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Mechanical Design Overview

The Wendewolf® solar drying system is a sidewall-supported sludge turning and conveying machine designed specifically for greenhouse biosolids drying.

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Mechanical Design Overview

Mechanical Design Overview

The Wendewolf® solar drying system is a sidewall-supported sludge turning and conveying machine designed specifically for greenhouse biosolids drying.

The Wendewolf does not load the interior drying slab.

  • The machine rides on concrete sidewalls.
  • Approximately 25% of the machine weight is carried at each wheel.
  • Vertical and horizontal loads are transferred into the sidewalls.

This allows flexibility in floor design. The interior drying surface can be dirt, asphalt, or concrete depending on plant goals and loader traffic requirements.

Structural and Operational Advantages

  • Slab thickness is driven by front-end loader traffic, not machine weight.
  • Interior drying surface can be optimized for cost or durability.
  • Machine alignment depends on sidewall quality, which is conservatively engineered

Civil Design Requirements

  • Floor Flatness
    Recommended tolerances:
    • With floor heating: maximum 3/8 inch over 26 feet
    • Without floor heating: maximum 5/8 inch over 26 feet
    Surface irregularities can result in unturned material and reduced drying performance.
    Sidewalls
    Options include:
    • Cast-in-place concrete
    • Precast concrete
    • Optional steel angle or tube reinforcement at the running surface
    Sidewalls act as structural guide rails, load-bearing support for the machine, and containment for the drying bed. 

Ventilation Requirements

  • For gravitational ventilation:

    • 12–16 inch continuous air inlet gap along sidewalls
    • Full-length roof louvers with minimum 20-inch opening
    • Louver positioned on the downwind side
    • Motorized actuation with limit switches

    Roof light transmission must be at least 80% to maintain drying efficiency.

Performance Metrics – Example U.S. Installation

Example modeled facility:

0
U.S. Tons Dry Solids / Year
0
U.S. tons of water evaporated annually
0 %
Average dried product
0 kWh
Per ton of water evaporated
0 kWh
Per square foot per year (coastal California climate)
Solar drying performance is based on mass balance and surface area, not high thermal energy input.

Core Components

Wendewolf Mechanical Turning System

  • Heavy-duty drum with engineered paddles
  • Automated forward and reverse travel
  • Sidewall-supported drive system
  • Low energy consumption (approximately 20 kWh per ton of water evaporated)

Agratech Engineered Greenhouse Structure

  • U.S.-manufactured steel framing
  • Designed for snow, wind, and seismic loads per U.S. codes
  • Roof light transmission ≥ 80%
  • Sidewall transmission ≥ 60%
  • Polycarbonate, ETFE, or engineered polyethylene options

Integrated Controls & Ventilation

  • Climate-responsive operation
  • Gravitational or mechanical ventilation options
  • Continuous air circulation to remove saturated air boundary layer
  • Motorized roof louvers and sliding gates

Delivery Models 

  • Traditional design-bid-build
  • Design-build
  • Service agreement with fixed annual payment
  • No upfront capital option available

We can coordinate with your trusted engineer as part of the project team.

Annual payments can be  structured below current hauling and operating costs.

Call Us:  1-216-710-6514

Email Us: sales@one-water-tech.com

Location: Cleveland, Ohio

One Water Technologies delivers municipal solutions guided by decades of industry experience. We help our clients implement reliable and high quality solutions with great field support.