SEDIMENTATION TANK DESIGN

CE 316: ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING II

S CHAKRABORTY
 CE 316 S Chakraborty 9/18/2020

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Settling tanks
• Long rectangular
• Circular
• Solid-contact clarifiers
Flow type of settling tank: Continuous flow systems

Long rectangular basins

for large flows
hydraulically more stable
Typical design: L = 2-4 times width and 10-20 times depth
 CE 316 S Chakraborty 9/18/2020
A long rectangular basin can be divided into four functional zones (Fig 1)
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1. The inlet zone: in this zone the baffles intercepts the incoming water and
flow is distributed uniformly across the width and depth of the tank (may
be by perforated baffle wall)
2. The outlet zone: Water flows upward and over the outlet weir
3. The sludge zone: extends from the bottom of the tank to just above the
scrapper mechanism. Bottom of the settling tank slightly sloped to
facilitate sludge scrapping. A slow moving mechanical sludge scrapper
continuously pulls the settled materials into a sludge hopper. From hopper
sludge is pumped out periodically.
4. The settling zone: occupies remaining volume of the tank.
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Fig 1: Different zones of long rectangular

settling basin
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Previously settling column is used to show settling velocity of particle.
5  In the settling basin
• Particle has downward settling velocity (v0),
• Horizontal flow velocity (vh) and (vh) = Q/ (B Z0) (1)
(where, B = width and Z0 = depth of the tank)

• The sum of these two velocities is the absolute velocity of the particle;
this is shown as the settling column travelling across the length of the
basin (Fig 2: Discrete particle removal in rectangular settling basin)
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Fig 2: discrete particle removal in settling basin

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o In the column analysis of type 1 settling we discussed that particle is at
7 water level and it reaches the column depth (Z0) in time = t0.
Settling velocity v0 = Z0/ t0
Particles having settling velocity ≥v0 are removed
Particles having settling velocity < v0 are removed in the ratio of their
individual settling velocities to v0

o Also, in t0 time the settling column travels L0 distance horizontally

o If t0 is the retention time of the settling tank, then

Then (t0) = V/ Q = (L B Z0) /Q (2)
V is the liquid volume of the tank, L, B and Z0 are respectively length, width
and depth of the rectangular settling tank
Q is the water flow rate (m3/day)
 CE 316 S Chakraborty 9/18/2020
Since, settling velocity v0 = Z0/t0 (3)
8 From (2) and (3) we can write Z0/v0 = (LBZ0)/Q
Or, v0 = Q/(B L) (4)

Since v0 decides the size of the particle that can be removed in t0 time, and
v0 = Q/ (B L), depth of the basin does not decide the size of the particle than
can be removed; (BL) is the determining factor that decides the size of the
particle that can be removed in the settling basin

(Q / BL) is the surface overflow rate (m/day); this is the design

factor for settling basin and corresponds to the terminal settling
velocity of the particle that is 100% removed in t0 time
 CE 316 S Chakraborty 9/18/2020
o For flocculating particle, resultant path of (vh and vo) will be a curved one
9 Average velocities of flocculating particles increase with depth, so column
analysis of same depth as that of the settling basin should be performed

o Design values:
1. Z0: Discrete particles 2.5 to 3m
Flocculating particles: 3 to 4m
2. Surface overflow rate: discrete particles: 1 to 2.5 m/hr
Flocculating particles: 0.6 to 1 m/h
3. Detention time (t0): discrete particles: 2 to 4 h
Flocculating particles: 4 to 6 h
4. Horizontal flow velocity (vh): though not a design parameter but
should be checked; Excess vh will bring settled material to outlet zone.
(vh) should not be higher than 36 m/hr (discrete particles) and 9 m/hr
(flocculating particles)
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5. Weir overflow rate: Large wrie overflow rate at outlet will result
10 excessive velocities at outlet and will bring settled material to outlet zone
Overflow rates: 14 m3/hr for discrete particles and 6 m3/hr for flocculating
particles

6. Width (B): should not be more than 12 m

7. Length (L): should be less than 48 m

Large flows multiple parallel units are suggested