3.

Preliminary and Primary Wastewater

Treatment Methods

12
 Preliminary Treatment
• Consists solely in separating the floating materials and heavy
settleable inorganic solids.
• It also helps in removing the oils and greases, etc.
reduces the BOD of the WW, by about 15 to 30%.

• The treatment units used include:

✓ Screens
✓ Comminutors
✓ Skimming tanks
✓ Grit chambers or Detritus tanks

13
 Preliminary Treatment
1) Screening
✓ found at the start of the wastewater treatment plants
✓ a device with openings of uniform size to retain solids
in influent wastewater
✓ remove the coarse and floating matter, such as pieces
of cloth, paper, wood, cork, hair, fiber, kitchen refuse,
fecal solids, etc. to
- prevent damage of equipment
i.e., If floating materials are not removed, will choke
the pipes, or adversely affect the working of the
sewage pumps
14
 Preliminary Treatment

✓Based on the cleaning operation they are classified

as;
1. Manually cleaned screens (for small installations)
- Screen is usually mounted at an angle of
45-70 from horizontal
2.Mechanically cleaned screens (For Large
installations)
- Such devices may be operated either by time
clocks or by pressure-sensing probes
- Screen is usually mounted at an angle of 70-90
from horizontal

✓ Depending upon the size of the openings, screens

may be classified as
▪ coarse screens, 50mm-150mm opening size
▪ medium screens, 6mm to 50 mm. and
▪ fine screens.
 Preliminary Treatment

Design of Coarse/medium screens

Factors to consider;
1) Number of screens: plants should have a standby screen to
put in operation when the primary screening device is out
of service.
2) Approach velocity; minimum approach velocity in the bar
screen channel is 0.6m/s to prevent solids deposition

3) Velocity between bars; Maximum velocity between bars is

0.9m/s to prevent wash out of solids through the bars
4) clear openings between bars or mesh size
5) Head Loss through the screens;
hL through clean bar screens, Kirschmer has proposed the following
expression
where h = the head loss across the screen (m);
 = the shape factor
4 2 w = the maximum bar width (mm);
 w  3 Va
h =   sin  b = the minimum opening width (mm);
b 2g Va = the velocity in the approach channel (m/s);
g = acceleration due to gravity, and
 = the angle of inclination of the bars to the horizontal (commonly 30).
 Preliminary Treatment
✓ Since it only applies when the bars are clean, the buildup of head loss can
be estimated by assuming that a part of the open space in the upper
portion of the bars in the flow path is clogged.

• Another expression commonly used for head loss;

 Preliminary Treatment

Bar screen Gross section Ac= channel cross section, m2

*Note: Usually, rectangular channels are used, and the ratio between depth and width is
taken as 1.5 to give the most efficient section
 Preliminary Treatment
Example1

0.0741m
0.6
 Preliminary Treatment

Example 2
A vertical mechanical bar screen is to be used in an approach channel
with a maximum velocity of 1 m/s. The bars are 15 mm thick, and the
openings are 25 mm wide. Determine:
• The velocity between the bars
• The head loss in meters
 Preliminary Treatment
Fine Screens:
➢ Have perforations of less than 6 mm in size.
➢ The installation of these screens proves very effective, and remove
20% of the suspended solids.
➢ Get clogged very often, and need frequent cleaning. (not suitable
for sewage preliminary treatment)
➢ Used for pretreatment in industrial wastes
➢ Other uses include primary treatment (as a substitute for primary
clarifiers)
 Preliminary Treatment
Disposal of Screenings
▪ Screening is material separated by screens.
▪ It contains 85 to 90% of moisture and other floating matter.
▪ It may also contain some organic load which may putrefy, causing bad smells
and nuisance.
▪ To avoid such possibilities, the screenings are disposed of either by:
✓ Removal by hauling to disposal areas (landfill) including co disposal with
municipal solid wastes,
✓ Disposal by burial on the plant site (for small installations only),
✓ Incineration either alone or in combination with sludge and grit (large
installations only), and
✓ Discharge to grinders or macerators where it is grounded and returned to the
wastewater

26
 Preliminary Treatment

Example /screen/
A bar screen, installed at 70o from the horizontal is to be used in an
approach channel with a maximum velocity of 0.9m/s. The bars are
15 mm thick, and the openings are 25 mm wide. Determine:

a. The velocity between the bars, Vb

b. The head loss in meters, hL

 Solution, if intermittently cleaned/ manually or mech …
1. Assume that the channel has width (W) and depth (D)

2. Area of screen, As=Ac/sinө=WD/sin70

3. Net area of screen=WD[25/(25+15)]=(5/8)WD

4. VaAa=VbAb or Vb=VaAa/Ab

Vb=(0.9xWD)/(0.665*WD)=1.35m/s>0.9m/s … not ok!

.
. .Increase size (depth) of approach channel so that Va=0.6m/s, & t=10, S=30

hence…. Vb=0.75m/s ………..<=0.9m/s…allows increment upon accumulation, ok!

5. Head loss, hL

hL = (0.752-0.92)/2g x 1/0.7 = 0.015m (clean screen)

If 20% is clogged, Vb ̰0.9m/s <=0.9m/s, … ok!

hL=0.04m
Solution, if mechanically/continuously cleaned…
1. Assume that the channel has width (W) and depth (D)

2. Area of screen, As=Ac/sinө=WD/sin70

3. Net area of screen = WD[25/(25+15)]=(5/8)WD

4. VaAa=VbAb or Vb=VaAa/Ab

Vb=(0.9xWD)/(0.665*WD)=1.35m/s>0.9m/s … not ok!

.
. .Increase size (depth) of approach channel so that Va=0.6m/s,

hence…. Vb=0.9m/s ………..<= 0.9m/s …. ok!

Continuously scraped, no solids accumulation, no further increase in velocity expected

5. Head loss, hL

hL = (0.92-0.62)/2g x 1/0.7 = 0.033m

No clogging consideration since screen is continuously cleaned

 Preliminary Treatment
2. Comminutors/shredder
- Located ahead of sludge pumps
- Preceded by grit chambers to prolong the Life of the equipment and to reduce the
wear on the cutting surfaces.

-Shred large organic material to size

6mm without removing the shredded
solids from the flow stream.
- Comminutors are commonly
employed where it is undesirable,
impractical or uneconomic to remove
solids due to the lack of disposal
options.
- Eliminate the messy and offensive
task of handling and disposal of
screenings.
Figure of Comminutor and shredder

31
 Preliminary Treatment
-Because these units are complete in themselves, no detailed design is
necessary.

-Manufacturers' data and rating tables for these units should be consulted
for different capacity ranges,
✓Discharge /capacity
✓headloss, and
✓power requirements.

-Because manufacturers' capacity ratings are usually based on clean water,

the ratings should be decreased by approximately 80% to account for partial
clogging of openings

- Comminutors should be provided with a bypass arrangement for repair

during mechanical failure or during power failure.
 Types of Settling
Depending on the particles concentration and the interaction between particles, 4 types of
settling can occur:

Discrete (type I), Flocculent (type II), Hindered (type III), Compression (type IV)

✓ Type I: Discrete particle settling

 Discrete particles in Dilute solid’s concentration &
 Where particles do not interact bigger settle fast &
 Settling velocity is constant for individual particles
Examples: - Pre-sedimentation in water treatment,
- Grit removal in wastewater

✓ Type II: Flocculent settling

 Flocculent particles in Dilute solid’s concentration
 Where particles collide and adhere to each other resulting in particle growth &
 Settling velocity changes
Examples: - Sedimentation after Coagulation/flocculation in water treatment and
- Primary sedimentation in wastewater treatment
34
✓ Type III: Hindered or zone settling
 Flocculent particles in intermediate concentration

 Solids move as a block rather than individual particles

 There will be distinguishable solids liquid interface

 Fluidic interference causes a reduction in settling velocity**

Example: - Sedimentation of biologically treated effluents in waste water treatment

✓ Type IV: Compression or zone settling

 Discrete or flocculent particles in very high concentration

 Particles physically in contact

 Water is squeezed out of interstitial spaces

 Volume of solids may decrease

Example: - Sludge thickening in waste water treatment

Hindered
35
 Preliminary Treatment
3) Grit Removal Basins (grit chamber, detritus tank,..)
✓ At the beginning of the TP before primary clarifier.

✓ is an enlarged channel or a long basin, in which the cross-section is increased, so

as to reduce the flow velocity of sewage.
✓ Sand, gravel, broken glass, egg shells, and other material having a settling velocity
substantially greater than the organic material in wastewater is called grit.

✓ The grit chamber remove the inorganic particles (specific gravity about 2.65 and
nominal diameter of 0.1mm or larger)
- such as sand, gravel, egg shells, bones, and other non-putrescible materials
(silt and grit) present in sewage by the process of sedimentation due to
gravitational forces.

✓ organic/putrescible material in WW is not allowed to settle

✓ Therefore, the flow velocity should neither be too low nor should it be so high.
B/c
❑ if too slow lighter organic matter will settle down, septicity.
❑ if too high, even silt and grit not settle down/re-suspend. 36
 Preliminary Treatment
o Grit is removed preliminarily to prevent
✓ damage pumps /mechanical equipments due to abrasion, and
✓ excessive accumulation of sludge in digesters /large volume of sludge to
be handled

o Three general types of grit chambers

✓ Horizontal flow g.c
✓ Aerated g.c
✓ Vortex type

o Classification based on cleaning mechanism

✓ Mechanically cleaned
✓ manually cleaned
37
 Preliminary Treatment
Design of grit chamber
Design parameters;

✓ Number of units;
- use at least two units.
- And for mechanically cleaned chambers add one manually
cleaned chamber as a bypass

✓ Particle settling velocity, Vp

38
 Preliminary Treatment
❖Is designed considering it as sedimentation basin having discrete type of settling
❖Considering balance of forces acting on a spherical particle in fluid
Fb Fd
Fnet = mg - Fd - Fb Fnet = 0

✓ The submerged weight of the particle can be expressed as;

W= mg - Fb = (s - w)gp ,

✓ The drag force on a particle is given by;

mg Fd = CDwAp vs2/2 p = d3/6,

v
4 (  s − w ) gdp
vs = …. Newton’s eqn
3 w CD

•For particles size with diam <0.1mm, CD = 24/Re (Laminar flow),

•For particle size with diam 0.1-1mm, CD = 24/Re + 3/(Re)1/2 + 0.34 (Transition),
•For particle sizes =1mm, CD = 0.4 (Turbulent),
Re = lvsdp/,
 Preliminary Treatment
• Substituting the above expression
for (laminar flow) in terminal
velocity equation Stock’s law

…. Stock’s

• For particles >1mm (turbulent condition)

(  − ) gdp
vs = 3.33 s w
w

For particles 0.1-1mm, Hazen’s modified equation can also be used

(3t+ 70)
vs = 60.6( S s −1)dp t= temperature oC
100
 Preliminary Treatment

✓ Surface overflow rate, SOR= Vp

✓ Horizontal flow velocity, Vf
checked against critical velocity of scour Vc
(  − )
Vc = 3 to 4.5(g(Sp-1)d)1/2 …………………..vc = 8gd p w
f w
Vf < Vc of grit
Vf > Vc of organic matter β= empirically determined constant (0.04-0.06)
f= Darcy-Weisbach friction factor (0.02-0.03)

The velocity should be held constant regardless of the flow, by;

▪ Providing additional chamber for the extra flow above a certain point
▪ Providing proper combination of basin cross section and the control device
such as proportional weir or Parshall flume

✓ Detention time, td (45 – 90sec) usually 60sec

 Preliminary Treatment
✓Size /dimension of the units

Inlet zone
Vf =Q/WxD Settling zone

Outlet
zone
td= L/Vf = LWD/Q
Sludge zone
td= D/Vp
LWD/Q = D/Vp
Vp = Q/LW=Q/Asurface=SOR,
Ax-section = Q/Vf =DXW Typical depth 0.6-1.5m
td= H/Vp = L/Vf Length 3 - 25m

▪ For actual length add 10-50% of the length at both inlet and outlet zones
▪ Total D = Settling zone D + Sludge accumulation D+ Freeboard
▪ Sludge zone depth; depending on cleaning frequency
▪ Freeboard 15-30cm 42
Preliminary Treatment

43
 Preliminary Treatment

Settling zone only

44
 Preliminary Treatment
2. Design a suitable Detrius grit chamber for a sewage treatment plant getting a
dry weather flow from a separate sewerage system @400l/s. Assume the flow
velocity through the tank as 0.2m/sec and detention period of 2 minutes. The
maximum flow may be assumed to be 3 times of dry weather flow.
Solution
• Detritus tanks are simple square tanks with Sloping bottom with a channel
or sump for discharge of the grit. These were normally installed in duplicate to
aid gritting by hand at regular intervals

Lets provide 3 tanks running parallel, hence design discharge for each
= 400l/s= 0.4m3/sec
The length of the tank
= Velocity ∗ Detention time = 0.2 ∗ (2 ∗ 60) = 24m
Make provision for inlet and outlet 10%
45
Preliminary Treatment

46
 Preliminary Treatment
The tank will be 1.7m wide up to
1.5m depth, and then the sides
will slope down to form an
elongated trough of 24m length
and 0.8m width at the bottom
with rounded corners, as shown
in figure

DISPOSAL
- Grit is disposed off to a
sanitary landfill
47
 Preliminary Treatment

• Design a grit chamber for population 90000

with water consumption of 250 LPCD. Grit
diameter and specific gravity is 0.03mm & 2.4
respectively. Organic matter in the
wastewater has 0.03mm diameter with
specific gravity of 1.2. ( take dynamic viscosity
of 1.002*10^-3, and length to width ratio of
4.5)
 Preliminary Treatment

Types of Velocity Control Devices

Principle Constant velocity is maintained by combination of proper

cross-sectional geometry of the chamber and control device.

The condition of constant velocity is maintained, provided the width of

the basin varies so that where n is the discharge
coefficient of the control section.
- A rectangular channel with a sutro (proportional)
weir, with free fall downstream of the channel.

- A parabolic shaped channel with a rectangular weir.

- A rectangular shaped channel with a parshall flume at the end which
would also help easy flow measurement.
 Preliminary Treatment

Example /grit chamber/

• Design a grit –removal system consisting of three identical
channels for a plant which has a max flow of 65,000 m3/day, an
average flow of 50,000 m3/day and a minimum flow of 20,000
m3/day. Use parabolic channels. The design velocity (Vh) is 0.25
m/s and Vs is 0.02m/sec. (use hourly peak flow rate of
80,000m3/d)
 Preliminary Treatment

Solution
The max flow per channel will be
- 65,000/3= 21666 m3/day = 0.25 m3/s
The average flow per channel will be
- 50,000/3= 16,666 m3/day = 0.19 m3/s.
The minimum flow per channel will be
- 20,000/3= 6,666 m3/day = 0.077 m3/s

• A = Q/V
• Amax. = 0.25/0.25 = 1.0 m2
• A average = 0.19/0.25 = 0.76 m2
• A min = 0.077/0.25 = 0.31 m2
 Preliminary Treatment
✓ Typical depth 0.6 - 1.5m
Solution ✓ Length 3 - 25m
• For parabolic channel …………..A= 2/3* W*D
• The channel can have any appropriate combination of width and
depth.
• For width of 1.5 m at a maximum depth should equal:
A max = 1.0 = 2/3 * 1.5 *Dmax. , D max = 1.0 m
• The control section will produce critical depth, dc thus, the
control velocity = Vc and
dc = Vc2/g. ………..ref

• The total energy head in the control is

vc2/g + Vc2/2g
 Preliminary Treatment

Solution
• If we assume the head loss in the control is 10% of the velocity
head, then
D = Vc2/g + Vc2/2g + 0.1Vc2/2g = 3.1 Vc2/2g
Vc = (2 g D/ 3.1)0.5
• At a maximum flow, Qmax, with Dmax = 1 m ,
Vc= (2*9.8* 1/3.1)0.5 = 2.5 m/s
dc = Vc2/g ……….. dc = 0.64 m
• And the width of control device section
wc = Q / (Vc *dc) = 0.25 /(2.5 * 0.64) = 0.16m
• For other flow conditions:
 control
Channel device/rectangular/
Q Vchannel
(m3/s) (m/s) A(m2) W (m) D (m) Vc (m) dc (m) Wc (m)
0.31 0.25 1.24 1.65 1.11 2.65 0.72 0.16
0.25 0.25 1 1.5 1 2.52 0.65 0.16
0.19 0.25 0.76 1.41 0.81 2.26 0.52 0.16
0.077 0.25 0.308 1.03 0.45 1.68 0.29 0.16

The length of the basin depends on

the ratio of settling velocity and
horizontal velocity.
Vh/Vs = L/D at peak flow
L = D (Vh/Vs)
The length of the channel,
L = 1.11(0.25/0.02) = 13.2 m
Reading assignment
• Design of parshall flume and proportional
weir for rectangular chambers
 Preliminary Treatment

4) Skimming Tanks
✓ Ideally grease removal is desirable at source, prior to discharge to the
collection network.
✓ Usually placed after grit chamber
✓ Many plants, however, use primary clarifiers with mechanical surface
skimmers for fat and grease removal
✓ Is a concrete or glass reinforced plastic chamber arranged so that floating
matter (oil and grease) rises and remains on the surface until removed
while the liquid flows continuously through an outlet located at depth

58
Figure of Skimming tank
 Preliminary Treatment

✓ Oil and grease should be removed preliminarily because

• the degradation of fats and oils by micro organisms is very slow due to
low solubility and hence can reduced efficiency of biological treatment
• has a tendency to coat the inside of piping and pumps can build up
• contribution to odor and aesthetic nuisance

✓ Methods used in separation

• Natural floatation
• Low pressure floatation
• Pressured floatation
• Vacuum floatation
 Preliminary Treatment

✓A detention period of about 3 - 5 min. is sufficient,

A= 0.00622Q/Vr

A = surface area of tank (m2)

Q = rate of sewage flow(m3/d)
Vr = min rising velocity of greasy material to be removed in m/min (0.25m/min in most cases)
Q=Vol/t

Disposal
Burial in low lying areas can be treated with TP sludge

60
 Preliminary Treatment
5) Flow equalization
-located after the preliminary treatment units such as screening and grit
removal but before primary sedimentation
-Flow equalization simply is the damping of flow rate variations to achieve a
constant or nearly constant flow rate

The principal benefits that are cited as deriving from application of flow
equalization are:
1. Helps in improving the performance of down- stream operations and
reduces the operating & capital cost of down- stream process. (chemical
feed, filter area, …
2. Biological treatment is enhanced because of elimination of shock load due
to flow rate & pollution load, inhibiting substances can be diluted, and pH
can be stabilized;

Eg p337 metcalf
Primary Treatment

62
 Primary Wastewater Treatment
▪ Unit preceding biological treatment process so as to remove suspended
organic solids.
• SSs are separated by settling to the bottom of sedimentation tanks
• Sedimentation tanks are physical operation units where removal takes
place due to gravitational force.
• The very fundamental principle underlying the process of sedimentation is
that;
Organic matter present in sewage having specific gravity greater than
that of water (i.e. 1.0) is separated by gravity.

•Efficiently designed and operated primary sedimentation tanks should

remove from 50 to 70% of the SS and from 25 to 40 % of the BOD.
•The design parameters (SOR and td) can be determined based on the settling
behavior of particles
•There are generally four different types of sedimentation behaviors
64
Types of Settling
Depending on the particles nature and concentration, 4 types of settling can
occur: Discrete (type I), Flocculent (type II), Hindered (type III), Compression
(type IV)
1. Type I - Discrete particle settling: The particles settle without interaction
and occur under low solids concentration. /already discussed-grit
chambers/

2. Type II - Flocculent settling: particles initially flocculate in the depth of

the clarification unit but under low solids concentration.
– The velocity of settling particles is usually increasing as the particles
aggregates.

Hindered 65
✓ An example of flocculent settling is
- Primary sedimentation tank in WWT/organic substances/ or
- Settling chemical flocs in WT /inorganic colloids/

common in water treatment

✓ Because of the large amount of reagent necessary to treat domestic
wastewater, preliminary chemical coagulation and flocculation are generally
not used.
✓ However, coagulation and flocculation can also be used for further polishing
of the treated wastewater at tertiary level of treatment
✓ The extent of removal depend on the opportunity for contact and
flocculating , which varies with different parameters like
- overflow rate, depth of the basin, concentration of the particles
and particle sizes.
✓ The effect of these variables can only be Estimated by sedimentation tests –
column settling test
Sedimentation basin has four
district zones:
✓ inlet,
✓ settling,
✓ outlet and
✓ sludge zone

Settling zone
Outlet
Inflow zone
Outflow
zone
Inlet

Sludge zone

Scraper blade
Sludge Fig. of rectangular sedimentation tank 67
 CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF THE SEDIMENTATION TANKS
a. Inlet and Outlet Arrangement
✓ In order to reduce short circuiting and to distribute the flow uniformly
proper arrangement must be made for smooth entry of water.
✓ A most suitable type of an inlet for a rectangular settling tank is in the form of
a channel with a submerged weir type baffle wall extending to full width of
the tank.

Fig. Section of a submerged type or a

weir type inlet

68
 Baffle Baffle

Multiple
opening
across Multiple
width opening
across
width
Typical baffle (diffuser) walls

Figure of Weir type outlet

Flow distribution
69
CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF THE SEDIMENTATION TANKS, … contd

✓ Outlet arrangement consist of an overflow weir and a

receiving channel or launder.

launder → the exit channel or pipe.

weir → flow controlling device at outlet

✓ most circular center-feed clarifiers consist of a single

perimeter v-notch weir that overflows into an effluent
trough/launder
b. Cleaning and Sludge Removal
✓ the deposited sludge should have to be removed before it becomes stale and
septic.
- It reduces the capacity of the tank and its detention period,
- it leads to the evolution of foul gases formed due to the anaerobic
decomposition.
✓ Modern sedimentation tanks, however, are generally provided with mechanical
or hydraulic cleaning devices.
• Mechanical systems include
- chain and flight type
- Traveling-bridge type

• Hydraulic sludge removal

- is done at regular intervals by dewatering tank and flushing sludge with
pressurized water to hopper from the bottom of the tank
73
✓ Classification based on working

- Fill and draw /intermittent type: store sewage in complete rest for a certain
period.

- Continuous flow type: the flow velocity is only reduced by increasing area,
and the sewage is not brought to complete rest,

✓ They are generally made of reinforced concrete and can be classified based on
shape as;
₋ Rectangular
₋ Circular

74
Rectangular
• The inflow is distributed at a lateral
side of the clarifier
• The water leaves the tank only at the
opposite extreme
• Better hydraulic characteristics and less
short circuiting
• Launders are placed parallel to tank
length
• Usually have chain-drive scrapers
(bottom scrappers mounted at a chain
which is driven by gears) to bring sludge
to withdrawal through in tank bottom
Circular
• The inflow is distributed form inlet well
at the center
• The water leaves the tank at the
periphery of the tank
• Less expensive than rectangular tanks
• Circular rake arm to rake sludge to
center (water treatment) or with suction
pipes (wastewater)
• Weirs and radial collection troughs are
provided around the perimeter of the
tank
• Circular sludge sweep is relatively
75
trouble free
 Settling zone

Outlet
zone
zone
Inlet

Sludge zone
 Table. Design criteria for primary sedimentation tank
parameter Value range the criteria for primary
Detention time, hr 1.5-2.5 sedimentation basins
Overflow rate,m3/m2/d are different from WT
Average flow 32-48 sedimentation tanks
Peak flow 80-120 and this must be
Weir loading, m3/m/d 125-500 accounted for in the
Dimensions, m design
Rectangular
Depth 3-5
Length 15-90
Width* 3-24
Sludge scrapper speed, m/min 0.6-1.4
Circular
Depth 3-5
Diameter 3.6-60 More complete info.
Bottom slope, mm/m 60-160 On Mackenzie
P 21-23
Sludge scrapper speed, m/min 0.02-0.05
*must divide into bays of not greater than 6m wide Source: Howard S. Peavy
Adapted from: Reynolds, T. D., and P. A. Richards. Unit Operations and Processes in Environmental
Engineering. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: PWS Publishing Company, 1996, p. 258-259. ISBN: 0534948847
Example
A chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) study was
conducted on a coagulated industrial wastewater sample.
The objective was to design a basin to remove 80% TSS at a
side water depth of 3.5 m. A batch column test was
performed in a 4-m-tall and 15-cm-diameter column. The
initial concentration of TSS in the coagulated sample was
200 mg/L. The sampling ports were 0.5 m apart, the lowest
port being 3.5 m below the water surface to simulate the
design side water depth of the basin. The samples were
withdrawn from each port at 10min interval. TSS was
determined in each sample and the data matrix is given in
the table below.
Determine the design values of detention time and
overflow rate for 80% removal.
Detention Time, Settling velocity, Surface Overflow Overall Percent TSS
min m/min rate, m3/m2.d Removal, %

7 0.5 720 21.3

15 0.23 336 35.5
21 0.17 240 46.7
26 0.13 194 56.1
30 0.12 168 63.2
38 0.092 133 71.6
52 0.067 97 80.5
71 0.049 71 88.5
• Draw lines of equal percentage removal
(isoremoval) of particles.
• Draw a vertical line at each point of
intersection of particle isoremoval curve at
3.5m depth of the column
• Calculate the overall percent removal for
other detention times.
• Draw the overall percent TSS removal curves
with respect to detention time and surface
overflow rate.
Example
• A circular primary sedimentation tank for a municipal wastewater
treatment plant is to be designed for an average flow of 15,140
m3/d. The minimum side wall depth is 3 m.
• Assume The overflow rate (SOR) as 36.7 m3/m2.d.
• Determine:
1. The diameter of the tank.
2. The detention time of the tank
3. Check the weir loading rate
Solution
1. Use two tanks, where Q/2 = 15,140/2 = 7,570 m3/d
A = Q/ SOR = 7570 m3/d /36.7 m3/m2.d = 206.3 m2
D = (4A/π)0.5 = ((4*206.3)/3.14)0.50 = 16.20 m

2. Select the minimum depth d =3 m and check for td :

Volume of the tank (Vol.) = A*d = 206.3*3 = 618.9 m3
td = Vol./Q = 618.9/7570 = 0.08176 day = 1.96 hrs … 1.5-2.5hrs… OK!

3. The circumference of the tank : L = π*D = 3.14*(16.2) = 50.87 m

WL = Q/L = 7570/50.87 = 148.8 m3/m.d …. 125-500m3/m/d … Ok!
Example
An influent structure consists of a 1.0-m-wide
tapered influent channel that runs across the entire
width of the tank. Average velocity in the channel is
1.0 m/s. Eight submerged orifices 34 cm square
each are provided in the exit wall of the channel to
distribute the flow over the entire width of the
basin. The total discharge into the basin is 0.70
m3/s, and the width of the basin is 12 m.
Determine the head loss across the influent
structure, and draw the plan and section view.
Solution
There are eight orifices in the basin, Norifice=8
Calculate the discharge through each orifice
𝑄 0.7 𝑚3 Τ𝑠
𝑞= = = 0.0875 𝑚3 Τ𝑠
𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒 8
Depth of water at the influent channel
Calculate the water depth at the velocity v=1m/s and
channel width b=1m
𝑞 0.7
𝐷= = = 0.7𝑚
𝑣𝑏 1 𝑚Τ𝑠 ∗ 1𝑚
Headloss through the orifices
0.0875 𝑚3 Τ𝑠 = 0.6 ∗ 0.34𝑚 2 ∗ 2 ∗ 9.81 ∗ ∆ℎ
∆h=0.08m
The influent baffle wall is 0.6m in front and 1.0 m
below the invert of influent channel. The top of the
baffle is 5 cm (0.05 m) below the water surface in the
basin.
Example
A primary sedimentation basin has width and depth of
10 and 4.5 m, respectively. Calculate the scour velocity
and determine whether the settled material will
resuspend at design peak flow of 50,000 m3/d.

Use the following standard values of coefficients in

Cohesion constant = 0.05, specific gravity of settled
particles S = 1.25, equivalent diameter of particles
d=100 μm, and Darcy–Weisbach factor f = 0.025.
Example
A primary sedimentation basin receives a
degritted flow of 3.5 MGD. The TSS
concentration in the influent is 230 mg/L, and
TSS removal efficiency is 65%. The scum removal
is 8 g/m3. Calculate the primary sludge quantity.
The solids content in the sludge is 4% and bulk
specific gravity is 1.015. Also calculate the
quantity of scum.
Exercise
A rectangular primary sedimentation basin is designed for a design
average flow of 0.22 m3/s. The peaking factor is 2.8. The influent BOD5
and TSS are 180 mg/L and 220 mg/L respectively. The design criteria
are given below:
1. The design surface overflow rate at design average flow shall
be<36 m3/m2·d
2. The detention time at design average flow shall be .1.5 h.
3. The water depth at mid-length and at design average flow shall be
4.0 m.
4. The slope of the basin floor shall be at 6%
5. The length-to-width (L:W) ratio shall be 4:1.
6. The influent and effluent structures shall be designed for peak
wet weather flow.
a) Velocity in the influent channel shall not be <0.3 m/s to
prevent accumulation of sediments.
b) The influent channel shall have 0.38 m diameter submerged
circular exit orifices. The velocity through influent orifices shall be <0.5
m/s to reduce potential turbulence caused by the jet flows in the inlet
zone. And the weir loading rate shall not be more than 340m3/m.d
95