Use of Polyelectrolytes in Mechanical Solids/Liquid Separation. This article shows how optimisation tasks for the dewatering of sludge can be solved by starting from studies of chemical structure and steric properties of polyelectrolytes and laboratory experiments based thereon with a transportable computer-aided flocculation and dewatering apparatus. The optimum polyelectrolyte dosage lies in the range of the critical concentration c* (viscosimetirc measurements) of the dissolved polyelectrolytes. On optimisation of the flocculant regime for mechanical solids/liquid separation by combined addition of anionic and cationic polyelectrolytes (dual process), it is necessary to consider the overall system of sedimentation and filtration. In an industrial scale plant, the consumption of flocculant could be reduced by up to 10% compared to laboratory studies. At the same time, the dewatering behaviour could be improved by up to 60%, a shearing strength of the sludge in excess of 20 kN/m2 reliably established, and plant operating reliability achieved for changing sedimentation properties.
