Vacuum Sludge Scrapers are used in sedimentation tanks of wastewater treatment plants to remove settled sludge efficiently from the system.

Utilizing the natural vacuum effect created by the system, the settled sludge is drawn from the bottom of the tank into a sludge collection trough suspended from the travelling bridge. From there, it flows by siphon action to the central sludge hopper. The telescopic support system allows the height of the sludge collection trough to be adjusted, varying the hydraulic head and enabling the sludge withdrawal rate to be precisely controlled.

Depending on the process requirements, Vacuum Sludge Scrapers can be manufactured in full-bridge, half-bridge, or tail-bridge configurations for tanks with diameters of up to 50 meters. The specially fabricated bridge structure is available in either stainless steel or hot-dip galvanized steel, while all components in contact with water are manufactured entirely from stainless steel.

Unlike conventional scraper systems that push sludge toward the center of the tank, Vacuum Sludge Scrapers remove sludge directly by suction without disturbing the sludge blanket. This makes them particularly suitable for applications with high sludge loading, ensuring efficient sludge removal while maintaining stable settling conditions.