A water treatment plant in the Philippines specializing in treating industrial wastewater mainly processes wastewater from metal surface treatment production lines. The wastewater contains components such as degreasing agents and zinc phosphates. During the treatment process, a large amount of sludge containing metal particles is produced. The plant’s original dehydration equipment was inefficient, and when processing 1500-2000 liters of sludge daily, it faced many challenges, such as the sludge’s solid content only reaching about 15%, failing to meet the requirements for resource-based treatment; the equipment had poor adaptability to pH value fluctuations ranging from 3 to 9; the metal components caused severe corrosion to the equipment; and the daily failure rate was relatively high, etc.
Solution
In January 2025, this factory passed the technical assessment and purchased the complete solution of our company’s XAQ4/450-30 type filter press. The core configuration includes the XAQ4/450-30 box-type filter press, which uses 500*500mm PP filter plates and a double dark flow design. The supporting system selects the QBK-25 electric diaphragm pump, with a corrosion-resistant SS304 stainless steel material, and is equipped with a complete piping system. At the same time, the solution provides sufficient 750AB double dark flow filter cloths as spare parts to ensure the continuity of production.
Implementation process
The plan was initiated in early 2025. After the contract was signed, the production department immediately prioritized the production schedule. The equipment was completed with export wooden box packaging in early February 2025 and was dispatched according to the FOB terms. After arriving at the Philippine factory, our technical team provided detailed installation guidance via remote means. With the close cooperation of both parties, the equipment was debugged and successfully put into trial operation by the end of February 2025. The installation process was specially optimized to meet the actual working conditions of the customer, ensuring that all components in contact with the medium have good corrosion resistance, and strengthening the sealing of the pipeline system to cope with the operating environment of pH value and temperature fluctuations.
Operation results
After the equipment was put into operation, the technical indicators were comprehensively improved. The solid content in the sludge output significantly increased from the original 15-18% to 28-32%, with an increase of over 85%. The daily processing capacity also increased from 1200-1500L to 1800-2200L, with an efficiency improvement of approximately 40%. In terms of stability, the equipment failure rate dropped by more than 75%, and the frequency of filter cloth replacement decreased by about 67%. Additionally, the power consumption was reduced by approximately 32%, with the unit energy consumption dropping from 2.8 kilowatt-hours per ton to 1.9 kilowatt-hours per ton.
The operational efficiency has been significantly improved. The processing time required daily has been successfully reduced from 20 hours to 16 hours. The reduction in sludge volume is remarkable, resulting in a reduction of approximately 35% in subsequent transportation costs. The quality of the treated sludge cake has reached the standard for resource utilization. The equipment demonstrates excellent operational stability within a wide pH range of 3-9 and at room temperature. It shows good tolerance for metal particles such as iron, zinc, and phosphate. In terms of maintenance, the filter cloth has a lifespan that is three times longer than that of the original equipment. Standardized spare parts have also reduced the procurement cost. The manual pull plate design effectively reduces the number of electrical faults.
Customer feedback
The operation manager of the water treatment plant expressed great satisfaction with the project results: “This filter press perfectly meets our specific operational requirements. What we are most pleased about is its tolerance to acidic environments and its ability to handle sludge with high metal content. Now our sludge treatment efficiency has significantly improved, and the operation is more stable and reliable, which has greatly reduced our daily operational and maintenance pressure.”
Project Value Summary
This project has successfully achieved multiple values. Firstly, it has achieved precise matching in technology, specifically designed for special sludge containing metal particles and pH fluctuations, effectively addressing industry pain points. Secondly, the economic benefits are significant, as the high-efficiency dewatering process has significantly reduced the subsequent costs of sludge transportation and disposal. Furthermore, the project’s environmental contribution is outstanding, as the reduction and stabilization of sludge effectively supports the client in achieving environmental compliance and resource utilization goals. Lastly, the service response is efficient and timely, with the project going from signing to commissioning and operation taking approximately one month, quickly helping the client solve production bottlenecks.
Industry Insights
This project successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of providing customized pressure filtration solutions for specific industrial wastewater components (such as metal surface treatment wastewater). For water treatment plants dealing with sludge containing special chemical components, it is crucial to select pressure filtration equipment that is corrosion-resistant, adaptable to pH fluctuations, and capable of efficiently processing high-solid-content materials. The XAQ4/450-30 pressure filter machine has fully demonstrated its outstanding technical adaptability and economic benefits in such complex applications, providing a successful reference model for similar sludge treatment projects in the industry.
Post time: Feb-09-2026