DRACO Sludge & Organic Waste Processing Service
Sludge Volume Reduction, Biogas Increase,…….or Both!?
Powerful and energy-efficient performance and economics with DRACO HydroThermal Carbonization (HTC) or Thermal Hydrolysis Process (THP)
Reduce sludge volumes, boost biogas production, and save on sludge disposal service costs
with no added chemicals.
The DRACO Service Advantage
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Improve Dewaterability
DRACO uses only temperature and pressure to breakdown cell walls, releasing trapped water for improved dewatering.
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Reduce Takeoff Costs
DRACO reduces sludge volumes by a minimum 70% after dewatering and up to 85% after drying, resulting in lower offtake and transportation service costs, reduced tipping fees, and increased sustainability.
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Increase Biogas Production
For plants with anaerobic digesters, pretreating sludge feed with DRACO service will increase biogas production.
DRACO’s patented multi-steam spargers and agitator provide more even heat distribution and transfer, allowing for increased efficiency and energy savings regardless of whether or not your facility has anaerobic digestors.
Central agitator boosts heat transfer and helps maintain a homogeneous state within the reactor.
Patented spargers and agitators allow feeding of concentrated sludge up to 22% dry solids.
Steam is used to build heat and pressure in the reactor vessel, causing cell lysis and improving the dewaterability of cellular sludges.
Even distribution of heat energy within the reactor allows for processing of more concentrated sludges and eliminates unnecessary dilution.
Reduce sludge volumes by 85% while minimizing energy, disposal, and operating costs.
DRACO Post AD or w/o AD
When applied downstream of AD dewatering or dewatering (without AD), DRACO operates under higher temperature and pressure conditions compared to pre AD. DRACO partially oxidizes the biomass and, through complex thermochemical reactions such as hydrolysis, dehydration, and decarboxylation, completely breaks down the cell walls of the biomass, releasing intracellular bound water and converting it to free water, thereby enhancing dewaterability.
Applying DRACO downstream ensures the complete eradication of pathogens in the final sludge, improves dewaterability, and significantly reduces the volume of stabilized sludge for final disposal. Additionally, carbon fixation allows for the production of valuable products such as solid fuel and soil conditioners. Furthermore, the reject water produced from filter press contains a high amount of dissolved organic matter, which can be returned to the AD to increase biogas production.
