Enhancing Sludge Management with geotextile tube dewatering

Objectives of the Project

The objective was to reduce the volume of sludge requiring disposal by implementing a practical, scalable dewatering solution with minimal disruption to ongoing operations. A secondary objective was to recover process water to improve re-use within the plant water circuit, reducing reliance on make-up water and improving overall environmental performance.

Techniques for Sludge Handling and Dewatering

Sludge handling typically focuses on separating solids from water to reduce transport, disposal, and handling costs while recovering usable water. Conventional approaches may include thickening and mechanical dewatering; however, site footprint, capital intensity, maintenance requirements, and operational variability often make these options less attractive for remote or high-throughput facilities.

Thickening

Thickening concentrates solids to reduce volume and improve downstream dewatering efficiency. Clarified water can be returned to the process, while the thickened underflow is directed to a dedicated dewatering step.

Mechanical Dewatering

Mechanical systems can achieve low moisture content but may introduce higher capex/opex, additional maintenance burden, and sensitivity to feed variability. In many plants, the constraint is not whether mechanical dewatering works, but whether it is the most practical fit for the operating model, footprint, and budget.

geotextile tube dewatering: A Cost-Effective Solution

Geotextile dewatering tubes are widely used as a cost-effective alternative where rapid deployment, simple civil works, and operational flexibility are priorities. The system is modular, scales with throughput, and can be operated as a managed fill/drain cycle to achieve progressive consolidation. Tubes can remain in place for extended periods where additional drying time is advantageous.

Chemical Conditioning

For fine sludges, polymer conditioning is typically required to achieve reliable drainage rates and consistent filtrate clarity. Correct conditioning improves solids capture, supports stable cake formation, and enables predictable operation under variable feed conditions.

Product Application: Titan Tubes for Sludge Dewatering

Titan Tubes are designed for sludge consolidation and filtrate recovery across industrial and municipal applications. When paired with appropriate polymer conditioning and disciplined operation, the system supports significant volume reduction and improved filtrate quality for potential re-use within site water circuits.

Typical Titan Tube dewatering layout on a prepared pad

Outcomes of the Project

Controlled on-site verification confirmed that the geotextile tube system effectively retained solids while releasing clarified filtrate suitable for recovery within the plant water management system. During full-scale operation, the system consistently produced clear filtrate, supporting reduced freshwater demand and improved solids handling efficiency.

Note: This case study is anonymised. Images shown are examples and may not represent the specific site

Full Installation: A Comprehensive Approach

A purpose-built laydown and drainage area was prepared to support tube deployment and controlled filtrate collection. Polymer conditioning was implemented upstream to ensure consistent sludge behaviour entering the tubes and to stabilise dewatering performance over time.

Where conditions allowed, recovered water was returned to the plant process circuit. The consolidated solids stream reduced disposal volumes and, depending on material characteristics and site requirements, may support beneficial re-use opportunities

Filtrate recovery and solids capture during tube operation.

Summary of Achievements

The project improved sludge handling efficiency and reduced freshwater demand by implementing geotextile tube dewatering supported by polymer conditioning. The outcome was measurable volume reduction, consistent filtrate clarity suitable for recovery, and a scalable operating approach that can be expanded in line with production needs.

Conclusion: Embracing Change for a Sustainable Future

This case study demonstrates that geotextile tube dewatering, when combined with polymer conditioning and a disciplined operating cycle, can provide a robust sludge volume-reduction and water-recovery solution for high-throughput plants. Final performance is site-specific and should be validated through structured trials and commissioning to confirm consumables, cycle timing, and recovery rates.

Disclaimer This post provides general information from anonymised field experience. Actual results will vary with sludge characteristics, operating conditions, polymer selection, and site water management constraints. Tube sizing, conditioning strategy, and water recovery performance should be verified through site trials and engineered for the specific application. Detailed operating parameters form part of project-specific delivery and commissioning.