Methods for incinerating sludge in a combustor

A method of controlling mass and heat loading of sludge feed in a dryer that receives sludge and/or a polymer dosage from dewatering equipment located upstream of the dryer, the method comprising:

• continuously measuring at least the performance characteristic of the difference between freeboard and bed temperatures of the dryer and producing an input signal characteristic based on the measured at least one performance characteristic;
• analyzing the input signal and determining a rate of change of the performance characteristic;
• determining a desired operating limit of the rate of change;
• determining a point of transition between the addition of polymer to the dewatering equipment and the addition of sludge in order to maintain the rate of change proximate to the desired operating limit;
• generating a first output signal based on the rate of change and the determined transition point to control addition of polymer to the dewatering equipment;
• and
• generating a second output signal based on the rate of change and the determined transition point to control addition of sludge feed to the dryer.