SP
Three-screw stainless steel screw press for sludge dewatering in an industrial hall
Troubleshooting

Wet Sludge Cake

Cake is too wet and low in dry solids

The cake leaving the press is soft, wet or smearing and its dry-solids content is below target. This is the most common screw press complaint and almost always traces back to conditioning, residence time or compression rather than the machine itself.

The symptom

The cake leaving the press is soft, wet or smearing and its dry-solids content is below target. This is the most common screw press complaint and almost always traces back to conditioning, residence time or compression rather than the machine itself.

Causes and corrective actions

Possible causeCorrective action
Polymer under-dosed or wrong polymerIncrease dose in small steps; run a jar test to confirm polymer suitability.
Screw speed too high (short residence time)Reduce screw speed to give more dewatering time.
Back pressure too lowIncrease back pressure to compress the cake harder.
Feed solids too dilutePre-thicken sludge or raise feed concentration.
Screen partially blindedRun a deep clean to restore drainage.
Close-up of self-cleaning ring disc filter elements of a multi-disc screw press
RF Series Screw Press

Self-Cleaning Ring Disc Filter Elements

Fixed and moving stainless steel rings form the filtration gaps and keep them clear continuously — no filter cloth, no clogging.

Explore the RF series
Engineering Assessment

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Our engineering team provides application-specific screw press sizing and selection — based on your sludge type, flow rate, and dewatering targets.