Constanta Maritime University Annals Year XVII, Vol.

26

DESIGN OF A PRIMARY CLARIFIER FOR SEDIMENTATION PROCESS IN A

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

PARASCHIV LIZICA-SIMONA

“Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, Romania

ABSTRACT

In this paper an analytical study has performed to determined variation of the terminal settling velocities, of the
spherical particles in water. Settling of particles has governed by density of fluid, size, shape and density of particles.
For a spherical particle settling in a Newtonian fluid in the laminar flow regime, the settling velocity is given by Stokes
equation.

Keywords: sedimentation, particle settling, settling velocity, wastewater.

1. INTRODUCTION terminal settling velocity of a single discrete particle has

derived from the forces (gravitational force, buoyant
Untreated wastewater contain materials which will force and drag force) that act on the particle. The
either float to the water surface or settle to the bottom of classical discrete particle settling theories have based on
clarifier when the wastewater velocity has reduced to spherical particles. The equation has expressed as:
become very slow. In most municipal wastewater
4 g   p   T   D
treatment plants, the treatment unit which follows the
grit channel is the sedimentation and flotation unit. This u , (1)
unit has called a settling tank, sedimentation tank, 3CD 
clarifier or the most common name is primary clarifier.
Clarifiers are settling tanks used for continuous where:
removal of solids particulates or suspended solids from u - settling velocity of particles, [m/s];
liquid by sedimentation. g - gravitational acceleration, [m/s2];
The inlet flow velocity of wastewater introduced  p - density of particles, [kg/m3];
into clarifier has reduced to maximize the hydraulic
retention time inside the clarifier and to avoid excessive  - density of water, [kg/m3];
turbulence which will lead to a better sedimentation. D - diameter of particles, [m];
Another important issue is the entering distribution CD - coefficient of drag.
of water into the decanter, which has distributed evenly
across the entire section of the sedimentation area inside The values of drag coefficient depend on water
the clarifier to further reduce mixing and increase the density (  ), relative velocity (u), particle diameter (D)
retention time to allow the particles to settle. and viscosity of water (μ), which gives the Reynolds
The basis design of a wastewater decanter largely number Re as:
depends on the basin surface and water retention time in
the decanter.
The removal efficiency of solids present in  T  uD
Re  (2)
wastewater was calculated mainly based on the 
assumption that all particles have the size, density,
specific gravity and forms uniform. However, in reality, The value of CD decreases as the Reynolds
such condition does not exist and solids from wastewater
will sometimes be highly dispersed and so the settlement number increases. For Re less than 2, CD has related to
time will be greater and this must be taken as the main Re by the linear expression as follows:
consideration in the design.
24
2. SEDIMENTATION CD  (3)
Re
Sedimentation is one of the most basic processes of
water treatment. Plain sedimentation, such as the use of At low values of Re, the settling velocity is:
presedimentation basin and sedimentation basin
following coagulation – flocculation, is the most g   p   T   D 2
commonly used in water treatment facilities. u . (4)
18
Sedimentation is a solid—liquid separation by
gravitational settling. There are four types of
This expression is known as the Stokes’ equation
sedimentation: discrete particle settlings, flocculants
for laminar flow conditions.
settling, hindered settling and compression settling. The

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Constanta Maritime University Annals Year XVII, Vol.26

In the region of higher Reynolds numbers (2 < Re < When the Reynolds number is greater than 200000
500), CD becomes: the drag forces decreases substantially and CD
becomes 0.1. No settling occurs at this condition.
24 3
CD    0,34 . (5)
Re Re  T  = 1000(1 - (T+288.9414)/
,.(7)
/(508929.2*(T+68.12963))*(T-3.9863)^2)
In the turbulent flow region (500<Re<200000) the
CD , remains approximately constant at 0.44. The  T  = density as a function of temperature,
velocity of settling particles results in Newton’s [kg/m3],
equation:
T = temperature, [K].

u  1, 74
  p   T   gD . (6)

-3
x 10
1

0.9

0.8

0.7
Particles diameter [m]

0.6
Tw =4 C
0.5
Tw =20 C
0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14
Settling velocity [m/s]

Figure 1 Relationship between settling velocity and sand particles diameter

-3
x 10
1

0.9

0.8

0.7
Particles diameter [m]

0.6

0.5

0.4
Tw =4 C
0.3
Tw =20 C
0.2

0.1

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18 0.2
Settling velocity [m/s]

Figure 2 Relationship between settling velocity and iron oxide particles diameter

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Constanta Maritime University Annals Year XVII, Vol.26

-3
x 10
1

0.9

0.8

0.7

Particles diameter [m]

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3 Tw =4 C

0.2

0.1

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18
Settling velocity [m/s]

Figure 3 Settling velocity for sand and iron oxide particles diameter

-3
x 10
1

0.9

0.8

0.7
Particles diameter [m]

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2 Tw =20 C

0.1

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18 0.2
Settling velocity [m/s]

Figure 4 Settling velocity for sand and iron oxide particles diameter

The graphics show the fall speed, or settling velocity in this case is higher because of influence of
velocity, as function of particle size for particles of sands particle density which are higher too.
and iron oxide. We can notice that dust particles with diameters less
Figure 1 show the relationship between settling than 0.2 mm fall at a speed of about 10 mm/s. Particles
velocity and sand particles diameter, for different water larger than 0.2 mm in diameter fall disproportionately
temperatures, 4C and respectively 20C. faster: 0.5 mm particles fall at about 48 mm/s. Particles
In Figure 2 was determined the relationship smaller than 0.2 mm settle very slowly. 0.10 mm
between settling velocity and iron oxide particles particles fall at only 3 mm/second while 0.05 mm
diameter, for different water temperatures, 4C and particles fall at only 0.8 mm/s, so the finest particles
respectively 20C. We can notice that the settling settle so slowly that they has transported across settler
without settling.

45
Constanta Maritime University Annals
In Figures 3 and 4 has compared the settling
velocity for those two types of particle.
3. CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge of the terminal settling velocity of
solids in liquids has required in many industrial
applications. The fall velocity depends on the density,
viscosity of the fluid, and the density, size, shape, and
surface texture of the particle.
For particles smaller than 0.2 mm we can see that
influence of water temperature, respectively influence of
water density is smaller but as the diameter of particles
increase the influence are getting higher.
4. REFERENCES
[1] OCHOWIAK, M., MATUSZAK, M.,
WŁODARCZAK, S., ANCUKIEWICZ, M.,
KRUPINSKA A., The modified swirl sedimentation
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Year XVII, Vol.26
tanks for water purification, Journal of Environmental
Management 189, 22-28
[2] HRIBERSEK, M., ZAJDELA, B., HRIBERNIK, A.,
ZADRAVEC, M., Experimental and numerical
investigations of sedimentation of porous wastewater
sludge flocs, Water Research 4 5, 2011
[3] GUTIÉRREZ, R., FERRER, I., UGGETTI, E.,
ARNABAT, C., SALVADÓ, H., GARCÍA, J., Settling
velocity distribution of microalgal biomass from urban
wastewater treatment high rate algal ponds, Algal
Research 16 (2016,) 409–417
[4] CHEREMISINOFF Nicholas P., Handbook of water
and wastewater treatment technologies, 2002,
Butterworth-Heinemann
[5] WEINER E. R., MATTHEWS A. R., Environmental
engineering, 2003, Butterworth-Heineman.
[6] WILSON E. Thomas, CLARIFIER DESIGN, 2005,
Water Environment Federation
[7] SHUN D. L., Water and Wastewater, Calculations
Manual, 2001, McGraw-Hill Companies.
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