Pictured: Waterval Belt Presses ready for Delivery to Site

Bateman Africa (Pty) Ltd, the local empowerment arm of global mining, technology and equipment supply house, Tenova Mining & Minerals, in collaboration with its in-house technology partner, Tenova Bateman Technologies, is supplying leading belt press technology to the Waterval Waste Water Treatment Works located south of Johannesburg for the East Rand Water Care Company (ERWAT).

Bateman Africa was sub-contracted by the ERWAT via Botjheng Water (Pty) Ltd to supply four (3 duty and 1 standby) Bellmer Winkle Press belt presses for the treatment of various sludge types at the Waterval Waste Water Treatment Works.

The initial project scope definition required a combination of linear screens and belt presses to treat digested waste activated sludge, digested primary sludge and a combination of these sludges prior to disposal. Bateman Africa and Bellmer, drawing on their combined extensive expertise, proposed an innovative alternative solution where the linear screens’ functionality was replaced by extending the gravity dewatering section of the belt presses, resulting in a reduction in capital and infrastructure investment.

The process equipment design and engineering is a collaborative effort between Bateman Africa and Bellmer. The equipment is manufactured, assembled and factory tested in Germany.

The offered solution exhibits high feed throughput, good sludge thickening, optimal dewatering, increased dry solids concentration and optimal filtrate values, without the need for upstream screening in the treatment circuit.

Bellmer has over many years pioneered developments, the results of which are now evident in the equipment to be supplied for the Waterval installation. These include:

• Optimized roller configuration resulting in 1-3 % higher dry solids concentration as well as 5-10% lower flocculant consumption.
• High performance roller bearings with triple sealing.
• Hydraulic belt alignment control and belt tensioning.
• Unique scraper design.
• Safety precision frames and high quality construction materials which allow for lower maintenance costs and increased equipment life.

Bellmer Turbo Drains and WinklePress belt presses have been used successfully in southern Africa for many years in municipal waste water treatment plants, as well as in the paper and fruit juice industries.