Sedimentation

Mohamed Hasnain Isa

Civil Engineering Department
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS
 Books
 Metcalf and Eddy, ‘Wastewater Engineering – Treatment and Reuse’,
4th Edition, McGraw-Hill International Editions, 2003. (Text book)

 Hammer, M. J., and Hammer, M. J. Jr., ‘Water and Wastewater

Technology’, 6th Edition, Pearson-Prentice Hall, 2005.

 Peavy, H. S., Rowe, D. R. and Tchobanoglous, G., ‘Environmental

Engineering’, McGraw-Hill International Editions, 1985.

 Sawyer, C. N., McCarty, P. L. and Parkin, G. F., ‘Chemistry for

Environmental Engineering and Science’, 5th Edition, McGraw-Hill
International Editions, 2002.

 ‘Environmental Quality Act 1974 and Regulations’, MDC Publishers

Printers Sdn. Bhd., Kuala Lumpur, 2001.

 ‘Guidelines for Developers Vol. III & IV – Sewage Treatment Plants’,

2nd Edition, Ministry of Housing and Local Government, Sewerage
Services Department and Malaysian Water Association, 1998. 2
Learning Outcomes 3,4

 Able to design wastewater treatment processes.

 Able to evaluate and solve complex wastewater treatment

problems.

3
Objectives
 To explain the use of sedimentation tanks for
wastewater treatment.

 To explain different settling regimes.

 To analyse and design sedimentation tanks.

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Sedimentation/Settling
 primary purpose is to produce a clarified effluent

 used for the removal of suspended solids, by gravity

settling, from wastewaters

 may be used for the removal of grit, biological or

chemical flocs, etc.

 also used for

thickening of sludges

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Rate of settling of a particle in water depends on:

 Viscosity of the water

 Density of the water

 Size of the particle

 Shape of the particle

 Specific gravity of the particle

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Analysis of an Ideal Settling Tank
Assumptions for an ideal settling basin:

 Sedimentation takes place as in a quiescent basin

 Flow is steady and there is uniform distribution of

particles throughout the tank cross-section of the
entrance zone

 Once a particle impinges on the sludge zone, it is

permanently removed

 The liquid moves through the basin as ideal plug

flow

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8
 vh
D Inlet vh
v Outlet
zone v0 zone

Sludge zone
L

Consider a particle at the liquid surface,

Distance to settle = D
Time to settle =t
Settling velocity = v0
Horizontal velocity = vh
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For the particle to be removed it needs to reach the
sludge zone before reaching the outlet zone. Thus,
D
t= v
0
Also, L
t=
vh
Hence,
D L
(but Q = D × W × vh)
v0 = v h
Q
v0 = = surface overflow rate (SOR)
As

where As is the top surface area of the settling basin.

Thus the depth of the basin does not govern the size of
particle that will be removed.

SOR is the design factor for sedimentation tanks. 10

Classification of Gravitational Settling
Depending on the concentration and interaction
of particles, sedimentation can be classified into
the following four types:
A. Discrete particle settling/Plain sedimentation
(Type 1)
 Refers to the settling of particles in a
suspension of low suspended solids Fext = Fb + Fd
concentration.
 Particles settle as individual entities and 4 g (s  1)d
V
there is no significant interaction with 3Cd
neighbouring particles.
 Applies to the removal of grit and sand V 
g
 s   d 2
18
particles.
11
 24 3
Cd    0.34
Re Re

4 g ( s  1)d
V
3Cd

Vd
Re 






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Q1. Determine the terminal velocity of a sand particle
settling in water at 20 °C. The particle diameter,
shape factor and specific gravity can be taken as
0.6 mm, 0.8 and 2.6 respectively. Assume the
kinematic viscosity of water as 1 × 10-6 m2/s.

Re = (0.8) V (0.6)/ 1x10-6

= 480V
Cd = 24/480V + 3/sq(480V) + 0.34
V2 x 3Cd = 4 (9.8) (2.6-1) (0.6 x 10-4) = 3.76 x 10-3
3V2 [24/480V + 3/sq(480V) + 0.34] = 3.76 x 10-3
V = 2.36 x 10-3 m/s
quadratic equation?
Q2. A wastewater has particles whose settling velocity
distribution is given below. Determine the removal
efficiency for a sedimentation tank in treating this
wastewater with a critical overflow rate of 36 m3/m2.d.

Settling velocity Number of particles

m/h per litre × 10-5
0.5-1.0 40
1.0-1.5 70
1.5-2.0 100
2.0-2.5 120
2.5-3.0 60
3.0-3.5 30
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B. Flocculent settling (Type 2)
 Refers to a relatively dilute suspension
of particles that coalesce or flocculate
during the sedimentation process.
(a)
 By flocculating, the particles increase
in size, get heavier and thus settle
faster.
 It removes some SS in primary settling
tanks (PSTs) and in upper portions of (b)
secondary settling tanks (SSTs).
 Also removes chemical flocs in settling
tanks.
(c)
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Analysis of flocculent settling (isopercent removal lines)
40% 100%
0
50%
60%
H1
48 70 80 85

H2
38 58 75 81
H3
31 50 62 78
H4
25 46 54 76
H5
19 42 52 65
H6
t1 t2 t3 t4

 hn   Rn  Rn 1 
n
Particle removal is given by, R,%     
h 1  H  2  16
Q3. For the settling data shown, determine the overall
removal of SS at a detention time of 2 h. The
graduations on the x and y axes are at intervals of
1 h and 0.5 m respectively.

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Design criteria for primary sedimentation tanks
Value
Parameter Range Typical
Detention time, h 1.5-2.5 2
Surface overflow rate, m3/m2.d
Average flow 30-50 40
Peak flow 80-120 100
Weir loading, m3/m.d 125-500 250
Dimensions, m
Rectangular
Depth 3-5 4.3
Length 15-90 25-40
Width 3-24 5-10
Sludge scraper speed, m/min 0.6-1.2 0.9
Circular
Depth 3-5 4.3
Diameter 3-60 12-45
Bottom slope, mm/m 60-160 80
Sludge scraper speed, r/min 0.02-0.05 0.03 18
Q4. Design a rectangular primary sedimentation tank
for a wastewater flow of 8 MLD, given that the
permissible surface overflow rate (SOR) and weir
loading rate (WLR) are 30 m3/m2.d and 150 m3/m.d
respectively.

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Inboard Weir

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21
C. Hindered/zone settling (Type 3) p
r

 Refers to a suspension of intermediate

q
concentration (> 500 mg/l) in which
inter-particle forces are sufficient to
hinder the settling of neighbouring
particles. (a)
 The particles tend to remain in fixed
positions relative to each other and the
whole mass of particles settles as a
r
unit. p

 A solid liquid interface develops at the q

top of the settling mass.
 Occurs in SSTs used in conjunction
with biological treatment units. (b)
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D. Compression settling (Type 4) r
p
 Refers to settling in which the particles
are of such concentration that a structure q
is formed, and further settling occurs only
by compression of the structure.
 Compression takes place due to the (a)
weight of particles that are constantly
being added to the structure by
sedimentation from the supernatant
liquid. u
s
 Occurs in the bottom region of deep t
SSTs and in sludge thickeners.

(b)
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 1.2

H0
1.0
Interface height, m

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2
Hu

tu
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time, min 24
 1.2

H0
1.0
Interface height, m

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2
Hu

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time, min 25
 1.2

H0
1.0
Interface height, m

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2
Hu

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time, min 26
 1.2

H0
1.0
Interface height, m

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2
Hu

tu
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time, min 27
 1.2

H0
1.0
Interface height, m

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2
Hu

tu
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time, min 28
Q5. An activated sludge with an initial suspended
solids concentration of 2500 mg/l yielded the
settling curve shown in the figure. The initial
interface height in the settling column was 1.05 m.
Determine the area of SST required to thicken the
sludge to 15000 mg/l if the total flow is 5 MLD.
Also calculate the solids loading and surface
overflow rates.

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 1.2

H0 = 1.05
1.0
Interface height, m

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2
Hu = 0.175

tu = 39
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time, min 30
Gravity Thickener

 resembles a circular sedimentation tank and has vertical

slats or pickets attached to the sludge scraper arm
 as the scraper arm moves slowly the pickets gently stir
the sludge to release trapped water and air from it
 the thickened sludge is withdrawn from the bottom and
the supernatant is recycled to the treatment plant inlet
 can thicken sludge to more than 10 % solids

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 designed based on thickener overflow rate & solids
loading
 high hydraulic loading can cause excessive sludge carry
over whereas low hydraulic loading can cause septic
conditions and odours and result in floating sludge
 provisions should be included for adding up to 24 to 30
m3/m2.d of dilution water (final effluent) to the thickening
tank to maintain aerobic conditions

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Table – Recommended hydraulic overflow rates for
gravity thickeners

Type of sludge Max. overflow rate, m3/m2.d

Primary 15.5-31

Waste activated sludge 4-8

Combined primary and 6-12

waste activated sludge

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Sludge influent Inlet baffle
Slats/pickets
Supernatant
overflow

Scraper blades
Sludge discharge

Figure – Gravity sludge thickener

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 Figure – Gravity sludge
thickener (empty)

Figure – Gravity sludge

thickener (partially filled)

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Thank you

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 َ ‫َو َجعَ ْلنَا ِم َن ْال َماء ُك َّل‬
َ ُ‫ش ْي ٍء َحي ٍ أَفَ ََل يُؤْ ِمن‬
‫ون‬

We (Allah) made from water every living thing. Will they

not then believe?

(Al-Quran, Chapter 21, Verse 30)

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