Diseño de un sistema para el tratamiento de los lodos generados en la planta de potabilización de la EPMAPA-Sucúa, ubicada en el sector “El Topo”.

Abstract

The objective was to design a system for the treatment of sludge generated in the Potabilization Plant of the Municipal Public Company of Drinking Water and Sewerage – Sucúa (EPMAPA-S) located in the El Topo sector, Morona Santiago province. The investigation began with the characterization of the sludge discharged during the purging and washing of settling tanks and backwashing of filters, where according to the results it was considered to treat only the sludge from the settlers because the presence of both total Solids and Aluminun Sulphate that are outside the regulations. For the sizing of the sludge treatment system, preliminary sedimentation test were performed where the average sedimentation time was established, in addition to the determination of the purge flow rate of 2,4 m3 /d, and the physical-chemical characterization of the generated sludge, determining are the concentration of Total Solids, Sedimentables, Suspended, Turbidity and pH were 22500mg/L, 790mL/L, 21560mg/L, 6,69 and 11300 NTU respectively. From these values, the sizing of the proposed system was carried out, which will consist of a homogenizer tank of 36 m3 of volumen; a slugde thickener, by gravity of 9m3 and two drying beds of 12,69m in length, 3,5m in width and 2,09m in Depth, which will allow the dehydration of the slugde in a period of 13 days. The proposed design will help to reduce de volumen of sludge generated in the treatment process by 40% that can be disposed in the sanitary landfill. It is recommended to carry out physical-chemical analyzes to the wáter of the clarified supernatant obtained from the sludge thickener by gravity and drying times to verify its discharge characteristics.