Saxlund to install sludge cake loading silos for Southern Water

In the UK, bioenergy and bulk materials handling firm Saxlund International, part of the Opcon energy and environmental group, has secured contracts from Barhale Trant Utilities to design and supply sludge cake truck loading silos for Southern Water waste water treatment works (WWTW) at Budds Farm in Havant and Millbrook near Southampton.

The projects include the construction of raised storage silos, each with a capacity of 240m3 and specially designed to allow de-watered sludge to be directly loaded into trucks below for transportation off site, as part of Southern Water's thermal hydrolysis and AD programme.

The flat bottomed silos will incorporate Saxlund's sliding frame technology to ensure consistent discharge of material as well as screw conveyors and integrated control systems. Installation for both sites is due to commence in April with commissioning completed during June.

'There is a growing trend for water companies to develop advanced digestion schemes to improve processing efficiency and turn sludge into energy and our systems are specifically designed for storing and discharging non free-flowing, difficult to handle material like this,' says Matt Drew, MD, Saxlund International.

Saxlund completed a series of water industry projects for Anglian Water in 2014 and is currently building a 454m3 sludge cake process feed silo for KMI Plus on behalf of United Utilities, to supply an on-site Thermal Hydrolysis system at Leigh Wastewater Treatment Works.