Rotary Wedge Screen

Rotary Wedge Screen – Reliable Screening for Industrial and Municipal Solids Removal

The Rotary Wedge Screen is an advanced mechanical screening device designed to remove solids from wastewater, process fluids, or industrial streams with high efficiency and minimal maintenance. Known for its precision, durability, and non-clogging properties, this screening system plays a critical role in primary treatment across industries such as municipal sewage, food processing, paper and pulp, textiles, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, and more.

With a rotating cylindrical screen and fine wedge wire construction, the Rotary Wedge Screen offers a continuous, self-cleaning, and gravity-driven solids separation process—providing superior performance in both coarse and fine screening applications.

What is a Rotary Wedge Screen?

The Rotary Wedge Screen is a mechanical screen filter that uses a rotating cylindrical drum made of wedge wire (also known as V-wire). The V-shaped wires are welded to support rods to form a rigid, precise slot opening. As influent passes over the screen’s surface, solids are retained while liquid flows through the slots. The continuous rotation of the drum, aided by internal or external spraying, allows the screen to self-clean while collecting solids for disposal or further treatment.

This equipment is ideal for separating particles ranging from 0.25 mm to 2 mm and is often used as a primary screening step before biological or chemical treatment systems.

Key Components

1. Rotary Drum: A cylindrical screen made of wedge wire that rotates slowly on its axis.

2. Inlet Chamber: Where the influent enters and is evenly distributed onto the drum surface.

3. Support Frame: Stainless steel or mild steel structure that houses and supports the rotating assembly.

4. Drive Unit: Typically a geared motor that controls the rotation speed of the drum.

5. Spray Cleaning System: High-pressure spray nozzles that prevent clogging and maintain screen efficiency.

6. Solids Discharge Chute: A collection system for retained solids, typically routed to a conveyor or sludge bin.

7. Outlet Chamber: Collects and channels the screened effluent.

How It Works

1. Feeding: Wastewater or process fluid is fed into the inlet chamber, often under gravity.

2. Screening: The liquid flows onto the surface of the rotating wedge wire drum. The V-shaped profile of the wedge wire ensures that solids are retained while liquid passes through the precise openings.

3. Separation: As the drum rotates, solids slide along the screen surface toward the discharge end, assisted by the natural slope and drum rotation.

4. Self-Cleaning: Spray nozzles and the rotation itself clean off any solids stuck to the drum surface, ensuring non-stop operation.

5. Discharge: Clean water flows through the screen into the outlet chamber, while collected solids are discharged through a chute or conveyor system.

Wedge Wire Technology

The key to the performance of this equipment lies in its wedge wire screen design:

• V-shaped wires minimize clogging and allow free passage of water.

• Precise slot sizes ensure consistent filtration across the entire drum.

• The open area of the screen is maximized for higher flow capacity.

• Screens are made from stainless steel, providing excellent resistance to corrosion, wear, and high loads.

Technical Specifications (Typical Range)

Advantages of the Rotary Wedge Screen

✅ Non-Clogging Design

The wedge wire surface allows solids to slide off easily, while the open area prevents build-up and blockage. This makes the system highly suitable for fibrous or greasy materials.

✅ Continuous Operation

Since the drum rotates slowly and cleaning is automatic, the screen can run continuously without requiring frequent shutdowns or manual intervention.

✅ High Screening Efficiency

With precise slot openings and controlled flow distribution, the rotary screen ensures consistent removal of suspended solids, protecting downstream processes like membrane filtration, aeration tanks, or biological reactors.

✅ Low Power Consumption

Using gravity flow and a slow-speed motor, the rotary wedge screen is energy-efficient, making it cost-effective to run over long periods.

✅ Low Maintenance

The stainless-steel drum is highly resistant to corrosion and mechanical wear. Moving parts are minimal, reducing maintenance costs and downtime.

✅ Compact and Modular

The compact design allows for easy integration into existing treatment plants or skid-mounted systems. Multiple units can be installed in parallel for higher capacity.

✅ Customizable

Slot size, drum length, motor capacity, and spray systems can be customized based on the type of effluent, flow rate, and particle size distribution.

Applications

Municipal Wastewater Treatment

• Primary screening before biological treatment

• Sludge thickening and solids removal in STPs

• Grit and debris removal from raw sewage

Food and Beverage Industry

• Fruit and vegetable processing waste

• Dairy effluent screening

• Meat and poultry wastewater treatment

Pulp and Paper

• Fiber recovery from process water

• Primary solids removal

• Reuse of backwater in production lines

Textile and Dyeing

• Removal of fibers, lint, and dye sludge

• Pre-treatment before ETP biological systems

Pharmaceutical and Chemical Industries

• Solids removal from process and rinse water

• Protection of membranes and ultrafiltration units

Power and Steel Plants

• Screening of cooling tower blowdown

• Separation of suspended solids in ash water

Environmental and Operational Benefits

• Reduces sludge volume and improves dewatering efficiency

• Minimizes load on downstream units, extending their life and reducing chemical consumption

• Helps comply with CPCB and local environmental regulations

• Reduces Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) early in the treatment process

• Contributes to zero liquid discharge (ZLD) goals by improving upstream efficiency

Why Choose Our Rotary Wedge Screen?

We bring years of industry experience in designing, manufacturing, and installing solids separation equipment tailored to Indian and global standards. Our rotary wedge screens are:

• Built with precision engineering

• Made from high-quality stainless steel

• Tested for long-term durability

• Backed by reliable service and spares support

Whether you’re upgrading an existing system or setting up a new wastewater treatment plant, we offer customized screening solutions backed by design support, on-site training, and lifecycle service.

Conclusion

The Rotary Wedge Screen is an indispensable part of modern wastewater treatment systems. Its rugged design, high throughput, and reliable performance make it ideal for both industrial and municipal applications where effective solids-liquid separation is required.

With the increasing demand for clean water, compliance with environmental norms, and efficient plant operations, investing in a high-quality screening system like the rotary wedge screen not only reduces operational headaches but also supports sustainable and cost-effective wastewater management.