Thermal drying of sludge has been presented as an excellent alternative for the reduction of sludge moisture in TEEs and ETAs. It is a process of reducing humidity through the evaporation of water to the atmosphere with the application of thermal energy, being able to obtain solids contents of the order of 90 to 95%. With this, the final volume of the sludge is reduced significantly.
The development of this technology applied in the treatment of sludge has aroused the interest in the market so that it is possible to dry it in the stage of raw sludge, eliminating the other stages of treatment.
The stage of biological stabilization and sanitization can be excluded from the treatment, as the thermal drying process eliminates the pathogens and stabilizes the sludge through heat. In addition, the final product presents a high content of organic matter and calorific value, which adds value to this and favors the agricultural use.
Through the thermal drying of the sludge the sludge treatment becomes much easier, also significantly reducing transport costs. However, thermal drying is not without problems, it is an expensive alternative and can present problems with the production of odors and dust.
