Basics + Capacity

Sidney Innerebner, PhD, PE, CWP
Indigo Water Group, LLC

Clarifier Basics
 Clarifiers have both hydraulic capacity and solids
handling capacity
 Use State Point Analysis to predict performance

Secondary Clarifier Capacity
 Hydraulic capacity
 Detention Time
 Surface Overflow Rate
 Weir Loading Rate
 Pulling down is GRAVITY

 Pushing up is CURRENT
(surface overflow rate)
Surface Overflow Rate
Average, Peak,
gpd/sf gpd/sf
Conventional
400 - 700 1000 – 1600
Activated Sludge
Extended Aeration 200 - 400 600 - 800
SOR = Influent Flow to Clarifier

Clarifier Surface Area
4
Source: Metcalf and Eddy 4th Edition (2003) – pg 687
Weir Loading Rate
Peak, gpd/lf
WWTPs less than 1 mgd 20,000
WWTPs greater than 1 mgd 30,000
WLR = Influent Flow to Clarifier

Linear Feet of Weir
5
Source: Recommended Standards for Wastewater Facilities (2004) pg 70-4
6
Solids Loading Rate to Clarifier
Average, Peak,
lb/sf*hr lb/sf*hr
Conventional
19.2 – 28.8 38.4
Activated Sludge
Extended Aeration 4.8 – 24.0 33.6
SLR = (QINF + QRAS)(MLSS, mg/L)(8.34)

Clarifier Surface Area
7
Source: Metcalf and Eddy 4th Edition (2003) – pg 687
State Point Analysis
 Use State Point Analysis to predict performance
 Mathematical model of clarifier
 Uses settling data – Sludge Volume Index (SVI)
 Some limitations
 Actual or Estimated Settling Characteristics (SVI)
 Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids Concentration
 Clarifier Surface Area
 Influent Flow
 Return Activated Sludge (RAS) Flow
40
State Point X-Axis
Solids Flux (lb/ft2d) 35
30
25
MLSS and
20
RAS/WAS
15
Concentration
10
0
0 5 10 15
Solids Concentration (g/L)

EJWahlberg, April 1996
10
40
State Point Y-Axis
30
Solids Loading
25
Rate or Flux
20
15
10
0
0 5 10 15

11
40
The State Point
30
State Point
25
20 (x,y) coordinates
15
x = SLR, lb/ft2*d = 14
y = MLSS, g/L = 3.5
10
0
0 5 10 15

EJWahlberg, April 1996 12
40
Overflow Line
30
25
Overflow line
20 slope is equal
to surface
15
overflow rate
10 (SOR)
5
0
0 5 10 15

13
40
Overflow Line
30
25
Qinfluent = Higher
20
Steeper Slope
15
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Overflow Line
30
25
Qinfluent = Lower
Flatter Slope
20
15
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Underflow Line
35
Solids
Loading
Solids Flux (lb/ft2d)
30 Rate
25
20
15
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Underflow Line
30
25
20
15 Expected
RAS/WAS
10
Conc.
5
0
0 5 10 15

40
Underflow Line
30
25
Slope is the
20 Solids Underflow
Rate - SUR
15
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Underflow Line
30
25
QRAS = Higher
20
Steeper Slope
15 Slope = Underflow Rate
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Underflow Line
Higher Flux
30
25
20
Lower RAS/WAS
15
Concentration
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Underflow Line
35
Lower Flux
Solids Flux (lb/ft2d)
30
25
20
Higher RAS/WAS
15
Concentration
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Underflow Line
30
25
20
Placement depends on the
solids concentration
15
entering the clarifier.
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Underflow Line
30
25
20
Higher MLSS moves line up,
15 but slope stays the same.
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Underflow Line
30
25
20 Lower MLSS moves

15
the line down.
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Settling Curve
30
25
Flux Curve
20 built from
SVI or other
15
settling data
10
0
0 5 10 15

25
Solids Flux Theory
 Particles cannot move relative to one another
 Hindered settling
 Interface forms
 Interface subsides at a constant velocity
 Velocity depends on
 Concentration of solids (volume fraction)
 Settling characteristics
40
Settling Curve
30
LOW SVI =
25
Big Curve
20
More
15
Clarifier
10 Capacity
5
0
0 5 10 15

27
40
Settling Curve
30
BIG SVI =
25
Small Curve
20
Less
15
Clarifier
10 Capacity
5
0
0 5 10 15

Bowling Balls versus Feathers
Concept Applies to Floc Too
Dense, Round Floc Filaments = Feathers!

Poor Settling
Reduced Treatment Capacity
40
Clarification Success!
30
State Point
25
20 The State Point must

be within the Flux
15
Curve for
10 clarification to be
possible.
5
0
0 5 10 15

40
30
25
20 When State Point is outside the

settling curve, clarifier has a
15 clarification failure. It can’t
settle the incoming solids.
10
0
0 5 10 15

Causes of Clarification Failure
 MLSS Concentration too High
 Influent Flows too High
 Poor Settling Characteristics
Using State Point to Set RAS Rate
 Underloaded Condition – blanket going down
 Overloaded Condition – blanket going up
 Critically Loaded Condition – stable blanket
 RAS should be as LOW as possible while:

 Not building a blanket
 Preventing denitrification in the blanket
40
Adjusting RAS Flow
30
25
20 Thickening Failure
15
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Adjusting RAS Flow
30
25
20
Over Pumping RAS

15
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Adjusting RAS Flow
30
25
20
Critically Loaded
15
10
0
0 5 10 15

40
Adjusting RAS Flow
30
25
Thickening Failure
20
Critically Loaded
15 Over Pumping RAS

10
0
0 5 10 15

What Can be Controlled
 MLSS Concentration (WAS Rate)
 RAS Rate
 Number of Clarifiers On-Line
 SVI (did somebody say polymer?)
Grand Island Examples
 Three clarifiers
 100 foot diameter each
 Side water depths of 9 ft (#1 and 2), 12.5 ft (#3)
 Average influent flow = 8 mgd
 Typical RAS flow = 40% of influent
 SVI = 120 mL/g
 MLSS = 3000 mg/L
 RAS = 9,500 mg/L
 Find the surface area of one clarifier

 Input conditions and find the State Point
Solids in Effluent (Cloudy)
 Ashing –small ash-like particles on surface of clarifier
 Start of denitrification
 High grease content
 Pin Floc – small dense particles of floc
 Old sludge breaking down
 Straggler Floc – Light fluffy sludge particles
 Young sludge, low mixed liquor
 How do you know?????
43
Clumping
44
Sludge Clumping
45
Ashing
46
Straggler Floc
47
Denitrification or Hydraulics?
 Look for bubbles
 Behind the rake arm
 At the clarifier edges
 During peak loading
 Did sludge go down and come back up?

 Possible denitrification
 Did it never go down in the first place?
 Straggler floc
 Pin floc
48
49
50
Rising Sludge Behind Rake Arm
51
Solids went under
the scum baffle and
came back up.
Good indication of
denitrification.
52
My sludge won’t settle!
 A modification to your settleometer test can tell you if
the problem is in the aeration basin (biology) or in the
clarifier (operations)
 Thank you Eric, don’t call me doctor, Wahlberg!

Testing Procedure
 Collect a grab sample of
MLSS
 At the same time, get a
grab of secondary
clarifier effluent
 Run the settleometer test
as usual
 Analyze supernatant
AND clarifier samples
for TSS
Interpreting the Results
 You should have two TSS results
 Turbidity works well for this test too.
 If the TSS for the settleometer test and the clarifier

effluent are about equal: IT IS A BIOLOGY ISSUE
 If the TSS for the settleometer is much better than the

clarifier effluent: IT IS A CLARIFIER ISSUE
Biology Versus Clarifier
Biology Issues Clarifier Issues
 Air on/off cycles  Carrying big blankets

 Denitrification in the
 Filaments
blanket
 Low DO
 Sludge in clarifier too
 High VFA long (no DO in here!)
 Nutrient limitations  Hydraulic surge
 MCRT too low  Something wrong with
 MCRT too high collection mechanism
Sidney Innerebner, PhD, PE, CWP
Indigo Water Group, LLC

Basics + Capacity

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Sidney Innerebner, PhD, PE, CWP

Indigo Water Group, LLC

 Use State Point Analysis to predict performance

 Pulling down is GRAVITY

SOR = Influent Flow to Clarifier

WLR = Influent Flow to Clarifier

SLR = (QINF + QRAS)(MLSS, mg/L)(8.34)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

20 Lower MLSS moves

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Dense, Round Floc Filaments = Feathers!

20 The State Point must

Solids Concentration (g/L)

20 When State Point is outside the

Solids Concentration (g/L)

 RAS should be as LOW as possible while:

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Over Pumping RAS

Solids Concentration (g/L)

Solids Concentration (g/L)

15 Over Pumping RAS

Solids Concentration (g/L)

 Find the surface area of one clarifier

 How do you know?????

 Did sludge go down and come back up?

 Thank you Eric, don’t call me doctor, Wahlberg!

 If the TSS for the settleometer test and the clarifier

 If the TSS for the settleometer is much better than the

 Air on/off cycles  Carrying big blankets

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