This study was focused on the manufacturing method of a dewatering aid, which would reduce the water content of the sludge cake by enhancing the dewaterability of sewage sludge. The pretreatment technology for sludge by using radiation and among diverse discarded resources were starfish selected as the material to manufacture the dewatering aid. Starfish went through the process of washing, drying, and pulverizing. The starfish powder made in this process was applied to the digested sludge generated at the sewage treatment plant of D City, and its effects were investigated.
The starfish powder that was 300 μm in particle size was added to the irradiated digested sludge. After the application of the condensation process, the sludge with the starfish powder added was dewatered using the belt press and centrifuge, which were the traditional pressure dewatering devices. As the result, it reduced the water content of the sludge 20% higher than the dewatered cake with no dewatering aid added and irradiation. When the powder was added, it contributed to less use of the coagulant added. The more irradiation dose, the lower water content did the dewatered cake have and the more coagulant was needed for condensation, which seems to be a disadvantage that can be compensated for by the starfish dewatering aid.
A small-scaled treatment of the study to a radiation technology and dewatering aid using a discarded resource confirmed the potential of dewaterability. Based on the results saying that the dewatering aid and radiation technology can improve dewatering effects using the traditional dewatering devices, this pretreatment technology will be expected to be applied to sewage treatment plants.