- Positive impacts:
(1) Reduce wastewater pollution:
① Improve the efficiency of wastewater treatment: the filtration technology of modern filter presses is constantly being improved, which can more efficiently separate solid particles, suspended matter, etc., from wastewater, so that the treated water is cleaner and reduces the possibility of pollutants in wastewater being directly discharged into the natural environment. For example, in urban wastewater treatment plants, the application of new filter presses greatly improves the effect of wastewater treatment and reduces the risk of pollution to the surrounding water bodies.
② Reduce the content of harmful substances: For some industrial wastewater containing heavy metals and toxic chemicals, advanced filter press technology can more effectively adsorb or retain these harmful substances in the filter cake to avoid their entry into the environment, thus reducing the harm to the soil, water and ecosystem.
(2) Promote resource recycling:
① Solid resource recycling: in many production processes, the liquid may contain valuable solid substances, such as metal powder, chemical raw materials, etc.. The new filter press can accurately separate these solids, facilitating subsequent recycling and reuse, reducing the demand for natural resource extraction and reducing the damage to the environment caused by resource extraction. For example, in the process of mineral processing in mines, the filter press can separate the useful minerals in the ore from the tailings to realize the recycling of minerals.
② Water recycling: filter press treated water, in the case of meeting certain water quality standards, can be reused, for example, for industrial production in the cooling, cleaning and other links, or used for urban greening, road sweeping and other municipal water, improving the utilization of water resources, reducing the dependence on fresh water resources.
(3) Reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions:
① Optimize the structure and operation of the equipment: the latest filter presses have been improved in terms of structural design and working principle, such as the use of energy-saving cylinder compression, optimization of filter media, etc., which reduces energy consumption during the operation of the equipment. This not only reduces the enterprise’s energy costs, but also indirectly reduces the greenhouse gas emissions due to energy production.
② Reduce the subsequent treatment of energy consumption: advanced filter press technology can make the water content of the cake lower, reducing the subsequent drying of the cake, incineration and other treatment processes in the energy consumption. For example, ultra-high-pressure filter press can reduce the water content of sludge to a lower level, reducing the difficulty and energy consumption of subsequent treatment of sludge.
③ Reducing sludge discharge and accumulation: Through efficient solid-liquid separation, the filter press can remove as much water as possible from the sludge, reducing the volume and weight of the sludge, and lowering the cost of transportation and treatment of the sludge. At the same time, it also reduces the occupation of land and the pollution of the surrounding environment in the process of waste residue accumulation, and reduces the environmental problems such as soil and groundwater pollution caused by waste residue accumulation.
- Negative impacts (or possible challenges):
(1) Disposal of consumables such as filter cloths: Filter presses require filter media such as filter cloths during operation, and these consumables are subject to wear and tear and aging after long periods of use, and need to be replaced on a regular basis. If the used filter cloth can not be properly treated and recycled, it may become solid waste and cause some pollution to the environment.
(2) Noise pollution during the operation of the equipment: some new filter presses may produce large noise during operation, especially in large-scale industrial application scenarios, if the noise reduction measures of the equipment are not in place, it may affect the surrounding environment and the health of the operators.
(3) Use and residual of chemicals: In some special solid-liquid separation processes, it may be necessary to add chemicals to enhance the separation effect or improve the properties of the filter cake. If these chemicals are not used properly or treated thoroughly, they may remain in the filter cake or filtrate, posing a potential risk of contamination to the environment.
