The client
[k]nord GmbH headquartered in Ganderkesee (Niedersachsen / Land of Lower Saxony) totals more than 35 years experience as a specialist in the development and implementation of innovative waste disposal technologies. Innovative services and products of this company allow a sustainable environment protection to be ensured. The range of activities of [k]nord GmbH includes waste disposal and environmental engineering, noise protection and logistics.
The plant
Next to the composting plant, there is a new, recently built, disposal plant for mineral and, in part, for organic drilling slurry as well:
The drilling slurry with a solid content of 15-20% is brought to the plant in tank trucks from which it is pumped through a screening system (ensuring the separation of sand and stones) into 8 storage basins equipped with agitators. Each batch is analyzed in the laboratory in order to determine the most suitable conditioning method for achieving the optimal filter cake.
Storage basins with agitators 
Membrane filter press at [k]nord GmbH 
ABEL CM pumps
Dewatering with ABEL pumps and membrane filter presses
In a 24/7 operation, 2 membrane filter presses are fed with 4 ABEL type CM-G-C262 compact diaphragm pumps (each pump delivers a flow rate of 10 m³/h). Before using ABEL CM pumps for this application, [k]nord GmbH tested a different type of pump which was using/ which operates with a compressed air drive. However, the energy consumption of this pump turned out to be excessively high.
ABEL CM pumps are in charge of filling the filter presses with abrasive slurries quickly and reliably/constantly. When the pressure of approx. 8-9 bar is reached, the membrane filter presses take over from the pumps and continue the dewatering of the slurries until the pressure of approx. 13 bar is reached.
The filling time and the pressing time take approx. 1 hour each. Consequently, after 2 hours, the filter cake has reached a solid content of up to 80% and can be dumped into the container standing below the filter press. The weight of the filter cake amounts to approx. 2.7 t per batch.
[k]nord GmbH is highly satisfied with the operation of the plant – it runs 24/7, entirely automatically and it is monitored with several cameras. Operating parameters can be both controlled and monitored directly on-site and via an app installed on a mobile phone.
The use of ABEL CM pumps has quickly shown that the overall energy consumption of the plant was very low. According to [k]nord GmbH, 20,000 tons slurry have been treated in 2020 with a power consumption of 22,000 kWh, this translates into a unit electricity consumption of 1.1 kWh / ton only!
The ABEL piston diaphragm pump is a crucial component for filter press feed. The advantages of ABEL pumps over other pump types are represented by:
- a high wear resistance
- a high robustness
- very long maintenance intervals
- a low energy consumption, which allows operating expenses of clients to be reduced
