Environmental protection takes to the road and sea

A highly efficient low-maintenance liquid-to-solid waste separator has extended its versatility by being offered in skid-mounted format that can be carried by truck or trailer to remote and environmentally sensitive applications.

The skid-mounted KDS separator is being introduced to Australasia and New Zealand by CST Wastewater Solutions, following on from the first permanent Australasian KDS installation, underway this year on World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island.

The Lord Howe system, engineered by Australasian wastewater treatment company CST Wastewater Solutions, is part of a two-stage wastewater treatment system for the management and disposal of waste generated on the island.

The system — suitable for smaller, remote and ecologically sensitive applications — was selected by the Island Board of Lord Howe after extensive testing to determine the best solution for the management and disposal of waste generated on the island.

Now the skid-mounted KDS extends the versatility of the technology for compact dewatering applications, ranging from food processing, poultry, meat, fish, dairy, mixed food waste, grease trap and waste oil through to municipal wastewater sludge, livestock manure and agribusiness processes.

The compact KDS multidisc separator can help minimise the environmental impact of resources industry camps as well as commercial food processing and agribusiness plants located in sensitive coastal, island and inland areas where energy and water consumption are issues.

Local authorities also benefit from these environmental attributes, as well as the technology’s capacity to reduce sludge disposal by 50% and more, while simultaneously removing solids that otherwise end up in sewage and waterways. The monthly savings on transport and disposal are claimed to be immediate and significant.

The largest energy-saving KDS unit can handle about 100 kg DS (dry solids) an hour at 98% solids capture, to produce this drier, lighter, more hygienic and more compact output that is easier and cheaper to handle and transport, said CST Wastewater Solutions Managing Director Michael Bambridge.

Ready to use

The high-quality Japanese-manufactured KDS — for which distributors are being sought by CST Wastewater Solutions — is suitable for organisations which face the challenge of not only handling heavy, sticky wet waste, but also the cost and OH&S hazards of transporting such unhygienic material to disposal facilities.

“The new skid-mounted KDS technology offers potential users a highly effective ready-to-use solution to waste processing needs,” said Michael Bambridge. Measuring only 3.8 by 2.2 m, it offers the type of low-maintenance high efficiency that is so important where industrial and municipal operations don’t have the resources to place engineering staff on close standby.

KDS technology features a self-cleaning dewatering and conveying system with oval plate separation and transfer structure that prevents clogging and permits automatic continuous operation that handles oily and fibrous material with ease. The self-cleaning action is available in hydraulic capacities from approx. 1000–15,490 L/h with input solids content of 2%.

Designed for efficiency, sustainability and conservation of resources in small-to-medium applications, the energy-efficient KDS separator consumes as little as 0.06 kW/h of electricity and uses no wash water, said Bambridge.

Low energy usage, no water required

“This simple-to-maintain separator offers a high throughput within a small body, with the smallest model being just under 350 mm wide and weighing 50 kg. The compact rotational oval plate structure achieves high transportation and separation efficiencies, while the simplicity of the machine’s overall structure offers low maintenance, achieving cost and OH&S benefits through less handling being required to clear hazardous materials.

“The KDS separator uses a fraction of the power of a centrifuge and no water usage during operation unlike a belt press or a screw press. For a relatively low investment cost, it offers a high-performance alternative to sludge drying beds and geobags, for example, said Bambridge.

Used for thickening of dissolved air flotation sludge — a common application throughout wastewater operations — it achieves solids capture of 97% thickened sludge at a dryness of 17%. Waste activated sludge dryness levels are typically 15–25%.