TECNHICAL EVALUATION OF THE EFFICIENCY OF A SETTLING TANK

Summary
This report presents the technical evaluation of the design of a settling tank, which will be installed to improve the efficiency of a water treatment plant in a particular town. In order to have real and useful results, there was conducted a settling column test on a water sample taken from the future water inlet. The study took into account two types of sedimentation, Type 1: Discrete Particle Settling and Type 2: Flocculent settling. It is concluded that the area of sedimentation meets satisfactorily the design requirements.

Content
1 2 3 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Settling Column Test .......................................................................................................................... 1 Data Obtained .................................................................................................................................... 3 3.1 4 TSS Concentration ...................................................................................................................... 3

Data Analysis...................................................................................................................................... 3 4.1 Type I: Discrete Particle Settling................................................................................................. 4 Conclusion Type I ................................................................................................................ 7

4.1.1 4.2

Type II: Flocculent Settling ......................................................................................................... 7 Conclusion Type II ............................................................................................................... 9

4.2.1 5

General Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 9

1 Introduction
A town needs to install a conventional horizontal flow settling tank in order to improve the efficiency of water treatment plant. Preliminary design of the tank is rectangular in shape with a depth of 1.5 m, the surface area for the sedimentation tank will be 200 m2. The flowrate in the plant is 10 MLD and its effluent should have less than 45 mg/L of TSS. In evaluating this design, the following criteria were considered: if particles settle individually or there are interactions between them.

2 Settling Column Test

The test involves mixing sediments and site water to simulate a mixture of water and solids as they would be in the settler, placing the material in a settling column, and observing each of the types of settling behavior. The settling test consists of measuring the concentration of suspended solids at various depths and time interval in a settling column. In order to have reliable results, there were conducted two settling column tests in parallel. In this way the information can be contrasted. The columns were filled with sample water and the TSS samples collected at: 0, 3, 6, 12, 20, 35, 50 minutes from every of the five ports. Once the samples were taken, they were filtered individually and the TSS values calculated.

Figure No. 1 Pumping sample water.

Figure No. 2 Filling the column.

Figure No. 3 Column totally filled before the test.

Figure No. 4 Particles settling during the test.

Figure No. 5 Particles Settled.

Figure No. 6 TSSs Measurement.

3 Data Obtained
3.1 TSS Concentration
Column A (Concentration (mg/L) Time of Sampling (min) 0 3 6 12 20 220 173 168 94 72 235 187 182 163 101 245 197 187 180 161 249 204 192 182 170 250 221 216 180 175

Port 1 2 3 4 5

Depth (cm) 44 74 104 134 164

35 36 53 91 108 132

50 5 14 26 41 62

Chart No.1 TSS Concentration Column A

Column B (Concentration (mg/L) Time of Sampling (min) 0 3 6 12 20 225 165 164 96 75 231 190 183 162 95 249 190 189 175 155 235 215 195 182 167 244 230 210 195 173

Port 1 2 3 4 5

Depth (cm) 44 74 104 134 164

35 38 60 88 107 125

50 8 8 35 50 70

Chart No.2 TSS Concentration Column B

Average Column A and Column B (Concentration (mg/L) Depth (cm) Time of Sampling (min) 0 3 6 12 20 153 223 169 166 95 74 123 233 189 183 163 98 93 247 193 188 178 158 63 242 210 194 182 169 33 247 225 213 188 174

Port 1 2 3 4 5

35 37 56 90 108 129

50 6 11 31 45 66

Chart No.3 TSS Average Concentration Column A and B

4 Data Analysis
Sedimentation is the process by which particles heavier than the water, which are in suspension, are removed by the action of the law of gravity a vertical imprinting uniformly accelerated motion characterized by the sedimentation velocity.

4.1 Type I: Discrete Particle Settling

In this type of settling, particles settle separately as a single body. The main characteristic of this type s that settling velocity (VO) is constant along the basin.

VO

Q , where: As

VO = overflow velocity (m3/m2d) Q = flow rate (m3/d) As = surface area of settling zone (m2)

m3 10000 d 50 m VO d 200m 2 m VO 3.47 x10 2 min

Then, mass fraction remaining and the settling velocity should be calculated at every time port by port. Mass fraction remaining = ; where CO= Concentration at time =0 . Ci= Concentration at time = ti.

where

Vt = Settling velocity (m/min) Zo = distance travelled by particles (m) t = time taken

For this report has been considered the average values of concentration between column A and B. Following are shown an example how to calculate the mass fraction remaining and the settling velocity respectively for port 2 at t = 20 min: Port 2 CO= 233 mg/L Ci= 98 mg/L

ZO = 0.74 m and t = 20 min

3 Port 1 Removal Fraction Remaining Vt x 10-2 (m/min) Removal Fraction Remaining Vt x 10-2 (m/min) Removal Fraction Remaining Vt x 10-2 (m/min) Removal Fraction Remaining Vt x 10-2 (m/min) Removal Fraction Remaining Vt x 10-2 (m/min) 0.76 14.67 0.81 24.67 0.78 34.67 0.87 44.67 0.91 54.67

6 0.75 7.33 0.78 12.33 0.76 17.33 0.80 22.33 0.86 27.33

12

Time (min.) 20 0.33 2.20 0.42 3.70 0.64 5.20 0.70 6.70 0.70 8.20

35 0.17 1.26 0.24 2.11 0.36 2.97 0.44 3.83 0.52 4.69

50 0.03 0.88 0.05 1.48 0.12 2.08 0.19 2.68 0.27 3.28

0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

0.43 3.67 0.70 6.17 0.72 8.67 0.75 11.17 0.76 13.67

Port 2

Port 3

Port 4

Port 5

Chart No.4 Mass fraction remaining and settling velocity - Average Column A and B

The mass fractions remaining versus settling velocity have to be plotted as is shown in the Figure No. 1 below corresponding to port 2. The figures of the remaining ports are attached in Annex 1:
0.90 0.80
0.78 0.81 0.70

Concentration (mg.L-1)

0.70 0.60 0.50 0.40 0.30 0.20 0.10 0.00 0

0.05 0.00

ro=0.40
0.24

0.42

to= 3.47

10

15

20

25

30

Vt x 10-2 (m/min) Figure 1: Removal Fraction vs. Settling Velocity - Port 2

In the figure is also included VO which describes the required settling velocity to reach the bottom of the tank. The particles whit a lower settling velocity, will be 100% removed, but there are some with Vt>Vo that should be taken into consideration as well. To calculate the removal efficiency we have the following expression: ( ) ( )

Where:

ro = fraction of particles removed with Vs Vo.

In port 2, ro is 0.40 and numerically integrating the area above the curve, we have:
Element Port 2 1 2 3 4 5 r 0.05 0.19 0.19 0.16 0.16 Vt x 10 1.48 1.48 0.63 2.11 1.36 Total:
2

r . Vt x 10 0.04 0.29 0.06 0.34 0.11 0.84

Chart No.5 Numerical Integration Area above the curve Port 2. Then: ( )

In the following chart are shown the overall removal efficiency for each port:
Port 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 Overall Removal Efficiency 0.81 0.84 0.84 0.87 0.86

Chart No.6 Overall Removal Efficiency Type I.

4.1.1 Conclusion Type I As earlier was mentioned, the settling velocity and hence the overall removal efficiency should be the same along the column in the event that the particles have a discrete sedimentation. We can conclude that the behavior of this water sample corresponds to a sedimentation Type I. Although, the value of port one shows a small discrepancy from the rest. It could have been affected due to the water sample was not mixed homogeneously while the tank was filled, therefore it can be obviated. So, as the overall removal efficiency we have the average of the remaining values (R=0.85=85.25%). The initial concentration is 238.3 mg/L and:
Overall Removal Efficiency 0.85 Concentration Removed (mg.L ) Concentration Remaining(mg.L ) 202.89 35.41
-1 -1

The concentration remaining is lower than the effluent concentration (35.41mg/L<45mg/L), the area of the settler satisfactorily meets the design requirements.

4.2 Type II: Flocculent Settling

In this type of settling, at the beginning particles settle as a single body but along its path the particles stick to each other due to the differences in settling velocities. As the particles come together, the floccule gains mass and the settling velocity increases. With the following method we can obtain the value of overall removal efficieny and contrast to the results obtained in the sedimentation Type I.

The initial concentration is 238.3 mg/L. and the Normalized Concentrations Percent are:
Normalized Concentrations - Percent Depth (cm) Time of Sampling (min) 3 6 12 20 44 29 30 60 69 74 21 23 32 59 104 19 21 26 34 134 12 19 24 29 164 5 11 21 27

Port 1 2 3 4 5

35 84 76 62 55 46

50 97 95 87 81 72

Chart No.7 Normalized Concentrations - Percent

It is necessary calculate the value of detention time, which is the time necessary for sedimenting the particle.

tO

V , where: Q

tO = detention time (min) Q = flow rate (m3/min) V = tank volume (m3)

300 m 3 . 1000 m 3 / d tO 43.2 min tO

It is plotted a diagram showing isoconcentration lines related to concentration percentages. In addition is located a vertical line at t0=43.2 min and show R intercept = 60.21 %. In order to measure the overall removal, the following expression should be applied:

R Rint ercept

1 H

Z .R
i

From Figure No. 2, integrating gives the following:

Element r1 r2 r3 r4

R 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.10

Zi 1.39 1.18 0.72 0.26 Total:

R*Zi 0.14 0.12 0.07 0.03 0.35

R Rint ercept R 0.60 R 0.84

1 H

Z .R
i

1 (0.35) 1.5

4.2.1 Conclusion Type II The overall removal efficiency is 84%, very closed that was obtained in Type I method. The initial concentration is 238.3 mg/L and:
-1 -1

Overall Removal Efficiency 0.84

Concentration Removed (mg.L ) 199.46

Concentration Remaining(mg.L ) 38.84

The concentration remaining is lower than the effluent concentration (38.84mg/L<45mg/L), the area of the settler meets satisfactorily the design requirements.

5 General Conclusion
The conventional horizontal flow settling tank can be installed with confidence that it will improve the efficiency of water treatment plant. The surface area for the sedimentation (200 m2) meets satisfactorily the requirements of effluent (45 mg/L of TSS) providing a safety factor for future expansion or change in water quality.