CHAPTER 8

Grit Removal
 Purposes of Grit Chambers

• This unit process is important to minimize problems associated with grit.

• Grit creates problems to pumps and also sludge digestion and dewatering
facilities.

• In grit removal system, grit or discrete particles that have subsiding velocities or
specific gravities substantially greater than those of organic putrescible (can be
decayed) solids, e.g. eggshells, sands, gravel are removed by gravitate settlement
or centrifugal separation.

• The particles must be removed at an early stage of the process because:

✓ The grit particles cannot be broken down by any biological treatment.
✓ The grit particles are abrasive and wear down equipment.
 Common Types of Grit Chambers

1. Horizontal flow type (Rectangular / square)

2. Rotary or vortex flow type
3. Aerated grit chamber
Vortex grit chamber
 Selection of Grit Chambers
▪ When selecting a grit removal process, the quantity and characteristics
of grit and its potential to adversely affect downstream processes are
important considerations.
▪ Other parameters to consider may include head-loss requirements,
space requirements, removal efficiency, organic content, and
economics.

Performance of Grit Chambers

▪ Given the complexity of collection systems and types of materials that
may be considered “grit,” the quantity and characteristics of grit
removed from wastewater will vary.
▪ Grit quantity is influenced by the type and condition of the collection
system, the characteristics of the drainage area, waste disposal
methods, the slope of the collection system, and the efficiency of the
grit removal system.
▪ The quantity of grit may vary from 0.004 to 0.21 m3/103 m3 (Crites and
Tchobanoglous, 1998).
▪ The performance of a grit removal system may be enhanced if actual
plant data is used when designing a new grit removal system.
Provision Requirement of Grit Removal System
Design Parameters for Grit Chambers
 Example 1: Design of Horizonal Flow Grit Chambers

Assuming suitable design criteria, design a horizontal flow type (rectangular) grit
chamber for the proposed sewage treatment plant expected to treat 60,000 m3/day
maximum flows (provide minimum two channels). Given, the flow through velocity of
0.11 m/s, allowable maximum settling velocity = 0.2 m/s, detention time of 3 minutes,
width of the channel is 4 m, freeboard of 0.3 m and depth of grit collection is 0.2 m.

a) Compute the cross-sectional area

b) Compute the length of the channel
c) Compute the depth of the channel
d) Compute the net volume or capacity of each channel
e) Check for SLR and settling velocity
f) Design summary and dimensions of the grit chamber
 Example 1: Design of Horizonal Flow Grit Chambers (Con’t)

a) Compute the cross-sectional area

Qfor 1 channel = A x v h
where Qfor 1 channel = peak flow in one channel
60,000 m3 / d
= = 30,000 m3 / d
2 units
1d
= 30,000 m3 / d  = 0.35 m3 / s
86400 s
Q
Therefore, cross-sectional area, A x = for 1 tank
vh
0.35 m3 / s
=
0.11 m/s
= 3.18 m2
#
 Example 1: Design of Horizonal Flow Grit Chambers (Con’t)

b) Compute the length of the channel

Given, detention time, t equal to 3 minutes, for the given flow through
velocity of 0.11 m/s, the net length of the channel, L is given by
L = vh  t
 60 s 
= 0.11 m/s   3 mins 
 1 min 
= 19.8 m  20 m
Providing additional length for the inlet and outlet of channels, the total length is
L total = net length+10% of net length for inlet and outlet provision
= 20 m + 2 m
= 22 m
 Example 1: Design of Horizonal Flow Grit Chambers (Con’t)
c) Compute the depth of the channel
Given the width of each channel as 4 m, the side water depth of basin
A x 3.18 m2
Dsidewater = = = 0.795 m  0.8 m
B 4m
And, the total depth of tank is
Dtotal = net depth + free board + depth for grit collection
= 0.8 m + 0.3 m + 0.2 m
= 1.3 m #
d) Compute the net volume or capacity of each channel
Vfor 1 tank = L  B  D
= 22 m  4 m  0.8 m
= 70.4 m3
Check for the volume of the tank:
The volume at peak flow for one channel is
V = Qt
 60 s  1d
= 30,000 m3 / d   3 min   
 1 min  86400 s
= 62.5 m3
So, provided volume of 70.4 m3 for each channel is acceptable. #
 Example 1: Design of Horizonal Flow Grit Chambers (Con’t)

e) Check for SLR and settling velocity

The surface loading rate, SLR for each channel at peak flow is
Q Q
SLR = peak = peak
As L B
30,000 m3 / d
=
22 m  4 m
= 340 m3 / m2 .d = Settling velocity (340 m/d)

Check for SLR and settling velocity

 1d 
Settling velocity = 340 m/d    = 0.004 m / s < 0.2 m/s (allowable value) → Acceptable.
 86400 s  #
 Example 1: Design of Horizonal Flow Grit Chambers (Con’t)

f) Design summary and dimensions of the grit chamber

Design summary:
Data for a grit chamber when both channels are in operation at peak flow
No. of channels, n = 2 1m 20 m 1m

Total length of channel, L = 22 m

4m
Total depth of channel, D = 1.3 m
8.5 m
Width of one channel, B = 4 m
4m
Detention time, t = 3 min
22 m
Including the thickness of the dividing wall between 2 channels (0.5 m),
the overall dimensions of a grit chamber are 22 m (L) x (4 m + 4 m + 0.5m)(B) x 1.3 m (D)
as shown in the figure.
 Example 2: Design of Aerated Grit Chambers
Assuming suitable design criteria, design an aerated grit chamber for an average
municipal wastewater flow of 10 MLD, providing two chambers in the unit. Given
detention time of 5 minutes, depth of 2 m, width to depth ratio of 1.5:1, air supply
rate of 0.3 m3/min.m. It is expected that 0.15 m3 grit settles per 1000 m3 of flow.
(a) Compute the dimensions of the chamber
(b) Compute the air requirement
(c) Compute the quantity of grit to be removed
(d) Design summary
Solution:
Average wastewater flow,
Qavg = 10 MLD = 10  106 litre / day
= 10,000 m3 / d
1d
= 10,000 m3 / d 
86400 s
= 0.12 m3 / s
Assumin g the peaking factor as 2.5, the peak flow for the design is
Qpeak = Qavg  peaking factor
= 0.12 m3 / s  2.5
= 0.3 m3 / s
 Example 2: Design of Aerated Grit Chambers

(a) Compute the dimensions of the chamber

Providing two chambers in the unit and 5 minutes detention time at the
peak flow rate, the volume of each chamber is given by
Qpeak
V= t
2 units
0.3 m3 / s  60 s 
=   5 min 
2 units  1 min 
= 45 m3
Assuming a depth of 2 m and the width-depth ratio of 1.5:1,
W = 1.5D = 1.5  2 m = 3 m
V V 45 m3
L= = = = 7.5 m
Ax W D 3 m 2 m

So, the dimensions are:

Length, L = 7.5 m
Width, W = 3 m
Depth, D = 2 m
 Example 2: Design of Aerated Grit Chambers

(b) Compute the air requirement

Given that an air supply rate of 0.3 m3 / min.m,
Air required = air supply rate (m3 / min.m)  length of the chamber (m)
= 0.3 m3 / min.m  7.5 m
= 2.3 m3 / min
(c) Compute the quantity of grit to be removed
Given that 0.015 m3 of grit settles per 1000 m3 of flow,
the quantity of grit to be handled per day for daily average flow is
 0.015 m3 
10,000 m / d  
3
3  = 0.15 m / d
3

 1000 m 
(d) Design summary:
No. of units = 1
No. of channels in unit = 2
Length of each channel = 7.5 m
Width of each channel = 3 m
Depth of flow = 2 m
Freeboard = 0.3 m
Air required = 2.3 m3 / min
 Operation and Maintenance

▪ Collected grit must be removed from the chamber, dewatered, washed, and conveyed to a
disposal site.
▪ Some smaller plants use manual methods to remove grit, but grit removal is usually
accomplished by an automatic method.
▪ The four methods of automatic grit removal include inclined screw or tubular conveyors,
chain and bucket elevators, clamshell buckets, and air-lift or other means of pumping.
▪ A two-step grit removal method is sometimes used, where grit is conveyed horizontally in
a trough or channel to a hopper, where it is then elevated from the hopper to another
location.
▪ Aerated grit chambers use a sloped tank bottom in which the air roll pattern sweeps grit
along the bottom to the low side of the chamber.
▪ A horizontal screw conveyor is typically used to convey settled grit to a hopper at the head
of the tank. Another method to remove grit from the chamber floor is a chain and flight
mechanism.
▪ Once removed from the chamber, grit is usually washed with a hydro cyclone or grit
classifier to ease handling and remove organic material.
▪ The grit is then conveyed directly to a truck, dumpster, or storage hopper.
▪ From there, the grit is taken to a landfill or other disposal facility.
End of Chapter 8