122 Handbook of Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations, Third Edition

TABLE 6.1
Equivalents, Symbols, and Formulae
Equivalents
12 inches (in.) = 1 foot (ft)
36 inches (in.) = 1 yard (yd)
144 inches2 (in.2) = 1 foot2 (ft2)
9 feet2 (ft2) = 1 yard2 (yd2)
43,560 ft2 = 1 acre
1 foot3 (ft3) = 1728 inch3 (in.3)
1 foot3 (ft3) of water = 7.48 gallons (gal)
1 foot3 (ft3) of water = 62.4 pounds (lb)
1 gallon (gal) of water = 8.34 pounds (lb)
1 liter (L) = 1000 milliliters (mL)
1 gram (g) = 1000 milligrams (mg)
1 million gallons per day (gpd) = 694 gallons per minute (gpm)
= 1.545 ft3/sec
Average BOD/capita/day = 0.17 pound (lb)
Average SS/capita/day = 0.20
Average daily flow = Assume 100 gal/capita/day

Symbols
A = Area
V = Velocity
t = Time
SVI = Sludge volume index
Vol = Volume
eff = Effluent
W = Width
D = Depth
L = Length
Q = Flow
r = Radius
p = pi (= 3.14)
WAS = Waste activated sludge
RAS = Return activated sludge
MLSS = Mixed liquor suspended solids
MLVSS = Mixed liquor volatile suspended solids

Formulae
SVI = Volume
× 100
Concentration
Q = A×V
Detention time = Volume/Q
Volume = L×W×D
Area = W×L
Circular area = π × (radius)2 (= 0.785 × diameter2)
Circumference = π × diameter
Hydraulic loading rate = Q/A
Sludge age = MLSS (lb) in aeration tank
SS in primary efflluent (lb/day)
Mean cell residence time (MCRT) = SS (lb) in secondary system (aeration tank + secondary clarifier)
WAS (lb/day) + SS in effluent (lb/day)
Organic loading rate = BOD (lb/day)
Volume