Mathematics and Computers in Biology, Business and Acoustics

Modeling and simulation of the settling process

IOANA CORINA MOGA The Hydraulics, Hydraulic Machines and Environmental Engineering Department Universitatea POLITEHNICA din Bucureti Splaiul Independenei nr. 313, sector 6, ROMNIA corinamoga@yahoo.com, http://www.pub.ro BOGDAN DUMITRU NSRMB-GRECESCU The Hydraulics, Hydraulic Machines and Environmental Engineering Department Universitatea POLITEHNICA din Bucureti Splaiul Independenei nr. 313, sector 6, ROMNIA bogdan.nasa@gmail.com, http://www.pub.ro AURELIA CLIN Universitatea POLITEHNICA din Bucureti Splaiul Independenei nr. 313, sector 6, ROMNIA calin_aurelia@yahoo.com, http://www.pub.ro
Abstract: - Mathematical modeling and numerical simulation is increasingly important in the design of different installations and equipments. Using these methods, the investors will save both funds and time. Besides engineering calculations, numerical simulations represent an important and absolutely necessary activity. In the present study, has been reached the optimum shape for the lamellar settling. The lamellar settling has an increased efficiency and the quality parameters of the water discharged from the station accomplish the NTPA regulations. Key-Words: - wastewater; wastewater treatment; lamellar settler; mathematical modeling; numerical simulation

1 Introduction
The primary settling proposes to separate the suspended solid particles from effluents, after the trimming, coagulation and flocculation processes. During this treatment stage water clarifying is achieved. The clarifying process takes place in settlers, the construction and the operation regime of the settler is choused depending on the quantity and characteristics of the treated waters. Conventional clarification equipment requires a much larger surface footprint in order to match the solids removal capacity of a lamella clarifier. This is accomplished because the effective gravity settling area of the inclined plate design is proportional to the total surface area of the inclined plate rack. Loading rates normally used for the design of conventional settlers can be applied to the sizing of a lamella clarifier/settler by substituting projected area for the surface settling area of a conventional clarifier.

The compact design essentially eliminates any hydraulic disturbances caused by wind or temperature changes that may be problematic with conventional clarifiers located outdoors. Balanced flow distribution ensures equal flow to each plate and across the plate surface area, preventing shortcircuiting. Units and plate packs arrive at the job site factory assembled which reduces installation time and lowers installed costs. Minimal moving parts means low maintenance costs. Advantages of using a lamellar settler in a wastewater treatment plant are: Continuous operation; Due to its small volume no need to allocate large storage when emptying; No drive nor mechanical parts; Filling and emptying time is short; Small floor area footprint; Modular design for future expansions. Disadvantages are: No buffer volume for flow fluctuations which may cause resuspension of solids; Many surfaces for accumulation of scale and deposits; No storage capacity for the settled sludge.

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Mathematics and Computers in Biology, Business and Acoustics

2 Elaboration of the mathematical model

For the development of the mathematical model the general dispersion equation is considered [4]:

sludge, the system is slanted at an angle to the horizontal plane. The terminal settling velocity of sludge particles is [2, 3]:

ws =

Q n A cos

(3)

C + uC + vC + wC = t x y z

( )

( )

( )

where A is the elementary load surface in each element; n the number of elements. (1)

C C C x + y + z + x x y y z z

2C 2C 2C + Dm x 2 + y 2 + z 2

+ S (x , y , z, t )

where x, y, z are the dispersion coefficients after the longitudinal, transversal direction and respectively on the vertical direction of the fluid flow, the averaged dimensions are considered. A complete solution of this equation for the general case, for which the motion and continuity equations must be attached, is impossible to be obtained due to the dependency of the dispersion coefficients on the flow regime, nature, shape and dimensions of the dispersed particles, as well as on the physical properties of the environments. For this reason simplified models are used. In order to simplify the general equation (1) the cartesian orthogonal bidimensional system Oxy is considered for which the dispersion equation can be written as:

Fig.1. Diagram of a lamellar tank [3] The raw water enters the lamellar tank with n elements (plates making an angle to the horizontal) and fills n+1 individual compartment or elements. For settling tanks fitted with plates with counter-current stream, the axial velocity component of the liquid is v = q/sBsin, the vertical component is vy = v sin = Q/Bs, and the horizontal component is vx = vcos = q /sB tg. The vertical component of the settling velocity is vsy = vy w = q/sB w. A particle entering the inter-plate system at point A will cover the vertical distance over a time period t1, and the horizontal distance over a time t2. So, it can be written [2]: t2 t1;

C ( (v C ) = u C )+ + t x y C C x y y + x x y

(2)

where the dimensions are averaged upon a characteristic time scale.

3 Designing of the lamellar settling

This type of settling was chosen because it has been proved that, in conventional tanks, small depths lead to increased separation efficiency. For this reason, solutions have been adopted for the development of lamellar settling tanks using counter-current, one way and cross-current flows. The operation of lamellar tanks is based on dividing the inflow flow rate in superposed layers, each of h/n depth, where h is the depth of the conventional tank (see figure no. 1). The position of the lamella fascicle (tubes or parallel plates) generates a great number of independent separation phases in the settling zone. In order to facilitate the removal of the settled

The condition of settling in a lamellar tank is formulated by: s q (5) w cos L BL with the + sign for the ascending flux and the sign for the descending one. Since S/L is practically a negligible value with respect to the cos values, the inequality can be simplified to: q (6) w cos BL

s + L cos vx s + L cos q cos sB sin

L sin ; v sy L sin q w sB

(4)

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Mathematics and Computers in Biology, Business and Acoustics

3 Numerical simulations of the settling process

The image of the settler is built using the cartesian coordinates system. The boundary condition imposed for the outer line of the tank is used to express that between the aqueous environment and the walls of the bioreactor does not exist any exchange. It is a Neumann type boundary condition expresses through the value of the normal derivative

number of the settling lamellas and resulted a total length of the settler equal to 3 m.

dC = 0 . Follow-up the dn

results of the numerical simulation gotten from running the script written in FlexPDE are presented. Were studied various types of lamellar settlers (having different dimensions, configurations and lengths of the settling lamellas). The first case considers a settler with a 2 meters length, useful height 2,6 m and the width 3 m. The inflow is considered to have a suspended solids concentration of 300 mg/l.

Fig.3. Lamellar settler case 2. Section of a lamellar settling

Fig.2. Lamellar settler case 1. Section of a lamellar settling The hydraulic ram/ draw off from the settler takes place at the upper part, the upper right corner of the images. It can be noticed that the lamellar settler provides a high efficiency of the settling process, the output suspended solids loading of the treated effluent is about 30 mg/l. The next step was to modify the length of the settling lamellas, and the obtained results are presented below. In comparison with the case previously studied, an improvement of the settlers efficiency can be noticed; accordingly to the studies of other researchers the increase of the settling lamellas leads to a higher efficiency. For the third scenario various lengths of the settling lamellas were considered. As it can be noticed (fig.4), the lamellar settler is well dimensioned. As it follows, was increased the

Fig.4. Lamellar settler case 3. Section of a lamellar settling

Fig.5. Lamellar settler case 4. Section of a lamellar settling

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Mathematics and Computers in Biology, Business and Acoustics

As it can be noticed the efficiency of the settler significantly increased compared to the previously studied cases. For the fifth configuration of the lamellar settler the settling lamella pack was modified, and the obtained results are presented in figure 5.

In the present study, has been reached the optimum shape and number of plates for the lamellar settling tank. Compact wastewater treatment plant was built, and experimental researches made on it have demonstrated its functionality. The lamellar settling has an increased efficiency and the quality parameters of the water discharged accomplish the NTPA regulations.

5 Acknowledgments
The present work has been supported from the Grant 187/30.06.2010, ID/SMIS 437/11788, acronym APIFLOT, funded through the Operational Programme "Increasing Economic Competitiveness" (POS CCE), Priority 2: Competitiveness through Research, Technological Development and Innovation, Operation: 2.1.1. Joint R & D partnerships between universities / research institutes and enterprises.

Fig.6.Lamellar settler case 5. Section of a

lamellar settling

4 Conclusions
From the data previously presented can be observed that the treated effluent corresponds to the NTPA stipulations regarding the suspended solids content. Through this method, of mathematical modelling and numerical simulations was highlighted the increased efficiency of the lamellar settler. For this reason the use of such a settler is recommended. The performed studies show that the lamellar settler presents various advantages compared to other settling systems and it can be successfully used within wastewater treatment processes that include a flotation stage. This way it can be designed a wastewater treatment system with high performances, which can be used for the treatment of highly loaded wastewaters Mathematical modeling and numerical simulation is increasingly important in the design of different installations and equipments. Using these methods, the investors will save both funds and time. Besides engineering calculations, numerical simulations represent an important and absolutely necessary activity.

References: [1] Fair G.M., Geyer, J.C., Elements of water supply and wastewater disposal, Ed. John Wiley, New York, 1968. [2] Kafarov V., Fundamentals of mass transfer. Ed. Mir, Moscova, 1977. [3] Robescu D., Lanyi S., Robescu Diana, et

all, Wastewater treatment technologies, installations and equipments, Editura Tehnic, Bucharest, 2001.
[4] Robescu L.D., Modelarea proceselor biologice de epurare a apelor uzate, Editura Politehnica Press, 2009. [5] Vldu V., Popa Lucreia, Biri S., Bungescu S., Danciu A., Contributions to modeling the threshing and separating process within a threshing apparatus with axial flow, U.P.B. Sci. Bull., Series D, Vol. 71, 2009.

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