PRIMARY TREATMENTS UNITS

CEW 555 - WATER AND WASTEWATER ENGINEERING INFRASTRUCTURE

Lesson Outcome

1. Able to discuss the primary treatment units for wastewater (the

infrastructures involve and function of each infrastructure)
2. Able to design the primary treatment infrastructure
Introduction

 All new applications for sewage

treatment plant approval shall follow the
design requirements as stipulated in
Malaysian Sewerage Industry Guidelines
(MSIG), Sewage Treatment Plants, 3rd
Edition, Volume IV.
Typical
Elements
and Process
Flow
Diagram of a
Sewage
Treatment
Plant
*2 to lift sewage to a higher
point for treatment & to
provide consistent inlet flows
*land application as
fertilizer, as top soil cover *3 To remove material such
at land fill site as plastic, paper, cloth and
other particles

*5 Balancing tanks are

mandatory for all treatment
processes that are not
designed at peak flow.
 Preliminary/Primary Secondary Tertiary

Typical
Elements
and Process
Flow
Diagram of a
Sewage
Treatment
Plant
 Introduction

 Primary treatments in centralize

system of sewage treatment plants
consist of:
1. Primary Screen
2. Comminutor (alternative)
3. Grit Removal System/Chamber
4. Grease Removal System/ Chamber
5. Primary Sedimentation/Clarifier
Typical
Treatment
process.
MSIG, Volume 4, Third
Edition
1. Primary
Screen
 Function:
a) to protect equipment from
rags, wood and other
debris
b) to reduce interference with
in-plant flow and
performance
 Two type of screen
 Manually raked
 Mechanically raked
DESIGN
PARAMETERS
FOR PRIMARY
SCREENS
*An emergency manual
bypass screen. In the event
of system failure and/or
power outages, the flow
shall be automatically
directed to the bypass
Design of Screen

 Width of screen chamber can be determined using the following

formula:

(𝐵+𝑆) 𝐹
𝑊= x𝑉(𝐷)
𝑆

W = width of screen chamber(m)

B = size of screen (mm)
S = size of opening (mm)
F = Qpeak (m3/s)
V = Design velocity at screen (m/s)
d = Depth of wastewater at screen chamber (m)
f = freeboard
Example 1

A sewage treatment plant is planned to be built for a housing area

with a population of 20 000 PE. Design an illustrate screening chamber
with appropriate number of screens and consideration of free board
based on the data of the following:
 Opening size of the screen = 20 mm
 Screen size (bar) = 12 mm
 Design velocity at screen = 0.85 m/s
 Depth of water = 1.2 m
Solution 1

 QDWF = qPE = (225 x 10-3 )(20 000) = 4500 m3/day

 Qpeak = 4.7 p-0.11QDWF = (4.7)(20)-0.11(4500)
= 15212.38 m3/day
= 0.176 m3/s
(𝐵+𝑆) 𝐹
 𝑊= x
𝑆 𝑉(𝐷)
(12+20) 0.176
 𝑊= x = 276 mm not acceptable (Table 5.3)
20 0.85 1.2
Solution 1

 Provide 500 mm channel width

500
 Therefore : Number of screens = = 15.6 = use 16 bars
(20+12)
2. Comminutor

 Known as grinder or blender

 Purpose to (as opposed to
blocking) grind the solids
particles to about 0.8 cm or
less in diameter.
 Usage is not recommended
in Malaysia under MSIG, Vol 4
 Advantage : no raking
system required
 Disadvantage : all solids
(rags, woods etc) pass
through the sub treatment.
3. Grit Removal System/Chamber

 Removal reason:
a) They are inert particles, cannot be broken down by any biological
treatment.
b) The grit particles are abrasive and wear down equipment.
 Removal mechanism
a) Removed by gravitate settlement
Where the velocity of flow are slowed down, any dense particle will settle
(sand, pebble, rock, eggshell with a diameter of > 0.2 mm)
a) or centrifugal separation.
Example Grit Chamber
Design
Parameters for
Grit Chambers
 Design of grit chamber
 Design of grit chamber involves the following:
1. Calculate peak flow, Qpeak, where Qpeak = 4.7 p-0.11 QDWF
2. Calculate detention time:
As
t = volume/flowrate
= V / Qpeak V
h
Ah
= (m3/m3/day) d

= day
w
3. Calculate surface over flow rate, SOR L
SOR = Q/As
= m3/m2.day
Where As is surface area of rectangular chamber, w x L (top)
4. Horizontal velocity, Vh is the velocity of wastewater which enter from the side of
the chamber in horizontal direction
Exercise 1

 Design a rectangular grit chamber for a sewage treatment plant for

a population of 6000 PE. Given the surface overflow rate is 1400
m3/m2.day and horizontal velocity is 25 cm/s.

Answer
✓ Qpeak = 5209.97 m3/day
✓ 𝐴𝑠 = 3.72 m2, at d= 3 m
✓ t= 3.0857 minutes,
✓ L = 46.286 m,
✓ W = 0.08 m
4. Grease Removal System/
Chamber
 Grease creates problems at the clarifier and is carried over until the
final effluent.
 Principle apply to fat, oil and grease removal system:
 FOG lighter than water rise through the liquid then skimmed off from the
top surface.
Design
Parameters
for Grease
Chambers
5. Primary Sedimentation/Clarifier

 Velocity of sewage is reduced to subside settleable suspended

organic matters in the sewage.
 The settled matter is known as primary sludge.
 The purposes :
a) To remove maximum amount of pollutants such as settleable solids
quickly and economically.
b) To separate sewage into sludge and settled sewage
c) To reduce the organic loadings on the secondary treatment units
Rectangular Clarifier
Circular Clarifier
Design
parameters for
Primary
Sedimentation
Design and Checking Prosedure
1. Surface Overflow Rate, SOR

𝑄𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
𝑆𝑂𝑅 =
𝑆𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎

2. Detention Time, t

𝑉
𝑡 =
𝑄𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘

3. Weir Loading Rate, WLR

𝑄𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
𝑊𝐿𝑅 =
𝐿
*For Rectangular L is length of weir where the ww overflow, W

*For Circular L is perimeter of weir where the ww overflow, W

4. The upward flow rate (circular), Vup

𝑄𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
𝑉𝑢𝑝 =
𝐴𝑐

5. Horizontal velocity, Vh
The velocity of wastewater which enter from the side of the chamber in horizontal direction
Example 2

A primary sedimentation tank is receiving peak wastewater of 5000

m3/day. If the Surface Overflow Rate is 45 m3/m2.day, design a
rectangular tank then:
1. Check the minimum detention time required.
2. Weir loading rate, WLR
Suggestion Design : A Rectangular Tank

 The dimension of tank

Assume based on Table 5.11
L:W = 4:1
W:D = 2.5:1
𝑄𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
 𝑆𝑂𝑅 = ( ) 𝑚3/𝑚2. 𝑑𝑎𝑦
𝐴𝑠
5000
45 =
𝐴𝑠
As = 111.11 m2
 As = L x W ; but from the ratio L:W = 4:1, thus L = 4W
As = 111.11 m2 = L x W = 4W2
W = 5.27 m use 6 m
Hence L = 4W = 4(6) = 24 m
Suggestion Design : A Rectangular Tank

 From ratio of
W:D = 2.5:1
D = W/2.5 = 6/2.5 = 2.4 say 3 m
 Final Dimension L x W x D = 24 x 6 x 3

 Check detention time, t = V/Qpeak

t = 24x6x3/5000 m3/day
= 2.07 > 2 h minimum time, acceptable (Table 5.11)
Suggestion Design : A Rectangular Tank

 Weir loading rate, WLR

𝑄𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
𝑊𝐿𝑅 =
𝐿
5000
 𝑊𝐿𝑅 = = 833 m3/m2.day > 150, not acceptable (Table 5.11)
6

Apply multiple weirs in series of 6

5000
 𝑊𝐿𝑅 = = 139 m3/m.day < 150, acceptable (Table 5.11)
6𝑥6
Exercise 2

A primary sedimentation tank is receiving peak wastewater of 5000 m3/day. If the

Surface Overflow Rate is 45 m3/m2.day, design a circular tank having a depth of 4
m. Use floor slope wall of 1:12.
Then:
1. Check the minimum detention time required.
2. Weir loading rate, WLR
3. Upward flowrate , Vup

Answer
✓ r=6m
✓ t = 2.44 > 2 h
✓ WLR = 132.6 < 150
✓ Vup = 1.84 m/h (in range of 1.2 – 2.0 m/h acceptable (Table 5.11)
THANK YOU