Solidifying sludge
View Patent ↗Embodiments provided herein relate to removing liquid from soil or other moisture rich media. In some embodiments, a method for solidifying sludge is provided and involves providing a sludge, fluidizing the sludge to form a fluidized sludge, adding a gelling agent to the fluidized sludge in an amount sufficient to form a slurry, and adding a dewatering agent to the slurry in an amount sufficient to dewater the slurry, thereby solidifying the sludge.
1. A method for solidifying sludge comprising:
providing a sludge;
fluidizing the sludge to form a fluidized sludge;
adding a gelling agent to the fluidized sludge in an amount sufficient to form a slurry; and
adding a dewatering agent to the slurry in an amount sufficient to dewater the slurry, thereby solidifying the sludge.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying the slurry with dewatering agent to a location; and
allowing the slurry with dewatering agent to solidify at the location into a solidified sludge.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slurry can solidify within 7 days after adding the dewatering agent.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein an amount of the gelling agent used is less than 10% by weight of the fluidized sludge.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dewatering agent comprises a flocculant.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the flocculant includes at least one of a polyethylene oxide or a polyacrylamide.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dewatering process occurs concurrently with a solidifying process.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluidized sludge comprises a water content between 180% to 300% by weight of the dredged sludge.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gelling agent comprises concrete.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gelling agent comprises at least one of: cement clinker, fly ash, lime, gypsum, sodium sulfate, or any combination thereof.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the gelling agent comprises cement clinker, fly ash, lime, gypsum, and sodium sulfate.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gelling agent comprises 20-50% cement clinker, 40-70% fly ash, 4-10% lime, 2-6% gypsum, and 4-6% sodium sulfate by weight of all of the ingredients.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dewatering agent includes a flocculant and a surfactant, wherein the flocculant includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene oxide and polyacrylamide, and wherein the surfactant includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: alkylphenol polyethylene ether and lignosulfonate.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the concentration by weight of dewatering agent is 1-3% polyethylene oxide, 0.5-3% polyacrylamide, 0.5 to 1% alkylphenol polyethylene ether, and 10-25% lignosulfonate.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the dewatering agent is 0.01-0.05% by weight of the slurry.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gelling agent, the dewatering agent, and the sludge are all combined in a single chamber.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dewatering agent comprises a surfactant and a flocculant.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the surfactant comprises at least one of an alkylphenol polyethylene ether and a lignosulfonate.