Rigesa reuses the thermal load in stacks to reduce sludge moisture and finds potential alternative s - Sep 20, 2007 - 4:16:00 PM

In the search of environmentally friendly solutions to dispose of the sludge in effluent treatment stations in its manufacturing units, Rigesa has acquired a sludge drying system. The system operates through a fluidized bed, taking advantage of excess thermal load of boiler stacks, which was earlier lost into the atmosphere.
The system was tested in the Feira de Santana Packaging plant and succeeded in reducing the moisture in the sludge from approximately 85% to 2% only. This represented a significant cost reduction in terms of transportation and disposal.
Upon the reduction of moisture, the sludge now can be disposed of in a better way. As its calorific power was improved it became attractive for reuse as fuel in biomass boilers or cement kilns.
The equipment is automatic and does not require additional labor. Its implementation in other Rigesa plants is under study.