DIN EN 16720-1:2016-09

The evaluation of physical consistency is recognized to be very important since it affects almost all treatment, utilization and disposal operations, such as storage, pumping, transportation, handling, land spreading, de-watering, drying, landfilling. It is also to be pointed out that in many analytical methods for sludge characterization (for example pH, dry matter, leachability, etcetera), different procedures are required depending on whether the sample to be examined is liquid or not. No standardized procedures have previously been available for the evaluation of this sludge property. Flowability represents the boundary area between the liquid and the paste-like physical state, that is the state in which a sludge is able to "flow" under the effect of gravity or pressure below a certain threshold (CEN/TR 15463). This part of the European Standard specifies a method for determining the flowability, as defined in CEN/TR 15463, of sludge by means of the extrusion tube apparatus and is applicable to sludge and sludge suspensions from: - storm water handling; - urban wastewater collecting systems; - urban wastewater treatment plants; - plants treating industrial wastewater similar to urban wastewater (as defined in Directive 91/271/EEC); - water supply treatment plants. This method is also applicable to sludge and sludge suspensions of other origins. This European Standard has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 308 "Characterization and management of sludge", the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR (France). The preliminary work was done by Working Group WG 1 "Characterization methods" of CEN/TC 308. The responsible German standardization committee is Subcommittee NA 119-01-03-04 UA "Schlamm und Sedimente" ("Sludge and sediments") of NA 119-01-03 AA "Wasseruntersuchung (CEN/TC 230, ISO/TC 147)" ("Water examination (CEN/TC 230, ISO/TC 147)") at DIN Standards Committee Water Practice (NAW).