CH4214: Environmental

Engineering & Management

L03: Wastewater Engineering

Dr. Dilhara Sethunga; PhD(NTU, Singapore), BSc. Eng (UOM, Sri Lanka)
E mail: dilharap@uom.lk
18 October 2021
 Sedimentation
➢ Sedimentation is the separation of suspended particles that are heavier than
that of water by gravitational force.

➢ The equipment which the settling of suspended particles occur is termed as

sedimentation basin, sedimentation tank, settling tank, clarifier

➢ The primary objective of using this equipment is to produce clarified water

Settling theory
1. Spherical particle settling in laminar flow conditions (Re<=1); Stokes's
Law
𝜌𝑃 − 𝜌𝑊 2
𝑣𝑃 = 𝑔. 𝑑𝑃
18𝜇

𝑣𝑃 Particle settling velocity (m s-1) 𝜌𝑊 Wastewater density (kg m-3)

𝑔 Gravitational acceleration (m s-2) 𝜇 Wastewater dynamic viscosity (Pa.s)
𝜌𝑃 Particle density (kg m-3) 𝑑𝑃 Particle diameter (m)

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2. Spherical particle settling in turbulent flow conditions (Re>1)

4𝑔 𝜌𝑃 − 𝜌𝑊
𝑣𝑃 = . 𝑑𝑃
3𝐶𝐷 𝜙 𝜌𝑊

𝑣𝑃 Particle settling velocity (m s-1) Shape factor; for a sphere: 1

Sand grain: 2
𝑔 Gravitational acceleration (m s-2)
𝜌𝑃 Particle density (kg m-3)
𝜌𝑊 Wastewater density (kg m-3) Drag coefficient for nearly spherical
𝜙 Shape factor particles; (valid up to Re=10000)
24 3
𝑑𝑃 Particle diameter (m) 𝐶𝐷 = +
𝑅𝑒 𝑅𝑒
𝐶𝐷 Drag coefficient

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3. Discrete particle settling
➢ The usual design approach is to select a particle with a settling velocity
(vc) and design the basin so that all the particles having a settling velocity
greater than vc will be removed.

➢ In a continuous flow sedimentation tank the length of the tank and the
detention time of a unit volume of liquid is such that, all the particles
with the settling time greater than or equal to the design velocity must
settle to the tank bottoms.

➢ The design velocity can be obtained as

depth of the tank
vd =
detention time

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Case 01: 𝒗𝒄 > 𝒗𝒅
all the particles will be settling down
Case 02: 𝒗𝒄 = 𝒗𝒅
all the particles will be settling down
Case 03: 𝒗𝒄 < 𝒗𝒅
Part of particles will be settling down. The fraction settled
(X) is defined as;
𝑣𝑐
𝑋=
𝑣𝑑
The discrete particles fraction settled (𝑋𝑇 ) can be found as;
σ 𝑣𝑐,𝑖 𝑛𝑖
𝑋=
σ 𝑛𝑖

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Exercise: Calculation of the removal efficiency of a sedimentation basin
Determine the removal efficiency of a sedimentation basin with a critical
overflow velocity of 2 m h-1. The settling velocity data distribution of the
suspended particles is given in the following table.

Settling velocity (m h-1) Number of particles

per liter (×105 )
0-0.5 30
0.5-1.0 50
1.0-1.5 90
1.5-2.0 110
2.0-2.5 100
2.5-3.0 70
3.0-3.5 30
3.5-4.0 20

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Typical Circular Primary Sedimentation Tank (Primary Clarifier)

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Primary Clarifier with peripheral feed

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Flocculator-clarifier

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Sedimentation tank performance
The efficiency of the sedimentation tank (with respect to BOD and TSS
removal) is reduced due to

1. Eddy current formation (due to inertia of incoming flow)

2. Wind induced circulation
3. Thermal convection currents
4. Density current formation due to cold and warm water

BOD and TSS Removal

𝑡
𝑅=
𝑎 + 𝑏𝑡

R: expected removal efficiency

a,b, empirical constants
T nominal detention time

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Rectangular Sedimentation Tank Typical Flow Patterns

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Scour velocity
➢ The surface velocity may resuspend the settled particles. To avoid the
resuspension, the horizontal flowrates must be kept as a minimum
➢ The following expression shows the correlation for calculating the
critical scour velocity,
0.5
8𝑘 𝑠 − 1 𝑔𝑑
𝑣𝐻 =
𝑓
vH: Critical horizontal velocity (m s-1)
k: cohesion constant (constant depend of the material scoured)
s: specific gravity of suspended particles
d: diameter of particles
f: Darcy friction factor

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Exercise: Design of a primary sedimentation tank
The average flow at a small municipal wastewater treatment plant is 20,000
m3 day-1. The highest observed peak daily flowrate is 50,000 m3 day-1.
Design rectangular primary clarifiers with channel width of 6m. Use
minimum of two clarifies. Calculate the scour velocity, to determine if
settled material will become resuspended.
Estimate the BOD and TSS removal at average and peak flow. Use an
overflow rate of m3 m-2 day-1. at average flow and a side water depth of 4m
The BOD and TSS removal efficiencies can be found by;
𝑡 BOD TSS
𝑅% = a 0.018 0.0075
𝑎 + 𝑏𝑡
b 0.020 0.014
T: detention time; a, b empirical coefficients.

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 Floatation

➢ Floatation is used to separate solid or liquid particles from a liquid phase

by introducing fine gas (usually air) bubbles to the liquid phase

➢ The liquid or solid particles are attached to the gas bubbles and carried
upward under bouncy force

➢ The small particles that are slowly settling under gravity can be easily
separated by this method.

➢ Two main types of floatation systems in wastewater treatment are,

1. Dissolved air floatation systems
2. Dispersed air floatation systems

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Dissolved air floatation (DAF) system
➢ Injection of air while liquid is under pressure followed by releasing the
pressure

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 Dispersed air floatation system (Induced air floatation)

➢ Typically used for treating high

volume wastewater facilities

➢ The gas bubbles are formed directly

by the rotating impeller

➢ Because of the revolving impeller

vacuum is created in the standpipe
and air is drawn into the system and
mixed with water thoroughly

➢ Then air can carry the fine particles

upward for removal

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Design of DAF systems
➢ The floatation is dependent on the surface of the particulate matter

➢ Thus, laboratory tests should be performed to obtain the necessary design

procedure

➢ The most important parameters to be considered in designing process,

➢ The concentration of the solid matter

➢ The air requirement
➢ Solid loading rate
➢ Particle rise velocity

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➢ The performance of a DAF system is depending on the air to mass of
solids ratio (A/S ratio)

➢ This ratio should be experimentally found by performing lab tests using a

floatation cell

➢ The typical A/S ratio for solid and biosolid thickening is ~0.005-0.06

➢ The following expression is used to determine the A/S ratio

𝐴 1.3𝑠𝑎 (𝑓𝑃 − 1)
=
𝑆 𝑆

sa:: air solubility (mL L-1), f= fraction of air dissolved at pressure P, P:

absolute pressure (atm), influent suspended solids (mg L-1)

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Exercise: Sludge thickening with DAF system

Design dissolved air flotation tank assuming the following conditions

The optimum A/S ratio=0.008 mL mg-1
Temperature: 20 0C
Air solubility at 20 0C=18.7 mL L-1
Fraction of saturation= 0.5
Surface loading rate = 8 L m-2 min-1
Sludge flowrate = 400 m3 day-1
Suspended solid concentration =3000 mg L-1

1. Determine the required design pressure

2. Determine the require surface area of the tank
3. Find the solid loading rate

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 Aeration

Aerator Systems

Diffused aerators Mechanical Aerators Cascade Aerators

Diffused air Low-speed

aerators turbine aerator

High speed
Static tube mixer floating aerator

Aspirating
Jet aerator

Rotor-brush
aerator

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Mechanical Aeration

➢ Consists of motor-driven impellers, propeller aspirators, or rotors that

generally operate at the liquid surface to provide DO within the aeration
tanks.

➢ The impeller and rotor transfer oxygen by mixing the liquid surface while
the propeller aspirator injects atmospheric air into the liquid.

➢ There are four general configurations for mechanical aeration systems:

▪ radial flow low speed,

utilize impellers that can be designed at the liquid
surface or submerged at varying depths
▪ axial flow high speed,
utilize horizontal impellers (rotors) to agitate the liquid
▪ horizontal rotors,
surface and deliver oxygen to the aeration tanks

▪ aspirating devices. utilize a propeller aspirator which can be positioned at

various angles to reach distinct levels for aeration mixing

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Diffused Aeration

➢ Diffused aeration systems typically consist of mechanical equipment

including blowers, air piping and diffusers, that work in conjunction with
instrumentation and controls to deliver oxygen as required.

➢ Ambient air is compressed and introduced via submerged diffusers to

distribute gaseous air bubbles in the process liquid.

➢ Fine pore diffusers create smaller bubbles which maximize the air-water
interface, and subsequently allow for greater oxygen transfer from the air
to the liquid.

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Standard Oxygen Transfer Rate (SOTR)

➢ SOTR is a performance indicator for different aerators.

➢ SOTR is the rate at which the oxygen is transferred in tap (or distilled)
water at 20°C and zero DO.

➢ The Actual Oxygen Transfer Rate (AOTR or OTRf) is the rate at which
oxygen is transferred under field conditions.

Standard Aeration Efficiency (SAE)

➢ This is the SOTR divided by power used for aeration

➢ SAE of each aerator configuration is dependent upon the design of the

equipment used (impeller, rotor, or propeller aspirator), tank geometry,
effects of adjacent walls, input power to tank volume, and various other
factors
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Exercise: Estimating Diffused air requirement for post aeration

Develop an expression to estimate the diffused air requirement for the post
aeration of effluent. Assume that aeration will be accomplished in a plug-
flow reactor.

Other Data:

Overall mass transfer coefficient correlation as compared to the standard

coefficient
𝐾𝑇′ = 𝐾20
′
𝜃 𝑇−20

T=temperature in 0C,

θ=Temperature correction factor

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