Case Study: TASKMASTER® Solves Sludge Problem

A paper company located in the northeast experienced frequent problems at its wastewater treatment plant. Under normal conditions, sludge from the milling process is directed to this facility and is ground up and placed in a primary clarifier. The sludge is then put through a press where it is dewatered, extracted and sent to a landfill.

n reality, according to the maintenance manager, the actual operation was often a headache. The problem was traced to the grinder used to grind the sludge before it moved to the sludge press. The particulate matter consisting of fines and milling debris was not ground finely enough. Consequently, when the sludge was pressed between the fabric rolls, the large particles caused pock marks and holes in the press fabric and, in extreme cases, cut the material.

The plant turned to Franklin Miller for a solution, and a TASKMASTER® TM8512 was purchased for the application. ” We realized we needed a grinder with a much finer cutting surface and that is what we got when we installed a TASKMASTER”; said the maintenance manager.

“We noticed an immediate difference in the fabric life of the sludge press and the unit has permanently replaced other grinders.”

The TASKMASTER TM8500 series is a high performance, twin-shaft grinder that provides powerful size reduction capabilities, easy maintenance and exceptional durability. The TASKMASTER TM8500 is part of our Full Line Of Wastewater Grinders. The unit employs two counter-rotating cutter stacks that intermesh at close clearance to intensively shred solids into fine bits. The output is easily processed by downstream equipment such as pumps, centrifuges, and belt filter presses.

The TASKMASTER’S one-piece, CUTTER CARTRIDGE® technology increases unit strength and completely eliminates the need for cutter stack re-tightening. Cutting elements are machined from solid alloy steel or stainless steel, resulting in a unit with remarkable resistance to cutter and spacer cracking.