Sedimentation and Thickener

Design
Sedimentation

• The separation of a dilute slurry by gravity settling into a clear fluid and a
slurry of higher solids content is called sedimentation.
• The mechanism of sedimentation may be best described by observation
of what occurs during a batch settling test as solids settle from a slurry in
a glass cylinder.
Batch sedimentation test
Batch sedimentation test
Batch sedimentation test
• Zone D of settled solids will predominantly include heavier faster
settling particles.
• Zone C is of variable particle size and non uniform concentration.
• Zone B is of uniform concentration zone which remains approximately
same concentration as initial.
• Zone A defines the clear liquid.
• Note that, A and D zone gets bigger with the expense of B zone.
Continuous Thickener
 Continuous thickener
• Continuous thickeners are large-diameter , shallow-depth tanks with
slowly revolving rakes for removing the sludge . The slurry is fed at the
center of the tank . Around the top edge of the tank is a clear liquid
overflow . The rakes serve to scrape the sludge towards the center of the
bottom for discharge . The motion of the rake also “ stirs” only
the sludge layer. This gentle stirring aids in water removal from the sludge
.
Continuous thickener design
• The final overflow rate selected for design of sedimentation tank is
based on the following:
1. Area needed for clarification (based on terminal settling velocity)
2. Area needed for thickening (based on batch settling test)
3. The rate of sludge withdrawal

• The larger of the two areas is the controlling value.

Equation needed
 Equation needed

‘Hu’, that corresponds to the depth at which the solids are at

the desired underflow concentration, ‘Cu’.
Math problem
A single batch-settling test was made on a limestone slurry. The interface between clear liquid and
suspended solids was observed as a function of time, and the results are tabulated below . The test was
made using 236 gm of limestone per liter of slurry. A limestone-water slurry equivalent to that of is fed
to a thickener at a rate of 50 tons of dry solids/hr. to produce a thickened sludge of 550 gm limestone
per liter .
Example
Height vs time
40

35

30

25
Height (cm)

20

15

10

0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Time (hr)
Math
From calculation, Hu = (CoHo)/Cu = ( 236 gm/litre × 36 cm)/ 550 gm/liter
= 15.447 cm
From the graph tu = 2 hour (at 15.447 cm at tangent orange color denotes
tu)
Volumetric flow rate = Qfeed = (50×1000×1000)/ 236 = 211864.4068 liter/hr.
Area required for thickening = (Q× tu)/Ho= (211864.4068×2×1000)/36 =
11770244.82 cm2
Area required for thickening= 12669. 373 ft2
 Math
• Area required for clarification
• Volumetric flow rate of clear liquid,

𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡−𝐻𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

Q=Qfeed×
𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡
36−15.447
= (211864.4068×1000)× = 120956920.9 cc/hr.
36

Terminal settling velocity, Vt = (Ho- Hcr)/tcr

=(36-13.5)/2.3 = 10 cm/hr.
So, Area required for clarification = (120956920.9)/10 =12095692.09. cm2
= 13019.6946 ft2
Math to be solved

• 22.20, 22.21 (Foust)

END