In aerobic digestion, polysaccharide in solution increased along with calcium, magnesium and inorganic nitrogen. This implies that divalent cation-bound biopolymer might be the primary organic fraction that is degraded under aerobic digestion. Combined (anaerobic/aerobic) digestion was performed and produced further volatile solids destruction with discrete cation and biopolymer response during each phase of digestion. These results support the theory that two types of organic matter with different cation bindings are present in floc and each type is degraded under different digestion processes. / Master of Science

Using chilled water within South African gold mines is paramount to the purpose of extracting gold ore efficiently. Using water for cooling, drilling and sweeping and the release of underground fissure water causes the accumulation of vast amounts of water in underground dams. Deep mines use cascading pump systems for dewatering, which is an electrical energy intensive dewatering method. Due to the recent equalisation of demand to generation capacity of electrical energy in South Africa, various methods towards demand side reduction have been implemented. With the introduction of a time-of-use (TOU) tariff structure by Eskom, the implementation of projects that shift load from peak TOU times to times of the day when electrical energy is less expensive has increased. To enable load shifting on mine dewatering pumps, preparation before and recovery after peak TOU is needed for effective results. This induces a preparation- and comeback load in the standard TOU. With an annual increase in TOU tariffs and the rate of increase of standard TOU being greater than that of the peak TOU, a reduction in electrical energy consumption before and after peak TOU is needed. To enable this, a step-by-step control technique was developed to promote the shifting of load from standard- to off-peak TOU, while still realising a full load shift from peak TOU. This technique entails dynamic control ranges of underground dam levels as opposed to the conventional constant control range method. Two case studies were used to test the developed technique. Results indicated significant additional financial savings when compared to conventional control methods. Additional savings of R1,096,056.65 and R579,394.27 per annum were respectively achieved for both case studies. / MIng (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Après déshydration, les boues biologiques présentent en moyenne une siccité de 30%, ce qui pose d'importants problèmes environnementaux. Afin de comprendre les mécanismes physico-chimiques de rétention d'eau dans ces boues, nous les avons modélisées par une souche bactérienne pure présentant la particularité de produire ou non des surstructures, suivant sa température de culture. Les suspensions bactériennes ainsi obtenues ont été floculées par du polyéthylèneimine de différentes masses moléculaires. Des mesures de densité optique, mobilité électrophorétique, conductivité, pH, absorbance, granulométrie, ainsi que des observations en MET et AFM ont été effectuées. Cela nous a permis de caractériser la structure des agrégats ainsi obtenus et d'évaluer les influences relatives de la masse moléculaire du polymère ainsi que de sa concentration et de la présence/absence de surstructures sur l'agrégation de cellules bactériennes. Des mesures d'élasticité, de constante de raideur et de pression de turgescence ont été effectuées par spectroscopie de force, ce qui nous a permis de caractériser les propriétés nanomécaniques des agrégats. Dans un second temps, les suspensions floculées ont été déshydratées par centrifugation, procédé mis en oeuvre dans certaines station d'épuration. Des mesures d'élasticité et de viscosité (gradient de cisaillement infini) ont été effectuées par rhéologie. La corrélation de celles-ci avec des mesures de siccité nous a permis de conclure à un impact important des surstructures, de la masse moléculaire et de la concentration en polymère sur la déshydratation des boues biologiques / After dewatering, a biological sludge still contains an average water content of 70%, thus causing huge environmental problems. To achieve a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying physicochemical interactions inducing water retention in the sludge, the bacterial sludge was modeled by a pure strain producing or not surface appendages, depending on the growth temperature. These bacterial suspensions were flocculated by polyethyleneimine of various molecular weights. Measurements of optical density, electrophoretic mobility, conductivity, pH, absorbance, particle size, as well as AFM and TEM observations were performed. This allowed to characterize aggregates structures and to estimate the influence of molecular weight and concentration of polymer and presence/absence of surface appendages. Measurements of elasticity, spring constant and turgor pressure were carried out by force spectroscopy allowing to characterize nanomechanical properties of aggregates. In a second step, a dewatering of these flocculated suspensions was performed by centrifugation, process used in some wastewater treatment plants. Measurements of elasticity and viscosity were carried out by rheology. Correlations with dryness measurements allowed to conclude that the presence/absence of surface appendages, and also the molecular weight and concentration of the polymer have a significant impact on biological sludge dewatering

Most of the water fed into a paper machine is removedmechanically in the forming and press sections. One of thefactor which has an important influence on mechanicaldewatering, i.e. in both forming and pressing, is thestress-strain behaviour of the fibre network. The focus of this thesis is on the development of improvedmathematical descriptions of the stress-strain behaviourexhibited by fibre networks in the forming and press sections.The first part of the thesis presents a physically based modelof the forming and densification of fibre mats in twin-wireformers. The model can calculate the ecect of the applicationof a varied load through the forming section. It was developedfrom mass and momentum balances of the fibre and liquid phases,the fibre mat stress-porosity relation and an expression forthe permeability as a function of the porosity. The fibre-matstress-porosity relation used is rate-independent and presentshysteresis. Simulations have been conducted to study theeffects of roll pressure, blade pulses, wire tension andbeating. The effect of sequential blade pressure pulses afterthe forming roll on the dewatering and the concentrationgradients could be characterised. The simulations alsoexhibited rewetting by expansion when the fibre mats left theforming roll. Increasing wire tension resulted in increaseddewatering, but the rate of increase diminished rapidly withincreasing tension. The simulation results also indicated thatbeating has a large influence on dewatering. The second part of the thesis presents two models of therate-dependent stress-strain behaviour of the fibre networkthat is observed in wet pressing. The first model was based onthe approach pioneered by Perzyna (1966) for strain-ratedependent plasticity and was quite satisfactory for calculatingthe stress-strain behaviour of the fibre network in singlepress nips. It was successfully applied for studyingdensification and dewatering in both normal wet pressing andhigh temperature wet pressing. However, the first model onlyincludes rate dependence in the compression phase of thecompressionexpansion cycle; the expansion phase is treated asbeing rate independent The second model of the stress-strain behaviour of the fibrenetwork treats both compression and expansion as being ratedependent, according to experimental observations. It is basedon the idea that the wet fibre web may be conceived as alayered network of restricted swelling gels. A swollen fibre isa restricted gel, the inner swelling pressure in a swollenfibre wall being balanced by the stresses in the fibre wallstructure. The observed rate dependence of wet webs in bothcompression and expansion phases was attributed to the flow ofwater out of and into the fibre walls. The second model gavepredictions that are in good agreement with results fromuniaxial experiments using pressure pulses of arbitrary shapefor both a single pulse and a sequence of pulses. It maytherefore be used as a general model for the rheologicalbehaviour of the wet fibre network in wet pressing, providedthe model parameters are estimated from experimental data withsmall experimental error. KEYWORDS:Paper, modelling, dewatering, forming, wetpressing, fibre network stress, rheology, hysteresis,intra-fibre water, compressibility, structural stress,stress-strain, restricted gels, swelling. / <p>QC 20161026</p>

O estudo dos fatores intervenientes, micro e macropropriedades dos lodos de estação de tratamento de água (ETA), no desaguamento por sistemas naturais, com uso de leito de drenagem, constituiu o principal foco desta pesquisa. Assim, ensaios de desaguamento por leito de drenagem foram realizados com amostras de lodos de sulfato de alumínio e de cloreto de polialumínio (PA\'CL\') e monitoramento das variáveis climáticas. Os resultados comprovaram o desempenho do leito de drenagem para redução de volume, da ordem de 80% e 90% para os lodos de PA\'CL\' e sulfato de alumínio e teor de sólidos final respectivamente de 30 a 90%, sem consumo de energia. Na fase de drenagem, independente do tipo e volume de lodo aplicado, a vazão de drenagem foi maior quanto menor o valor da taxa de aplicação de sólidos - TAS (Kg/\'M POT.2\') (fração volumétrica de partículas). As variáveis analisadas, teor de sólidos, distribuição de tamanho de partículas, morfologia e composição das partículas entre outros, na massa de lodo bruto e desaguado indicaram diferentes mecanismos de secagem e conseqüente influencia na velocidade de secagem. O uso do fluxo de massa de água evaporada revelou-se adequado para avaliar a fase de secagem. O estudo das micro e macropropriedades do lodo mostram-se decisivos para balisarem pesquisas de desenvolvimento dos sistemas de desaguamento e de reúso dos lodos de ETAs. / The study of involved factors, micro and macroproperties of sludge from water treatment plants (WTP) in dewatering by natural systems with the use of draining beds is the main focus of this research. For this purpose, dewatering assays by draining beds were done with samples from aluminium sulphate and polyaluminium chloride (PA\'CL\') sludge, and monitoring of the climatic variables along the experiments. The results proved the performance of the draining beds in reducing the volume, ranging from 80 to 90% for the sludges from PA\'CL\' and aluminium sulphate and the final rate of solids from 30 to 90%, without consuming the energy. In dewatering phase, independently of the type and volume of the applied sludge, the bigger the flow of dewatering the lesser the value of the applied rate of solids (TAS, Kg/\'M POT.2\', volumetric fraction of particles). The analised variables, solid rates, distribution of the height of the particles, morphology, and composition of the particles among others, in the mass of the brute and dewatered sludge indicated different mechanisms of drying and consequently influence in the rate of drying. The use of the flow of mass of humidity revealed adequate to evaluate the drying phase. The studies of micro and macroproperties of the sludge were decisive to conduct researches of development of dewatering systems and reusing of the sludges from WTP´s.

Dans une problématique de réduction des volumes de déchet, l’électro-compression (ou électro-déshydratation) apparaît être une technique efficace pour éliminer une grande partie de l’eau des boues résiduaires urbaines. Cette thèse de doctorat présente différentes contributions à l’étude de ce procédé appliqué à ce type de boues. Un lien entre les données cinétiques et énergétiques est établi par une étude expérimentale à l’échelle du laboratoire. D’autre part, un nouveau modèle relativement simple est proposé pour l’étude et la simulation de l’électro-compression et permet de mettre en avant les phénomènes prépondérants. Enfin, un protocole d’analyse ionique des filtrats et des tranches de gâteaux de boue a permis une étude de la migration des espèces chimiques au cours de l’électro-déshydratation. / In the purpose to reduce waste amount, the electro-dewatering process is a promising technique to efficiently withdraw a large part of the water included in wastewater sludge. This PhD thesis contributes in various ways to the study of this technique. Lab-scale experiments showed correlations between dewatering kinetics and energy consumption of the process. Moreover, a new model, relatively simple, is proposed to study and simulate the process. This model highlights the main phenomena involved in the electro-dewatering. Finally, a study of the migration of chemical species during the dewatering process is carried out thanks to an analytical protocol measuring ions in filtrates and sludge slices.1

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T14:04:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Juliana Guasti Lozer.pdf: 2488293 bytes, checksum: 5d24459e7b394d66c464ee05fa1f6f8a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-31 / O lodo de esgoto é o resíduo produzido em maior volume nas Estações de Tratamento de Esgoto e, após ser submetido a algum processo de higienização pode ser utilizado como biossólido na agricultura. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho apresenta como principal objetivo o estudo do desempenho de estufas agrícolas sobre leito de secagem no desaguamento e na higienização do lodo de descarte de uma estação de tratamento de esgoto operada por reatores anaeróbios de fluxo ascendente e manta de lodo associado a um biofiltro aerado submerso, fundamentado na exposição prolongada do lodo à radiação solar em leitos de secagem. A pesquisa foi realizada em escala real na Estação de Tratamento de Esgoto de Castelo, em três repetições consecutivas, com duração de 28 dias cada. Em cada repetição foram utilizados quatro leitos de secagem, destes, dois foram cobertos com módulos de estufa agrícola e os outros ficaram expostos às alterações climáticas. As cargas de sólidos totais aplicadas nos leitos de secagem variaram de 6,4 kgSST.m-2 a 17,8 kgSST.m-2 durante as três repetições do experimento, sendo objeto de comparação dos resultados. Em relação à remoção do teor de umidade da massa de lodo, o leito coberto 1, que apresentava menores taxas de sólidos totais aplicadas, foi o que obteve melhores resultados, alcançando teores de umidade de até 6,8%. Para os parâmetros microbiológicos, ao final dos 28 dias do experimento foi constatado que: apenas o leito coberto 2 na repetição 2 apresentou resultados de coliformes termotolerantes abaixo de 103 NMP/gST. Apenas na repetição 3 obteve-se ausência de Salmonella em todos os quatro leitos de secagem e, por fim, as reduções nas concentrações de ovos viáveis de helmintos não foram suficientes para enquadrar o biossólido como Classe A conforme estabelecido pela Resolução n° 375/2006 do Conama / The sewage sludge is the main waste, in volume, in Sewage Treatment Plants and, after undergoing hygienization processes, it can be used as biosolid in the agriculture. In this scenario, the objective of this research is to study greenhouses performance on dewatering and sanitation of discarded sludge, based on long exposition to sunlight on dewatering beds, in a Sewage Treatment Plant applying Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor associated with submerged aired biofilter. This research was carried on large scale at the Sewage Treatment Plant of Castelo using three consecutive repetitions lasting 28 days each. For all the runs it was used four dewatering beds, two covered by greenhouse modules and two exposed to weather conditions. The total solids rate applied on the dewatering beds ranged from 6,4 kgSST.m-2 to 17,8 kgSST.m-2, being used as comparing parameter for the outcomes. For the sludge water content removal, the covered bed 1, which had lesser total solid rates, showed the best results, reaching total solid rates of up to 6,4%. For microbiologic parameters, it was observed by the end of the 28 days: only the covered bed 2, during the second repetition, showed results of fecal coliform below 10³ NMP/gST; only for repetition 3 was not observed Salmonella in all four beds; and viable helminths eggs reduction was not enough for characterizing biosolid as Class A, according established by 375/2006 Resolution of Conama