How Does a Food Waste Disposer Work?

September 07, 2010

How Do They Work?

While it probably seems like food waste disposers continue to function the same as they always have, there have been major advancements in design and performance over the past several years.

New disposers with advanced grinding systems can grind more types of food waste, into even finer particles – much more quietly - and with less vibration than ever before.

Here’s a quick overview that shows how a food waste disposer works… Many people think a disposer works like a blender, with spinning blades chopping and breaking down the waste… In reality disposers work in a different way - and there are NO blades involved...

Instead, impellers (or lugs) mounted on a spinning plate use centrifugal force to continuously force food waste particles against a stationary grind ring.

The grind ring breaks down the food waste into very fine particles - virtually liquefying them After they are ground , the running water flushes the particles through the grind ring and out of the disposer and into your wastewater pipe. From there it flows to the wastewater treatment plant or your septic system.

Environmentally Responsible

Food waste disposers are an environmentally responsible alternative to typical disposal methods like landfills. And, they can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste is even being processed and used for renewable power by many wastewater treatment plants.  The bio-solids can even be processed into fertilizer used by farmers, golf courses, and home gardeners.

Video 

Installation and Service

For more information about how food waste disposers work contact Whitton Plumbing.  We can provide all your garbage disposal installation and repair needs.