Ch:6 Physical Unit Operations

 The operations used for the treatment of

wastewater in which change is brought
about by means of or through the
application of physical forces are known
as “Unit Operations”.
 Physical Unit operations form the basis of
most process flow sheets.
Most commonly used Unit
operations in W.W. Treatment:
 Screening
 Coarse Solid reduction:
◦ Comminution, Maceration, Screenings grinding
 Flow equalization
 Mixing
 Flocculation
 Grit removal
 Sedimentation
 High rate clarification
Most commonly used Unit
operations in W.W. Treatment:
 Accelerated gravity separation
 Floatation
 Filtration
 Volatilization and stripping of volatile
organic compounds.
 Application of Physical unit
operations in w.w. treatment:
Operations Application
Screening Removal of coarse and settleable
solids by interception (surface
straining)
Comminution Grinding of coarse solids to reduce
uniform size.
Flow equalization Equalization of flow and mass
loadings of BOD and suspended solids
Mixing Mixing of gases and chemicals with
wastewater and maintaining solids in
suspension
Flocculation Promotes the aggregation of small
particles into larger particles to
enhance their removal by gravity
sedimentation
Application of Physical unit
operations in w.w. treatment:
Operation Application
Sedimentation Removal of settleable solids and
thickening of sludges
Floatation Removal of finely divided suspended
solids and particles with densities
close to that of water.
Filtration Removal of fine residual suspended
solids remaining after biological or
chemical treatment
Microscreening Removal of fine residual suspended
solids remaining after biological or
chemical treatment
Removal of algae from stabilization
ponds effluents.
Aeration Addition of oxygen to biological
process
:SCREENING:
Screening: Introduction
 The first unit operation.
 What is a screen ?
◦ It is a device with openings, generally of
uniform size.
◦ The opening may be of any shape but
generally are circular or rectangular slots.
Screening: Introduction
 What is Screenings ?
◦ The material retained from the manual or
mechanical cleaning of bar racks and screens
is referred to as “screenings”.
◦ Solids like sticks, rags, boards and other large
objects are removed by screenings.
Purposes of screening:
 Used to remove floating materials and coarse
solids from waste water.
 To prevent damage to mechanical equipment
such as pumps & aerators.
 To prevent blockage of pipes.
Classification of screens:

Screen Type Size of clear opening

Coarse screens 6 to 150 mm

Micro Screen < 0.5μm

Fine Screen < 6 mm

Design Considerations:
 Design of screening includes:
◦ Location
◦ Approach velocity
◦ Clear openings between bars
◦ Head loss through screen
◦ Screening handling, processing and disposal
◦ Control
 The head loss through the screens mainly
depends on :
◦ Size and amount of solids in waste water
◦ Clear openings between the bars
◦ Methods of cleaning and its frequency
◦ Velocity of flow through the screens
Head loss through Coarse screen::
Head loss through Coarse screen::
 Hydraulic losses through bar racks are a
function of bar shape and the velocity
head of the flow between the bars.
 Kirschmer Formula:

hL = ß (w/b) 4/3 hv sinΦ

 ◦ Where hL = head loss (m)
ß = A bar-shape factor
w = maximum cross-sectional width
of bars facing direction of flow (m)
b = minimum clear spacing of
bars (m)
hv = velocity head of flow
approaching rack (m)
Φ= angle of rack with horizontal
The Kirschmer’s value ß are different.
Head loss through Fine Screens:
 It can be calculated by means of the
common orifice formula:

hL = 1/2g * (Q/CA) 2
◦ Where hL = head loss (m)
C = Coefficient of discharge
A = Effective submerged open area
g = gravitational acceleration
Coarse Solid Reduction:
 It can be done using
◦ Comminutors
◦ Macerators
◦ Grinders
 Solid reduction is advantageous in a
pumping station to protect the pumps
against clogging by rags and large objects.
 It also eliminates the need to handle and
dispose of screenings.
Purposes of COMMINUTOR:
 Grinding of solids remaining after coarse
screening.
 To improve the down stream operations and
processes from being clogged.
 To eliminate problems caused by the varied
sizes of solids present in W.W.
 Their use reduces odours, flies and
unsightliness.
Macerators:
 Slow speed grinders consists of two sets
of counter rotating assemblies with
blades.
 The assemblies are mounted vertically in
the flow channel.
Grinders:
 High – speed grinders
 Received screen materials are pulverized
by a high speed rotating assembly that
cuts the materials passing through the
units.
:GRIT CHAMBER:
Purposes of Grit Chamber:
 To remove grit.
 ( sand, gravel cinders or other heavy solid
materials)
 Grit also includes eggshells, bone chips,
seeds , coffee grounds, large organic
particles like food waste.
 inert dry solids heavier than water.
 To prevent abrasion and wear of
mechanical equipment
 To prevent deposition of grit in pipelines.
Grit Chambers:
 They are most commonly after the bar screens
and before P.S.T.
 Grit chambers are generally designed as long
channels.
 Types of Grit Chamber:
◦ Horizontal type grit chamber:
 Rectangular horizontal flow type
 Square horizontal flow type
◦ Aerated grit chamber
◦ Vortex grit chamber
Grit Chambers:
Aerated Grit Chamber
:Skimming Tank:
Purposes of Skimming Tank:
 To remove oil ,fat and grease
 To remove small floating materials like fats,
vegetable debris, fruit skins,.
◦ It may appear in the form of unsightly scum on the
surface of the settling tanks or interfere with the
activated sludge process of sewage treatment.
 To protect the biological processes, especially
air diffusers from grease deposits.
◦ The oil and grease adversely affect bacteria and
protozoa life, which is essential in bio-treatment.
 Flow
Equalization
Purposes of Flow Equalization:
 Flow equalization is the damping of flow
rate variations to achieve nearly constant
flow rate. The main purposes are:
◦ To minimize or control fluctuations in
wastewater characteristics and flowrate.
◦ To provide uniform flow and overcome the
operational problems caused by variations of
flow.
◦ To improve the performance of the
downstream processes.
Equalization Basin:
 In-line and off-line flow equalization can
be used to equalize the flow rate.
 For design the principal factors that must
be considered are:
◦ Basic Construction
◦ Mixing and air requirements
◦ Pump and Pump control systems.
In-line flow equalization
 All of the flow passes through the basin.
 The capacity of basin required will be
large.
 The operation cost will increase due to
continuous pumping of waste water from
the basin.
In-line flow equalization
Off-line flow equalization
 The flow above the average daily flow are
is diverted into equalization basin.
 The capacity of basin required will be less
as only excessive flow will be stored in
the tank.
 Damping of flow and load will also be less.
 Pumping cost is minimized.
Off-line flow equalization
Determination of capacity of
Equalization Basin:
 The capacity of an equalization basin is
determined by preparing an inflow mass
diagram.
 Inflow mass Diagram:
◦ It is the plot of cumulative inflow volume of
waste water versus the time of the day.
◦ The average daily flow rate , also plotted on
the same diagram. It is the straight line drawn
from the origin to the end of the point
diagram.
Determination of capacity of
Equalization Basin:
 To determine the required volume, a line
parallel to the coordinate axis , defined by
the average daily flowrate, is drawn to the
mass inflow curve.
 The required volume is then equal to the
vertical distance between from the point
of tangency to the straight line
representing the average flow rate.
Determination of capacity of
Equalization Basin:
 If the inflow mass curve goes above the
line representing the average daily flow
rate , the inflow mass diagram must be
bounded with to lines that are parallel to
the average flow rate and tangent .
 The required volume is then vertical
distance between these two lines.
Determination of capacity of
Equalization Basin:
 Determine the in-line storage volume
required to equalize the flow rate for the
given data:
Time Avg. Flow Time Avg. Flow Time Avg. Flow
Rate (m3/s) Rate (m3/s) Rate (m3/s)
M-1 0.275 8-9 0.355 4-5 0.325

1-2 0.220 9-10 0.410 5-6 0.325

2-3 0.165 10-11 0.425 6-7 0.330

3-4 0.130 11-N 0.430 7-8 0.365

4-5 0.105 N-1 0.425 8-9 0.400

5-6 0.100 1-2 0.405 9-10 0.400

6-7 0.120 2-3 0.385 10-11 0.380

7-8 0.205 3-4 0.350 11-M 0.345