“GRIT  HAPPENS:  KNOW  HOW  TO  DEAL  

WITH  IT”    
 
A  CASE  STUDY  ON  SELECTION  OF  GRIT  REMOVAL  
SYSTEMS  FOR  WWTPs  
 
 

Murali  Erat,  P.E.  

 

November  18,  2014  

 
Outline  
§  What  is  Grit?    
§  Characteristics  of  Grit  
§  Grit  Removal  Technologies  
§  Case  Study:  
§  Grit  Removal  System  Evaluation  for  City  of  
Houston’s  Sims  Bayou  South  WWTP  
§  Conclusion  
§  Key  Factors  for  Design  
 What  is  Grit?  
EPA’s  Wastewater  Technology  Fact  Sheet  deFines  
grit  as:    
–  Particles  >  210-­‐micron  (.0084  in  or  65  mesh)      
–  SpeciFic  gravity  >  2.65  

 
 Grit  Characteristics  
SpeciFic  Gravity  (SG)                      Settling  Velocity                      
Specific    Gravity  of  Various  Materials  in  WW  
Quartz  Sand   1.20   Sand,  wet   1.92  
Limestone   1.55   Gravel   2.00  
Granite   1.65   Asphalt   2.20  
Clay   1.80   Concrete   2.40  
Red  Brick   1.90   Grit   2.65  

ParNcle  Size     Aggregate  Class   Time    Required  to   Time  Required  to  
(microns)   SeTle  1’   seTle  1’  
SG  =  2.65   SG  =  1.35  
 
100   Fine  Sand   38  Seconds   2  min.  48  sec.  
 Grit  Characteristics  
•  Modeling  “Grit”  as  “Sand”  (Se6ling  Characteris:cs):  

CLEAN   Same Size

Particles GRIT   Sand
SAND  
Particle
With
Grit Same
Clean Particle Settling
Sand Settling Velocity
Particle Velocity Sand Equivalent Size (SES)
Settling (Slow)
Velocity
(Fast)
Design  Criteria  
Target  grit  cut  point:  150-­‐105μ  
SpeciHic  gravity:  1.2-­‐2.7    
Types  of  Grit  Removal  System  
Aerated  Grit  Chambers                      
Mechanical  Vortex  

Gravity  Vortex  
(HeadCellTM)  
Gravity  Vortex  (HeadCellTM)  
Screened
Influent

Degritted
Effluent

Grit to dewatering
Case  Study  –  Sims  Bayou  South  WWTP    
                                                           (City  of  Houston)  

Sims  Bayou  
South  WWTP  
Sims  Bayou  South  WWTP  

InHluent  
Lift  Station   Chlorine  
Contact  Basins  

Headworks  

Aeration   ClariHiers  
Basins  
Sims  Bayou  South  WWTP  

§  Plant  built  in  1987  

§  Current  Permit:  

§  Annual  Average  Daily  Flow  (AADF)    –  36  MGD  

§  2-­‐hour  Peak  Flow  –  90  MGD  

§  Future  Ultimate  2-­‐hour  Peak  Flow  –  190  MGD  

§  Actual  Flow  Conditions:  

§  Current  average  Flow  –  16  MGD  

§  Max.  peak  Flows  during  wet  weather  -­‐  160  MGD  
 
Existing  Aerated  Grit  Chambers  

Total  Capacity  of  

Aerated  Grit  Chambers  
-­‐  190  MGD  

48’  

30’  

Out  of  Service  for  ~  10  years  

Existing  Aerated  Grit  Chambers  
Air  Li]  Pumps  
Existing  Grit  Dewatering  System:  Vibra-­‐Screens  
Existing  Aerated  Grit  Chambers  DeHiciencies  
§  Vibra-­‐Screen  dewatering  system  failed  –  was  hard  to  
operate  and  maintain  
§  Air  lift  pumps  failed  to  remove  settled  grit  
§  Air  lift  pumps  were  manually  operated  
§  Existing  Basin  Geometry:  
§  Width  to  Depth  ratio  –  2:1  (Recommended  0.8-­‐0.9:1)  
§  Length  to  Width  –  1.6:1  (Recommended  3-­‐8:1)  
§  Floor  slope  –  22  deg  (Recommended  30  deg)  

 
 
Grit  Removal  System  Options  

Refurbish  Exis:ng  Aerated  Grit  

1   Chambers  

Retrofit  with  Mechanical  

2   Vortex  System  

3   Retrofit  with  HeadCellTM  

 Refurbish  Exis:ng  Aerated  
1   Grit  Chambers  

Replace  air  lift   Replace  vibra-­‐screen  

pumps  with  self-­‐ unit  with  traditional  
priming  grit  pumps   grit  washer/classiHier  
 Retrofit  with  Mechanical  Vortex  
2   System  

Entrance  
Channel:  39’  

100   100  
MGD   MGD  
3   Retrofit  with  HeadCellTM  

31.7   31.7   31.7  

MGD   MGD   MGD  

Three  (3)  12’  dia  

tray  units,  Capacity  
per  basin  –  95  MGD  

18  
 Retrofit  Exis:ng  Aerated  Grit  
3   Chambers  with  HeadCellTM  

Add  partition  
Relocate  efHluent   walls  
troughs  

BafHle   31.7   31.7   31.7  

Wall  
MGD   MGD   MGD  

EfHluent  
Trough  

Existing  Aerated  
Three  (3)  12’  dia   Grit  Chamber   Add  isolation  
tray  units,  Capacity  
gates  
per  basin  –  95  MGD  
Option  3:  RetroHit  with  HeadCellTM  

HeadCell  

Grit  Pump  
 Option  3:  RetroHit  with  HeadCellTM  

Grit  Washing/ Grit  Washing/

Dewatering  Station  #1   Dewatering  Station  #2  
Basin  #1   Basin  #2  
Grit  Removal  EfHiciency  

85%  
HeadCell/ 50%  
Vortex   Aerated  Grit  
  Chambers  
 Grit  Removal  System  Options  -­‐  Cost  

Capital   Annual   Life  Cycle  

O&M   Cost    
(25  years)  

Refurbish  Existing  
1   Aerated  Grit  
Chambers  
$1.44  M   $114  K   $12.6  M  

2  
Mechanical  Vortex   $4.5  M   $45  K   $7.5  M  
System  

3  
RetroFit  with   $4.0  M   $64  K   $7.3  M  
HeadCellTM  
 Grit  Removal  System  Options  -­‐  Cost  

More  frequent  
Increase  in  
$$$   cleaning  of  
Blower  HP   $$$  
aeration  basins  

Damage  to   NO  GRIT  

REMOVAL   Wear  &  tear  of  
$$   diffusers  during  
sludge  piping   $  
grit  cleanout  

Wear  &  tear  of  

mechanical  
equip.  

$$  
 Grit  Removal  System  Options  -­‐  Cost  
Capital   Annual   Life  Cycle  
O&M   Cost    
(25  years)  

0   Status  Quo  –  No  Grit  

Removal   $211  K   $90  K   $12.4  M  

Refurbish  Existing  
1   Aerated  Grit  
Chambers  
$1.44  M   $114  K   $12.6  M  

2  
Mechanical  Vortex   $4.5  M   $45  K   $7.5  M  
System  

3  
RetroFit  with   $4.0  M   $64  K   $7.3  M  
HeadCellTM  
 Option  3:   Option  2:  
HeadCell     Mechanical  Vortex  

•  Easily  retroFitted  in   •  Not  a  sole-­‐sourced  

existing  grit  basins   technology  
•  Flexible  operation   •  EfFicient  in  removing  Fine  
•  No  mechanical  parts   grit  
within  the  basin  
•  Very  efFicient  in  removing  
Fine  grit  
•  Pilot  HeadCell  system  for  
use  at  other  plants  

•  Cannot  be  retroFitted  

•  SOLE  SOURCED!!   into  existing  grit  basins  
•  Larger  footprint  
•  No  turn  down  
Grit  Removal  Options  -­‐  Recommendation  

Retrofit  Exis:ng  Aerated  Grit  

3   Chambers  with  HeadCellTM  

Includes:  
•  Six  (6)  HeadCell  Units  
•  Six  (6)  Tea-­‐Cup  girt  washes  and  four  (4)  Grit  Snail  grit  
dewatering  equipment  
•  Grit  pumps  
•  Structural  repair  to  grit  basins  
•  New  isolation  gates  
•  Contingency  and  overhead  factors  

Capital  Cost   Annual  O&M   Life  Cycle  Cost  

(25  years)  
$4.0  M   $64  k   $7.3  M  
Grit  Removal  System  Design  –  Key  Points  

Aerated  grit  chambers  

70%   Grit   Mechanical  Vortex  
Separa:on   Gravity  Vortex  -­‐HeadCell  

Cyclone  Type  (Tea-­‐Cup),  

Conical  Type  (Pista   Grit  Washing   80%  
Turbo,  Huber  etc.)    

90%   Grit   Inclined  Screw  Type  (Pista  

Turbo)    
Dewatering   Escalator  Type  (Grit-­‐Snail)  

Overall  EfHiciency  =50%  

Grit  Removal  System  Design  –  Key  Points  
•  Know  your  grit!  
•  Fine  grit?  There  are  treatment  options!  

•  Keep  grit  dewatering  system  close  

•  Grit  Slurry  Pipe  

ü  Velocity  4-­‐7  ft/sec  

ü  Avoid  90  deg  bends  
ü  Provide  cleanouts  
GRIT  HAPPENS  

DEAL  WITH  IT  

 Questions  

Murali  Erat,  P.E.  

mue@freese.com  
832-­‐456-­‐4709