30/09/2022

Sedimentation

Sedimentation
 Sedimentation is a physical water treatment process using

gravity to remove suspended solids from water

 Solid separation

 Physically separating solid materials from water

 Potable water  virtually all the solids requiring removal are

heavier than water

 Driving force  Gravity

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Sedimentation

 Characteristics and concentration of suspended materials

 Characteristics of suspensions

Sedimentation
 Characteristics and concentration of suspended materials

 Discrete Particles  Particles whose size, shape and specific

gravity do not change with time are referred as a discrete

particles
 Flocculating particles Particles whose surface properties

are such that they aggregate with other particles upon contact
thus changing size, shape and perhaps specific gravity with each
other are called flocculating particles.

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Sedimentation
 Characteristics of suspensions

 Dilute suspensions  suspensions in which the concentration

of particles is not sufficient to cause significant displacement of

water as they settle
 Concentrated suspensions  suspensions in which the

concentration of particles is too great to meet these conditions

are termed as concentrated suspensions

Types of Settling
 Type -1 settling : Discrete particles in dilute suspensions

 Type-2 settling : Flocculating particles in dilute suspension

 Hindered or zone settling

 Compressions settling

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Type -1 settling : Discrete particles in

dilute suspensions

Type -1 Settling
f b   w gVp

f net  (  p   w ) gVp

f g   p gVp

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Type -1 Settling
 Once the motion initiated, a third force is created due to
viscous friction and this force is called as drag force.
v2
f d  C D Ap  w
2
Drag force acts in the opposite
direction to the driving force
Steady state velocity is reached
Increases with the square of when drag force equals to the
velocity driving force

f net  (  p   w ) gVp

Type-1 Settling
 Drag force = Driving force

v2
(  p   w ) gV p  C D Ap  w
2

For Spherical Particle

Vp = ? Ap=?

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Type-1 Settling
3
4 d 

Vp 3  2  2
 2
 d
Ap d  3
 
2

v2
(  p   w ) gV p  C D Ap  w
2

4 ( p   w ) d
vt  g
2

3 CD  w

Type-1 Settling
 CD changes with the characteristics of different flow regime

24
CD 
 Laminar flow Re

24 3
 Transitional flow CD  
Re Re1 / 2
 0.34

 Turbulent flow CD = 0.4

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Type-1 Settling
 Reynolds number

vtwd
Re 

Reynolds Number Flow
Re<1 Laminar Flow
Re> 104 Turbulent Flow
1-104 Transitional Flow

Type-1 Settling
 The shape factor is added to correct for lack of spherosity.
For perfect sphere the value of shape factor is 1.

 For laminar flow

g (  p   w )d 2
vt 
18

 Stokes equation

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Problem
 Find the terminal settling velocity of a spherical particle with
diameter 0.5 mm and specific gravity of 2.65 settling though
water at 20oC.
 Given : Density of water 998.2 kg/m3 and µ = 1.002 X 10-3
at 20oC.

Solution
 Step:1 Assume laminar flow
 Calculate vt = m/sec
g (  p   w )d 2
vt 
18
 Step:2 Check Reynolds number:

vtwd
Re 

 Step 3. Re  Laminar / Turbulent / Transitional flow

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Type-1 Settling
 Step 4: based on observed flow regime calculate CD
 Step 5: Calculate Vt

4 ( p   w ) d
vt 
2
g
3 CD  w

 Step 6 : Compare assumed and estimated flow regime based

on value of Re
 If it same no need of next iteration
 If not go for next iteration with step 2, 3 and 4

Problem
 Determine the settling velocity of a spherical particle with a
diameter of 100 micrometer and a specific gravity of 2.3 in
water at 20oC.
 Given : Density of water 998.2 kg/m3 and µ = 1.002 X 10-3
at 20oC.

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Sedimentation
 Preparation of portable water

 Removal of suspended solids

 Sedimentation basins

 Long-rectangular basins

 Circular basins

Long rectangular basins

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Long rectangular basins

 Processing large flows
 Flow control through large volume is easier with this
configuration
 Hydraulically more stable
 Typical design consists of basins whose length ranges from 2
to 4 times their width and 10 to 20 times their depths
 The bottom is sloped  facilitate sludge scraping

Long rectangular basins

 Divide into four functional zones
1. The inlet zone in which baffles intercept the incoming
water and spread the flow uniformly both horizontally and
vertically across the tank
2. The outlet zone in which water flows upward and over the
outlet weir
3. The sludge zone, which extends from bottom of the tank
to just above the scraper mechanism
4. The settling zone, which occupies the remaining volume of
the tank

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Settling zone of a long-rectangular

settling basin

Long rectangular basins

 The column travels with the flow across the settling zones
 Discrete particles falling through the settling column will now have two
components of velocity
 The vertical component
(  w   p ).d p
2

vt  g .
18
 The horizontal component

Q
vh 
A

 A is the cross-sectional area

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Long rectangular basins

 Now the time t0 corresponds to the retention time in the
settling zone

V LZoW
to  
Q Q
Also
Zo As is the surface
to 
vo area of the basin
therefore

Zo LZoW Q
 And vo  vo 
Q
vo Q LW As

Long rectangular basins

 Thus the depth of the basin is not a factor in determining the
size particles that can be removed completely in the settling
zone
 Overflow rate / Surface loading rate

Q
vo 
As

 For discrete particles  settling basins are usually from 2.5

to 3 m deep, while that for flocculating particles are usually 3
to 4 m deep

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Long rectangular basins

 Design of settling basins

Parameter Discrete Flocculent

Suspensions Suspensions

Overflow rate (m/hr) 1.0 – 2.5 0.6 – 1.0

Detention time (hrs) 2-4 4-6

Design of a long rectangular basin

 A city must treat about 15000 m3/day of water. The
coagulant has been added to enhance the settling of
flocculent particles and a column analysis indicates that an
overflow rate of 20m/day will produce satisfactory removal
at a depth of 3.5 m. Determine the size of the required
settling tank.

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Solution
 Given: Required discharged =
SOR=
depth= 3.5 m
 To find : Required size of the settling tank =?

Solution
1. Compute surface area (provide two tanks at 7500m3/day)
Q
vo 
As
2. As= 7500/20 = 375 m2
3. Selecting the length to width ratio = 3:1 (Calculate surface
dimensions)
4. L=3 W
5. W X 3W= 375
6. W= 11.18 say =11 m
7. L = 33.54 say = 34 m

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Solution
 Check for retention time
 t = volume / flow rate = (11 X 34 X 3.5) / (7500)
 = (hrs)
 = 4.19 hrs

Solution
 Horizontal velocity
 Vh= Q/Ax= 7500/ (11 X 3.5) = m/hrs
 = 8.1 m/hr
 Weir overflow rate  length of the weir is equal to the
width of the tank so overflow length is 11 m
 = 7500/ 11 = m3 / hr.m
 = 28.4 m3 / hr.m

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