Sludge silos are utilised to store sludge and provide speedy transfer to trucks for cost effective disposal. A sludge hopper with a capacity of 55m3 was designed and built by Aquatec Maxcon for the BWEA Project at Sandgate. Sewage Sludge is discharged from two 3m wide Belt Presses located vertically above the hopper.
The hopper is supported on structural steelwork and load cells to allow constant readout of hopper contents. Sludge is discharged from four hydraulically operated clam shell gates which can either be opened simultaneously or individually.
The hopper and support are fully enclosed with back and front doors to encapsulate the truck under the hopper and to alleviate odours from the loading process. 23 tonnes of sludge can be evacuated from the hopper in under one minute.
The loading process is viewed and controlled from a station external to the building.
Aquatec Maxcon acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and we recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.