Antwerp, Belgium — MWH is implementing an innovative mechanical dewatering solution to manage complex sediment disposal in the Port of Antwerp. This six-phase, US$33 million project is one of the first applications of mechanical dewatering using a chamber filter press for port sediment disposal – and the first time anywhere in the world, that the solution has been applied from the design phase.
As with other ports, Antwerp must dispose of huge amounts – in this case 600,000 tons dry matter – of harbor sediment each year to maintain and improve the navigation system for large vessels. Conventional lagooning solutions require 300 acres (120 ha) of land and are very costly. MWH’s mechanical dewatering plant solution will require only 50 acres (20 ha) of land, is up to 30% less costly and will help port officials save over US$8 million per year while delivering clear processing and sustainability benefits.
Jos Vandekeybus, MWH Programme Manager, comments: “We’re taking an existing technology and using it in a new application, providing the client with clearly demonstrable value.”
Mechanical dewatering systems pull the settled sediment into a separation and dewatering installation. There the sediment is mixed with additives and. pumped into a chamber filter press that compresses out the water. The resulting dense solid matter is removed to a stockpile.”
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About MWH
Headquartered in Broomfield, Colo., MWH is a private, employee-owned firm with approximately 6,000 employees worldwide. The company provides water, wastewater, energy, natural resource, program management, consulting and construction services to industrial, municipal and government clients in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, India, Asia and the Pacific Rim. For more information about MWH, please visit the company’s Web site at www.mwhglobal.com.
