Regular Maintenance: How to Ensure Your VOLUTE™ Press Works Even After 25 Years
The dewatering press is the heart of your sludge management system. It often operates under harsh conditions, processing aggressive substances under high loads. Without maintenance, its performance will inevitably decline over time.
While the standard lifespan of dewatering machinery is estimated at 10 to 15 years, at AMCON, we have customers whose VOLUTE™ presses have been operating reliably for over 25 years. The secret? Consistent care.
In this article, we will go through the key tasks your operators should perform on a daily, monthly, and annual basis.
Daily Routine: Use Your Eyes and Ears (5 Minutes)
You don’t need to dismantle the machine. Just be observant.
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Visual and Audio Check: Do you hear any unusual squeaking from the cylinder? Do you see any visible mechanical damage?
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“Cake” Inspection: If the dewatered sludge (cake) at the discharge is wetter than usual or the machine’s throughput has dropped, check the gap on the End Plate.
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Tank Cleanliness: Ensure there is no debris settled in the flocculation tank that could interfere with the pressure sensor monitoring the liquid level.
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Chemicals: If you use an automatic polymer station, check the chemical dosing. Remember: No polymer = no floc = no cake.
Monthly Inspection: What’s Happening Inside?
Once a month, it pays to take a look “under the hood” of the machine.
- Movement of the Rings
The moving rings in the cylinder should move gently up and down in rhythm with the screw’s rotation. If they remain static, it could indicate excessive wear or clogging (sticking).
- Tip: In older models, friction causes natural wear on the rings. If performance drops, it may be time to replace the ring set.
- The Advantage: The new generation VOLUTE DUO™ is designed so that the screw does not make contact with the rings, which virtually eliminates this type of wear (exceptions may apply for highly abrasive sludge).
- Floc Quality
Take a look into the flocculation tank. Ideally, you should see distinct, well-separated flocs leaving clear water (filtrate) between them. If the content looks like a thick paste without visible separation, you need to adjust the polymer dosing or consider selecting a different polymer type.
Left: Examples of thick paste (insufficient polymer). Right: Examples of proper flocs (optimal dosing).
- Sludge Leakage
It is normal for a small amount of filtrate containing solids to escape between the rings. However, if you see massive sludge leakage coming from the sides of the cylinder, this is a signal that service is required.
Annual Maintenance: Leave It to the Professionals
We recommend a major service inspection once a year. This is the ideal time to call in the technicians from AMCON Europe.
- What we do: We perform a complete diagnostic, measure clearances on the screw and rings, and check the motor, gearbox, and pumps.
- Why do it: We detect hidden faults before they cause a breakdown. Our paid service also includes optimization of settings (throughput, dry solids content, filtrate quality).
Conclusion
Maintenance is not a cost; it is an investment in peace of mind. Dedicate a few minutes a day to your machine, and it will reward you with decades of operation.
Is your annual inspection due soon?