Sludge Dewatering Output Calculator

Work out sludge dewatering output instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Sludge Dewatering Output Calculator

Dewatering concentrates solids and rejects water as filtrate or centrate. Cake wet weight is captured dry solids divided by cake solids content — belt presses reach 16-22%, centrifuges 20-28% and filter presses 30-40%. The rejected water returns to the works carrying the solids not captured, which recirculates load.

Formulas

Cake production

Cake wet weight = dry feed x capture efficiency / cake solids fraction

Filtrate

Filtrate volume = feed volume - cake volume

Worked example

With the default values below, Sludge Dewatering Output Calculator returns Dewatered Cake Produced of 8,636.4. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Feed Dry Solidsminimum 0 kg/day: 2,000 kg/day
Feed Solids Concentrationaccepts 0–40 %: 4 %
Cake Dry Solidsaccepts 0–90 %: 22 %
Solids Capture Efficiencyaccepts 0–100 %: 95 %

Results

Dewatered Cake Produced: 8,636.4
Feed Sludge Volume: 50.000
Filtrate Or Centrate Returned: 41.364
Volume Reduction: 82.727%

Step by step

1Values used
2Cake production
3Filtrate
4Dewatered Cake Produced= 8,636.4
5Feed Sludge Volume= 50.000
6Filtrate Or Centrate Returned= 41.364
7Volume Reduction= 82.727

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does capture efficiency matter?

Solids that escape return in the filtrate and must be treated again, raising the effective load on the works. A 90% capture on a large plant recirculates a substantial hidden load.

Does polymer dose affect cake solids?

Strongly. Correct conditioning is the single biggest determinant of both capture and cake dryness. Over-dosing wastes polymer and can worsen release; under-dosing loses solids to the filtrate.