Gravity Sedimentation

A. Dilute Sedimentation/Free Settling – is the case where particles are able to settle as individuals.
B. Hindered Settling/Thickening – terms used to describe behavior at higher concentrations where
sedimentation rates are largely related to concentration rather than to particle size.
A major difference between the continuous and batch sedimentations is the complete absence of any zone B of
the same composition as the feed, useless such conditions are approximated directly below the feed well when
the horizontal interface between the clear fluid and sludge is well below the bottom of the feed well. Under
these conditions the feed slurry appears to settle in a cylindrical column directly below the feed well. When the
feed rate is not excessive and a properly clarified effluent is produce, the upper or clarification zone in the
continuous process is a region where the solids are present at such a low concentration that the mechanism
approaches that of free settling. Immediately below this clear zone is the zone of sludge compaction.

The capacity of continuous thickeners or sedimentation equipment is based on their ability to perform two
functions: to clarify the liquid overflow by the elimination of suspended solids, and to thicken the sludge or
underflow by the elimination of liquid. The area of sedimentation equipment controls the time allowed for
settling particles out of a liquid for a given rate of feed of liquid and is important in determining the clarification
capacity. The depth of the thickener controls the time allowed for thickening the sludge for a given rate of feed
of solid and is important in determining the thickening capacity.
The clarification capacity of the thickener is determined by the settling rate of the suspended solids. This rate
may be estimated from the rate of settling of the upper interface in a batch sedimentation test. By a material
balance, the total quantity of fluid in the speed is equal to the sum of the fluid removed as a clear overflow plus
the fluid in the thick sludge removed from the bottom. The vertical velocity if the fluid at any height in the
thickener is equal to the volume of fluid passing upward at that level divided by the area of the thickener. For
successful clarification, the settling velocity of the particles must be somewhat greater than the vertical velocity
of fluid at that level. If the settling velocity is less than the upward fluid velocity, the particles will be pass out
in the overflow and there will be little clarification. If the settling velocity equals the upward fluid velocity,
particles will neither rise nor fall and the concentration of solids in the clarification zone will increase, thereby
reducing the settling velocity until the particles are carried out in the overflow. Therefore, the settling velocity
of particles must be sufficiently greater than the upward fluid velocity to prevent any increase in concentration
in the clarification zone.

Usually the constant rate of settling observed in a batch sedimentation test of the feed slurry may be used as a
reasonably conservative value for the settling rate in the less concentrated clarification zone for purposes of
design. But under some conditions at a lower level in the thickener where the concentration of solids is so high
as to greatly retard the rate of settling, the upward velocity of the liquid may exceed the rate of settling of solids,
even when this condition is not encountered in the upper zone. In making design calculations it is therefore
necessary to consider the rates of settling at different concentrations and the corresponding vertical velocity of
the water or fluid to be certain that the area of the thickener is adequate for satisfactory clarification.
When the feed rate to a continuous thickener exceeds the maximum which the thickener can handle and produce
a clear overflow, the solid particles are unable to settle down out of the normal clarification zone and therefore
build up a higher concentration therein. This causes hindered settling, with corresponding decrease in the rate of
sedimentation below that observed for the feed slurry. The feed rate which just fails to initiate this hindered
settling is the limiting clarification capacity of the thickener as it is the maximum feed rate at which the
suspended solid can reach the compression zone.
The thickening capacity may be illustrated by considering the effect of varying the underflow rate. The
thickness or depth of the compression or thickening zone increased as the underflowrate was decreased and the
concentration of the underflow increase with increasing depth of thickening zone, at least for a constant rate of
feed.
The concentration of the underflow or sludge from a continuous thickener depends on depth of the thickening or
compression zone and the time that the solids are in this zone. The total height or depth of the thickener depends
in large measure on required depth or time in the compression zone. The required height of the compression
zone may be estimated from the data obtained on batch sedimentation and may be represented by the equation.

Where: z = height of the compression zone at time = height of the compression zone at infinite time, k = a
constant for a particular sedimentation system.
The determination of the necessary volume of the compression zone of the continuous thickener may be
obtained from a consideration of the time each layer of solids has been in compression.
The volume V required for the compression zone in the continuous thickener is equal to the sum of the volume
occupied by the solids plus the volume occupied by the associated fluids.