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Valves: Advanced Technology: Innovative Sludge Processing Agreement Treatment

MONTREAL, QC — An innovative, clean and efficient sludge-treatment process will emerge on the market soon, under a partner agreement signed recently by Hydro-Qubec and Fabgroups Technologies of Montreal.

Plasma-assisted sludge oxidation (PASO) is an advanced technology developed by LTEE, Hydro-Qubec’s electrochemical and electrotechnologies laboratory. Hydro-Qubec has licensed Fabgroups Technologies to manufacture and market a rotary kiln equipped with an electric plasma torch. The kiln can be used to process organic sludge from a variety of sources.

According to Richard Aubry, General Manager, Sales-Large Customers, the project was launched in 1997 at the request of pulp and paper mills that were having trouble disposing of their solid waste. The PASO process is more economical than incineration. Purchase and operation costs for the kiln compare favourably with the average cost of sludge farming or landfill disposal.