Sewage Treatment

Grit chamber

Ashish Kumar
C07202
Civil(6 Semester)
th
Classification of Sewage Treatment
processes:
◦ Preliminary Treatment:-includes Screening for removing
floating papers , rags , clothes etc. ; Grit Chambers or Detritus
Tank for removing grit and sand ; and Skimming tanks for
removing oils and greases.
◦ Primary Treatment:- includes sedimentation tanks which are
designed to remove a part of he organic matter from the sewage
effluent coming out from the grit chambers.
◦ Secondary Treatment:- further treatment of effluent coming
from sedimentation tank.filters,aeration tanks,oxidation ponds and
aerated lagoons,anaerobic lagoons,septic tanks,inhoff tanks etc.
are used for biological decomposition of organic matter.
◦ Final or Advanced Treatment:chemical processes
carried out for removing iron,phosphate etc..
Grit: Municipal wastewater is a combination of

 Inorganic solids such as pebbles,sand,silt,egg shells,

glass,metal fragments
 Organic solids such as bone chips,seeds,coffee and tea
grounds,vegetable cuttings,ash clinker,wood pieces etc
These are called Grits.

Grit Chambers
◦ These are placed usually after the fine screens and before the
primary sedimentation tank
◦ Grit chamber removes the inorganic grit of nominal diameter
of 0.15-.20 mm or more.
◦ In general, grit channels are desingned to remove all particles
of higher specific gravity of 2.65 or so, with a nominal dia of .
20 mm or more, having settling velocity of 21mm/s .
Principle of Grit Removal
Area of channel is increased so as to reduce the
velocity so that particles get the required time
to settle down.
Settling Velocity : The settling velocity of a
spherical particle is expressed by stoke’s law
which takes into account the velocity of
flow,viscosity of water, size , shape and specific
gravity of the particle. ( Drag force=Effective
Weight of particle)
Gritchannels can be divided into two
types:
 Horizontal flow type( non aerated): the flow passes through
the channel in a horizontal direction. The chamber(or
channel) is designed to give a horizontal straight line flow
velocity, which is kept constant over varying discharge.
 Aerated type : consists of a spiral flow aeration tank ,
where the spiral velocity is controlled by the
dimensions/shape of the chamber and the quantity of the
air supplied to the unit.
Constant Velocity Horizontal flow Grit
channels
Such a grit channel is an enlarged channel or a long basin in
which the cross-section is increased, so as to reduce the flow
velocity of sewage to such an extent that heavy inorganic
materials do settle down by gravity.
provision of chambers: 1]multiple units: Additional chambers
are used for taking increased discharge at peak hours.Generally
2-3 separate chambers are provided. Also helps in manual
cleaning.
2]Single unit: Velocity control
sections are used.
Proportional flow weir or a sutro weir
It is provided at the effluent end of the rectangular
channel, which helps in varying the flow area of the
section in direct proportion to the flow, and thus, helps
to maintain a constant velocity in the channel.
A channel with a varying cross-section
geometry is an alternative to providing a
modified wier.
Design
Q- A rectangular grit chamber is designed to remove particles with a dia of 0.2 mm,
specific gravity 2.65. Settling velocity for these particles has been found to range from 0.016-
0.022 m/sec, depending upon their shape factor. A flow through velocity of 0.3 m/sec will be
maintained by proportioning weir. Determine the channel dimensions for a maximum
wastewater flow of 10,000 cum/day.
Solution:
Horizontal velocity flow=V(h)= 0.3m/sec
Discharge=Q=10,000 cum/day=0.116 cumecs

Area of cross section = Q/V(h)= 0.385 meter square

Assuming a water depth(H) of 1 m above the crest of the weir , which is kept at 0.3 m above the
tank bottom, we have the width(B) of the basin as
1xB=0.385 => B= 0.385 m ; say 0.4 m

Overall depth of grit chamber(D)= Water depth above the crest of weir+0.3m+free board of
0.45 m = 1.75 m
Settling Velocity is b/w 0.016 to 0.022 m/sec, and hence let it be 0.020 m/sec.
Now, settling velocity=V(s)=0.020 m/sec
=> Detention time= Water depth in the basin/settling velocity
= 1/.02=50 seconds
Length of Tank= Horizontal flow x detention time=0.3x50=15 m
Length of the tank is increased by 10-30% to account for non idealities in the flow and settling of
particles.

Hence, use a rectangular tank, with dimensions:

Length=20 m
Width(B)=0.4m
Depth(D)=1.75m
Design of proportional weir is to be done using the equation
x= 2.B.V(h)/C(d).sqr root of 2g. Pi.sqr root of y
where B=width of channel ….C(d) is coefficient of discharge=0.62….x and y are co-ordinates on weir
profile as shown in fig.
take y=a=recommended value=0.025m for domestic wastewater
putting a in equation we get b= 1.467. B. V(h)