Wetlands for wastewater treatment sludge
BE CIRCULAR, BE EFFECTIVE: STOP SENDING SLUDGE TO THE LANDFILL
Wetlands for wastewater treatment sludge
BE CIRCULAR, BE EFFECTIVE: STOP SENDING SLUDGE TO THE LANDFILL
Wetlands for wastewater treatment sludge
BE CIRCULAR, BE EFFECTIVE: STOP SENDING SLUDGE TO THE LANDFILL
WETLANDS COURSES
UGL Wetlands
Sludge management in a simple, safe, economical and sustainable way.
Sludge dewatering and final disposal logistics can account for 60% of the operational cost of a wastewater treatment plant, and the workload in this activity can be quite significant. Uncontrolled wetlands (UGL Wetlands) can improve the technical and financial performance of a sanitation operation by simply eliminating a large part of the expenses associated with sludge management.
100%
+40 years
in accordance with international legal requirements, CONAMA 375/2006 and MAPA regulations.
Technology established for over 40 years around the world.
1.5 million
It is the population equivalent of the world's largest sludge treatment wetlands.
Benefits generated by UGL Wetlands
SIMPLIFICATION
of operational routines and increased performance of the wastewater treatment plant.
Simple sludge discharge;
Authorization for more frequent sludge discharge from the wastewater treatment plant;
Improved operational control at the wastewater treatment plant through simplified sludge discharge;
Elimination of cleaning of drying beds and operation of equipment;
UP TO 60%
of reducing the operational costs of the wastewater treatment plant - OPEX
Decommissioning of mechanized equipment;
Elimination of polymer consumption;
Elimination of the logistics of disposal in sanitary landfills;
Passive mineralization of sludge in cycles of 3 to 10 years;
RECOVERY
of resources from the passive mineralization of sludge
Global trend towards sustainable sanitation;
Conversion of sludge into organic compost;
Building up an agricultural input stockpile;
Batches of compost generated in each operational cycle of 3 to 10 years;
Guaranteed financial return.
by reducing operating costs - OPEX
Financial and economic simulation
CAPEX + OPEX comparison between UGL Wetlands and Centrifuge
See the numbers comparing UGL Wetlands and a centrifuge for sludge dewatering from a wastewater treatment plant serving 85,000 inhabitants, considering a sludge content of 17% SS (Dry Solids).
For the centrifuge, the costs of electricity, transportation, and landfill disposal were considered. The cost of polymers was not considered. The same operating labor cost was considered for both technologies. Implementation costs were projected for the first year for both systems. The vertical axis considers values in Brazilian Reais (R$). Price references are for the year 2018.
See how to make it feasible.
the deployment of UGL Wetlands
The most important step in assessing the feasibility of implementing UGL Wetlands is related to analyzing the sludge flow rates generated and the available areas. As an estimate, a UGL requires 0.1 to 0.3 m² of bed area for each equivalent population. These areas are conditioned by the flow rates, the concentration of solids in the sludge, and the sludge characteristics. In addition to the bed area, it is also necessary to provide for an additional 40% area for slopes, vehicle access, and maneuvering areas. Do you have available area? Need help with this analysis? Contact our team!
0.1 to 0.3 m²
by population equivalent
It is the area of a UGL.
*considering 18g of SS/day
Simple, robust and safe operation.
No machines, no chemicals, and no landfill.
Solid waste removal
The sludge to be sent to the wastewater treatment plants must be free of solid waste, since it will be disposed of in agriculture. It is recommended to use screening in the preliminary treatment at the wastewater treatment plant to remove plastics and other debris that could become incorporated into the sludge and deteriorate its quality. The material retained on the screens is then sent to a sanitary landfill.
Food
The feeding of the beds occurs through the opening of valves in the sludge hydraulic network or by pumping from sludge pumping stations. The sludge treatment plants (STPs) are designed with parallel beds, allowing for alternating feeding and resting periods. This control is achieved by operating valves and can be automated. Highly diluted sludge, with solids content from 1 to 6%, can be used. This condition allows for the elimination of thickening and dewatering structures.
Bed in operation
UGLs are designed to operate with multiple beds in parallel. This plant arrangement allows for rotation with 2 to 3 days of feeding followed by 10 to 15 days of rest. During these rest periods, the applied sludge undergoes thickening, dewatering, and stabilization. The beds will accumulate sludge, forming a soil layer with heights of 1.0m to 2.0m.
Stabilization
Throughout the mineralization cycle, which varies from 3 to 10 years, the sludge is stabilized and converted into organic compost. The vegetation covering the riverbed provides structuring material that, naturally mixed with the biosolids, produces a compost with excellent properties for soil fertilization.
Agricultural purpose
When the beds reach their maximum storage capacity, with a sludge layer of 1.0m to 2.0m, the feeding of each bed is interrupted alternately. After the top layer dries, the material is characterized to formalize a sludge batch. After the necessary legal procedures, the material is sent for agricultural use.
Dehydration and passive mineralization
The solids content in the material reaches 50%.
Sludge stabilization
Sludge digestion and mineralization occur passively through biochemical interactions in the bed and root zone.
5th grade
4th year
3rd year
2nd year
1st year
10th grade
Accumulation of solids and bed cleaning
Each year of operation, a layer of solids 10 to 20 cm accumulates on the bed. At the end of the operating cycle, when the accumulated solids height reaches the design height, the biosolids are removed.
