Continuous dewatering method

Abstract

An apparatus and method for dewatering sludges and the like as part of landfill operations by electrokinetic techniques including placing anode and cathode electrode modules in contact with the sludge and applying electrical energy to the electrodes to establish an electric field in the sludge. Charged particles within the sludge, including macro-molecules, colloids, and suspended particles, electrophoretically migrate to the oppositely charged counter electrode and consolidate. A filtration media located at one of the electrodes permits the electro-osmotic removal of water from the sludge to encourage solids densification. The electrical energy applied to the electrodes is a chopped, time-varying, intermittent unidirectional current having a rapid rise edge which provides dewatering results comparable to prior methods that used direct current or full AC current but at substantially reduced energy consumption to provide more economical dewatering. Presently preferred optimum conditions for practicing the invention are also disclosed, including means for applying the techniques of the disclosure to a continuous dewatering method and an apparatus for practicing that method. The application of the electrokinetic techniques to other processes such as electrodialysis, including electrolysis (using a membrane or bipolar membrane), desalinization or metathesis; and electrowinning, including electroplating; and other electrophoretic processes is suggested.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.