Testing, Selection, and Design of Open Belt Filter Press Facilities with External Frame Mounted Enclosures for Dewatering Unique Thermal Hydrolysis Digested Biosolids for DC Water’s Biosolids Program

摘要

Many features on belt filter presses (BFPs) should be evaluated prior to selection. Open BFPs are preferred over enclosed presses by most wastewater operators, including the DC Water (District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority) operation and maintenance (O&M) staff that operate the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant (AWTP), since they provide better operational and maintenance access. Enclosed BFPs are used extensively throughout Europe at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) producing thermal hydrolysis digested biosolids to contain odor and provide better worker environment. However, there are a limited number of installed enclosed BFPs in the United States (US). This manuscript includes a summary of information from site visits undertaken to arrive at a decision on whether to use open or enclosed BFPs, detailed evaluation of BFP features, design criteria, enclosures, odor control issues, BFP success factors, specification requirements and selection criteria, and summary of DC Water decision on BFPs. The chosen BFP equipment for the Final Dewatering Facilities (FDF) project was a hybrid that encompassed the advantages of an open press with the functionality of enclosure to contain the anticipated high ammonia release. The final selection was open presses with an I-beam frame and external frame mounted enclosures for odor containment. Successful pilot testing on thermal hydrolysis digested biosolids was performed at Chertsey WWTP (operated by Thames Water) and Cotton Valley WWTP (operated by Anglian Water) near London. The data from the successful pilot testing was used in the development of BFP design criteria for the DC Water Biosolids Program project.