Evaluating the specific resistance of conditioned sludge filtration on natural drying bed

A sludge drying bed of 1.2m by 0.75m was designed and used in dewatering sewage sludge collected from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka waste water treatment plant. This was used in determining parameters necessary in the formulation of an equation for sludge filtration based on the concept of specific resistance using LMT dimensional analysis. The equation was used in determining the performance of sludge drying bed which is a natural means of sludge dewatering. This shows that the resistance to filtration for conditioned sludge decreases as the conditioner concentration increases showing that the derived equation is in consonance with Carman’s equation and it can be used in evaluating sludge dewatering parameters. The modified equation based on the concept of specific resistance can be adopted in sludge dewatering investigations as it seems to agree with already existing Carman’s filtration equation that the resistance to filtration for conditioned sludge decreases as the conditioner concentration increases. The results of the experiment showed that the sludge was filterable due to the calculated values of specific resistance.