WEEK – 11

FIREFIGHTINGSYSTEM

Causes of fire :
According to Fire and Rescue statistics from 2016/17, the four most common causes of
accidental fires in non-dwelling properties were:
1. Faulty appliances and leads
2. Faulty fuel supply
3. Misuse of equipment or appliances
4. Placing articles too close to heat

Fire Extinguisher Types and Classes

The six main fire extinguisher types are water, foam, CO2, powder, water mist and wet
chemical.

Each of the different types of fire extinguisher is suitable for different fire classes. It is
important that you purchase the right fire extinguisher for your needs.

TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND THEIR USES

Class A Class B Class C Class D Electrical Class F

Flammable Flammable
Flammable Electricals
Type Solid gases metals
liquids (such as Cooking oil
combustibles (such as (such as
(such as computers (such as deep fat
(such as methane, magnesium,
petrol, & electric fryers & chip pans)
wood, paper propane & aluminium&
diesel &
& textiles) heaters)
paraffin) hydrogen) lithium)

Water Only if di-

electrically
 tested

Water
Mist

Only if di-
AFFF
electrically
Foam
tested

ABC
Powder

Carbon
Dioxide
(CO2)

Wet
Sometimes
Chemical

Fire Extinguisher Colour Codes

Fire extinguishers meeting BS EN3 should have a red body (RAL 3000) and an agent-
specific colour code band covering between 5-10% of the surface relating to the
extinguisher's contents. See the boxes below to find out what the different fire extinguisher
colours mean.
 WATER

Water fire extinguishers have a red label and a class A rating. They are suitable for
fighting fires involving solid combustibles such as wood, paper and textiles.

A few models are safe on electrical equipment if di-electrically tested. Otherwise, care must
be taken near electrical equipment.

AFFF FOAM

AFFF foam fire extinguishers have a cream label and are highly effective on class A and
class B fires (the foam agent helps to prevent re-ignition).

If foam extinguishers have been dielectrically tested they can be used on electrical
appliances.
 CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2)

CO2 fire extinguishers have a black label. They were originally designed for use on
flammable liquid fires and therefore have a class B fire rating.

They can be used on electrical fires, as CO2 is not a conductor and they do not leave
behind any harmful residue.

ABC POWDER

ABC powder fire extinguishers have a blue label. They are versatile and can be used on
class A, class B, class C and electrical fires.

They are available in a range of sizes from 1 - 9kg and are ideal for application in
environments containing mixed fire risks. However, there is a risk of inhalation when using
powder extinguishers indoors. Powder fire extinguishers are therefore not recommended for
use within small rooms, homes and offices. Limited to engine rooms and outdoors
machinery.
 DE-IONISED WATER MIST

De-ionised water mist fire extinguishers have a white label and are highly effective on
class A, B, C and burning electrical equipment.

The unique design of the water mist extinguishers' supersonic nozzle creates a microscopic
mist curtain, reducing the oxygen content. Water mist extinguishers are safe and well suited
for use on burning electrical equipment as the de-ionised water mist does not conduct
electricity and the water mist does not form puddles which could lead to electrocution.
 WET CHEMICAL

Wet chemical fire extinguishers have a yellow label and are designed specifically for use
on fires involving combustible cooking media such as burning oil and fat.

They have a class F rating and a special lance applicator nozzle. They usually have an
additional class A rating and are normally not designed for use on class B fires (petrol,
diesel, paint, paraffin etc), although the 3ltr Gloria wet chemical fire extinguisher is an
exception.
installation of smoke detectors:

Your home’s first line of defense against fires and smoke should be a trusty set
of smoke detectors. These devices pick up on smoke in the air and alert you to
its presence. The idea is that the alarm will activate and give you enough time
to get out of the house and call the fire department. They’ll keep you and your
family safe while also protecting your property.
Smoke detectors can only do their job properly if they’re installed correctly—
both in terms of the method and placement. This primer on how to install a
smoke detector should get you on the right path to protecting your household
against the dangers of fires and smoke.

Installing smoke detectors doesn’t have to be as complicated as the fire code

books make it out to be. Unless you’re really into reading fire-related literature,
the following guidelines for installation should do the trick for smoke detector
placement.

Plan to install at least one smoke detector on each floor, but specifically:
 in all sleeping areas (bedrooms, guest rooms, living rooms with pull-out
couches, etc.),

 in common hallways between sleeping areas,

 in the basement,

 in the attic,

 in the garage,
  near the kitchen—but 20 feet away from the stove and oven, and

 anywhere else you want. This is a more-is-better scenario.

Smoke detectors work best on the ceiling, as that’s where smoke pools first.
Make every effort to install your smoke detector there. If the ceiling is out of
the question for your home, install it as close to the ceiling as possible but no
further than 12 inches down the wall.

MATERIALS AND TOOLS

– Smoke detector
– Phillips screwdriver
– Sharp pencil
– Drill
– Plastic wall anchors
– Wall screws
– Wire stripper
– Wire cutter
– Battery
– Wire nuts

heatsensors :
The main property of a heat sensor is to sense the heat, which is present around the
sensor. When the set value of the temperature is high, then it is indicated with the help
of a glowing LED. The usage of the heat sensor circuit is inside your PC or in your
kitchen. Due to overheating, the expensive components present in the PC or kitchen
appliances could be damaged. When the temperature around the heat sensor increases
above its set value, then it senses the heat and gives an indication, so that we can
protect the devices from damage. Heat sensor circuit senses the heat from various
electronic devices like amplifiers, computer, etc, and thus generates the warning alarm.
Operating Principle of Heat Sensor Circuit Diagram
The simple heat sensor circuit is as shown below. A BC548 transistor, a
thermistor (110 Ohms )are a few components used in a heat sensor. The clear
explanation about these components is as follows

110 Ohms Thermistor: It is used to detect the heat.

BC548: BC548 is an NPN transistor TO-92 type. We can use other alternatives like
2N2222, BC168, BC238, BC183, etc. because the characteristics are almost the same
for these types of transistors.
Buzzer: A buzzer is between the +9V battery and the collector terminal of the transistor.
When the temperature exceeds a certain level, we can hear the alarm sound.
Zener Diode: 4.7V Zener diode is used to limit/control the emitter current.
R1, R2: 100 Ohms 1/4w is used as R2 and a 3.3k 1/4w resistor is used as R1.
9V Battery: It is used as a single power source.
Switch: In this circuit, it is used as an SPST switch (Single Pole Single Throw). It is not
mandatory to use the switch.
In the above circuit diagram, a 100 Ohms resistor and a thermistor are connected in
series. If the thermistor is of negative temperature coefficient type, then after heating the
thermistor, the resistance decreases and excess current flows through the thermistor.
As a result, more amount of voltage is found at the thermistor and resistance junction.
The voltage at the output is applied to an NPN transistor through resistance. With the
help of the Zener diode, the emitter voltage can be maintained at 4.7 volts. This voltage
is used as a comparison voltage. If the base voltage is greater than the emitter voltage,
then the transistor conducts. If the transistor gets more than 4.7 base voltage, then it
conducts and the circuit is completed through a buzzer and it generates sound.
Fire Alarm Annunciator:
A fire alarm annunciator is a device that is part of some complex fire alarm systems. Functions
of an annunciator vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but typically they control and monitor
various components of fire alarm systems. Generally, each of the fire system's elements relays
information directly to the annunciator's control panel. For example, some of these elements
might include smoke, heat, or fire detectors; manual pull-down alarm stations; or water flow
alarm devices. The annunciator usually is continually streaming fire detection, fire protection,
and fire prevention codes into its data storage, thus making it ready to give audio and visual
signals when a problem occurs.

Fire Alarm Annunciator Panel:

If you have an addressable fire alarm system, you’ve probably seen your fire alarm
annunciator panel. This is the panel (usually in the front of your building) that has a
blueprint of your building along with a variety of lights and displays that indicate where
a fire alarm was set off. Functions of the annunciator panel vary from manufacturer to
manufacturer, but they all serve the same purpose: detecting problems and alerting
the user to where the problem started, what caused it, and what (if any) sprinklers or
other devices are working.

Each element of your building’s fire alarm system, from the smoke, heat, or fire
detectors to the manual pull down stations and water flow alarm devices, relays
information to the annunciator panel. Since the annunciator panel is constantly
streaming fire detection, fire protection, and fire prevention codes into its data storage,
it is ready to give an audible and visual signal as soon as a problem occurs.

Some of this critical information relayed by the fire alarm annunciator includes
information designed to help people exit the building safely, to prevent the fire
department from receiving false alarms, to alert the building operator to system
failures, etc.

The best thing about a fire alarm annunciator is when it signals a problem, it displays
exactly which device is alarming so you (or the fire department) can locate any
malfunctioning devices or emergencies efficiently. The system then sends this data to a
storage area for future analysis.

Many fire alarm annunciator panels also feature battery backup systems in case of
power failure as well as a phone line to the fire department, data storage, and a built-in
printer, all of which help the building manager respond to emergency situations more
quickly and efficiently.

ANNUNCIATOR PANEL INSTALLATION &

INSPECTION IN HOUSTON
If you need to install or inspect the annunciator panel of the fire alarm system in your
Houston, Texas area building, contact Kauffman Co. today!

 Fire alarm system installation

 Fire alarm testing

 Fire alarm monitoring

 Fire alarm estimates

PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM (OR PA SYSTEM):

 A public address system (or PA system) is an electronic system comprising
microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and related equipment. It increases the
apparent volume (loudness) of a human voice, musical instrument, or other
acoustic sound source or recorded sound or music. PA systems are used in any
public venue that requires that an announcer, performer, etc. be sufficiently
audible at a distance or over a large area. Typical applications include sports
stadiums, public transportation vehicles and facilities, and live or recorded music
venues and events. A PA system may include multiple microphones or other
sound sources, a mixing console to combine and modify multiple sources, and
multiple amplifiers and loudspeakers for louder volume or wider distribution.
 Simple PA systems are often used in small venues such as school auditoriums,
churches, and small bars. PA systems with many speakers are widely used to
make announcements in public, institutional and commercial buildings and
 locations—such as schools, stadiums, and passenger vessels and aircraft.
Intercom systems, installed in many buildings, have both speakers throughout a
building, and microphones in many rooms so occupants can respond to
announcements. PA and Intercom systems are commonly used as part of
an emergency communication system.
 The term sound reinforcement system generally means a PA system used
specifically for live music or other performances.[1] In Britain any PA system is
sometimes colloquially referred to as a Tannoy, after the company of that name,
now owned by TC Electronic Group, which supplied many of the PA systems
used previously in Britain.

fire hydrant system-sprinklers:

Fire Hydrants, or hydrant outlets, are installed within the building to enable firefighters to
connect their hoses to a water supply to fight fires. Fire hydrants may be of the dry type which
are empty in normal situations, but are charged with water supplied through fire brigade’s
pumping appliance to the inlet at ground level in the building perimeter during emergency.
Alternatively, they may be kept full of water and supplied from tanks and pumps in the building.
Normally, the wet fire hydrants are also coupled with fire service inlets. These are located at the
perimeter of the building to enable water from the external source to be fed into the building via
the fire brigade’s pumping alliance. Building height generally determines which type is used.

It is also important in the planning stage to ensure that an external source of water supply, such
as street hydrants, is within reasonable distance from the building. The fire service should not
have to travel far for an external water source.

First- aid Appliance

This is the use of first aid fire fighting equipment such as hose reels accompanying the manual
alarm call point, the portable fire extinguishers etc. They are meant to be the first line of defence
by the occupants themselves who spot the fire before the arrival of fire brigades and are designed
to enable a person with little or no training to tackle a fire in its very early stages.

Automatic Suppression Systems

Automatic suppression systems can either be equipped with their own heat sensing element such
as an automatic sprinkler system which operates when the sprinkler head is heated to its nominal
operating temperature or are operated by the initiation of a detection system such as a gaseous
system which operates by the initiation of heat or smoke detectors.
Sprinkler systems
Automatic sprinkler systems are considered to be the most effective and economical way to
apply water from fixed systems. It is designed to act upon a fire at a pre-determined temperature
by means of a water spray. It could extinguish the fire or control its spread. The extinguishing
mechanism of sprinkler water spray includes combustible materials to prevent further fire spread
and displacement of combustible vapour and oxygen steam. The sensitivity of the sprinkler heat
is dependent on the nominal rating of its glass bulb, which varies from 57°C - 260°C and is
identified by different colour codes. When considering the increase of the compartment size, or
the reduction in passive fire protection systems by using sprinkler systems, the sprinkler system
should meet the relevant recommendations of commonly used standards such as BS 5306: Part 2,
i.e., the relevant occupancy rating together with the additional requirements for life safety.

The design of a sprinkler system is determined by the hazard classification of the building
occupancy. Each category has its own minimum design density of discharge and assumed
maximum area over which this design density is to be achieved.

There are four main types of sprinkler systems – wet, dry, alternate and pre-action system. They
are normally chosen by the nature of the area to be protected, whether storage of water in the
pipework would pose a risk due to process or weather condition, or where the risk of accidental
discharge is to be eliminated.

watercurtain:

Water curtain system is one of the active fire suppression system (Active fire suppression system means

it becomes active only when there is fire). As the name itself defines, if forms a curtain to prevent spread

of smoke / heat / flame from fire captured area to no fire area.

In the aspect of fire & life safety, compartmentation of building plays an important role. Compartmentation

means providing barrier in a large area so that fire / heat / smoke cannot propagate. The barrier can be

fire rated wall (or any assembly) or fire curtains or water curtain. Since the question is about water curtain
system, I will explain what is it and how does it work.

Water curtain System consists of

 Reserved water
 Dedicated pump
 Valves (Isolation valve, Non-return valve, Deluge valve etc)
 Pipes & Fittings,
 Water curtain nozzle
 Fire detection device etc.,

Water Curtain Pump is connected to the water curtain nozzle through deluge valve. From pump to deluge
valve, the pipelines are normally flooded (flooded here means the pipe line contains water pressurized).
From deluge valve to water curtain nozzle, the pipelines are dry (no water)
When the fire or smoke is detected in one compartment, corresponding fire detection device located in
the premise will send signal to deluge valve to open and subsequently will switch on the pump. Water will
be gushing in to the water curtain system and reach those nozzles.
These nozzles has special properties of forming a curtain from water preventing smoke / flame / fire / heat
to propagate.

waterjet/spray:
A water jet cutter, also known as a water jet or waterjet, is an industrial tool capable of cutting a
wide variety of materials using an extremely high-pressure jet of water, or a mixture of water and
an abrasive substance. The term abrasive jet refers specifically to the use of a mixture of water and
abrasive to cut hard materials such as metal, stone or glass, while the terms pure
waterjet and water-only cutting refer to waterjet cutting without the use of added abrasives, often
used for softer materials such as wood or rubber.[1]
Waterjet cutting is often used during the fabrication of machine parts. It is the preferred method
when the materials being cut are sensitive to the high temperatures generated by other methods;
examples of such materials include plastic and aluminium. Waterjet cutting is used in various
industries, including mining and aerospace, for cutting, shaping, and reaming.

Selection of main pump:

A fire pump is needed to supply the flow and pressure demands to fire suppression
systems when there is an inadequate water supply. The need for a fire pump should be
decided early—ideally as a project scope is being developed. This article will outline a
process to determine if a fire pump is needed and explains how to select a fire pump
that meets the required pressure and flow.

To determine if a fire pump is needed, the fire suppression system demands must be
compared with the available water supply. If the supply cannot meet the demand, a fire
pump is required. Conversely, if the water supply can meet the pressure and flow
requirements, a fire pump is not needed.

Water can be supplied from a variety of different sources including public water mains,
dedicated fire protection fire mains, elevated tanks, etc. Each scenario requires a
slightly different approach, but first, it is important to determine if the water supply can
accommodate the flow demands. For simplicity, this article assumes that the water
supply contains an adequate volume to meet flow and duration needs.

When connecting to a fire main, hydrant-flow tests can be used to analyze the supply.
Static and residual pressures as well as flow rate data help to conclude if the supply
system can flow the amount of water needed and determine what residual pressure is
available. It is most helpful to get this test data as close to the fire suppression system
riser as possible to decrease errors resulting from hydraulic-calculation estimates.

When determining the worst-case flow, consider the flow demands from all of the fire
suppression systems. For this example, the worst-case flow demand is an automatic
sprinkler system in an office building. It is assumed that standpipe demand would be
supplied via a firefighting apparatus.

Sprinkler demands are calculated per NFPA 13 based on factors such as design area,
density, hose steam, overages, roof slope, and dry/pre-action system.

 Example: a light-hazard 5-story office building

 Sprinkler: 0.1 gpm/ft2 x 1500 ft2 = 150 gpm
 Sprinkler + 30% overage: 150 x 1.3 = 195 gpm
 Hose: 100 gpm
 Total: 295 gpm

The calculation shows a flow demand of 295 gpm. If the connected fire main cannot
supply this flow, then a water tank and pump will need to be provided to flow the
required amount to the sprinkler system. With the flow requirements known, the next
step is to calculate the pressure required to operate the sprinkler system.

JOCKEY PUMP :

A jockey pump is a small pump connected to a fire sprinkler system to

maintain pressure in the sprinkler pipes. This is to ensure that if a fire-
sprinkler is activated, there will be a pressure drop, which will be sensed by
the fire pumps automatic controller, which will cause the fire pump to start.

A jockey pump is sized for a flow less than the flow to one sprinkler in order
to ensure a system pressure drop. The function of jockey pumps is an
important part of the fire pumps control system.

Jockey pumps are typically small multi-stage centrifugal pumps, and do not
have to be listed or certified for fire system application. The control
equipment for jockey pumps may however carry approvals.
 RAINWATERHARVESTINGSYSTEM

Components of Rainwater Harvesting

system

A rainwater harvesting system comprises components of various stages -

transporting rainwater through pipes or drains, filtration, and storage in tanks for
reuse or recharge. The common components of a rainwater harvesting system
involved in these stages are illustrated here.
1. Catchments: The catchment of a water harvesting system is the surface which
directly receives the rainfall and provides water to the system. It can be a paved
area like a terrace or courtyard of a building, or an unpaved area like a lawn or
open ground. A roof made of reinforced cement concrete (RCC), galvanised
iron or corrugated sheets can also be used for water harvesting.
2. Coarse mesh at the roof to prevent the passage of debris

3. Gutters:
Channels all around the edge of a sloping roof
to collect and transport rainwater to the
storage tank. Gutters can be semi-circular or
rectangular and could be made using:
  Locally available material such as plain galvanised iron sheet (20 to 22
gauge), folded to required shapes.
 Semi-circular gutters of PVC material can be readily prepared by cutting
those pipes into two equal semi-circular channels.
 Bamboo or betel trunks cut vertically in half.

The size of the gutter should be according to the flow during the highest
intensity rain. It is advisable to make them 10 to 15 per cent oversize.
Gutters need to be supported so they do not sag or fall off when loaded with
water. The way in which gutters are fixed depends on the construction of the
house; it is possible to fix iron or timber brackets into the walls, but for houses
having wider eaves, some method of attachment to the rafters is necessary.
4. Conduits
Conduits are pipelines or drains that carry rainwater from the catchment or
rooftop area to the harvesting system. Conduits can be of any material like
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or galvanized iron (GI), materials that are commonly
available.
The following table gives an idea about the diameter of pipe required for
draining out rainwater based on rainfall intensity and roof area:
Sizing of rainwater pipe for roof drainage
Diameter
Of pipe Average rate of rainfall in mm/h
(mm)

50 75 100 125 150 200

50 13.4 8.9 6.6 5.3 4.4 3.3

65 24.1 16.0 12.0 9.6 8.0 6.0

75 40.8 27.0 20.4 16.3 13.6 10.2

100 85.4 57.0 42.7 34.2 28.5 21.3

125 - - 80.5 64.3 53.5 40.0

150 - - - - 83.6 62.7

mm/ h - millimeters per hour; m - meters

Source: National Building Code

5. First-flushing
A first flush device is a valve that ensures that runoff from the first spell of rain
is flushed out and does not enter the system. This needs to be done since the
first spell of rain carries a relatively larger amount of pollutants from the air and
catchment surface.

Source: A water harvesting manual for urban areas

6. Filter
The filter is used to remove suspended pollutants from rainwater collected over
roof. A filter unit is a chamber filled with filtering media such as fibre, coarse
sand and gravel layers to remove debris and dirt from water before it enters the
storage tank or recharge structure. Charcoal can be added for additional
filtration.
(i) Charcoal water filter
A simple charcoal filter can be made in a drum or an
earthen pot. The filter is made of gravel, sand and
charcoal, all of which are easily available.

Source: A water (ii) Sand filters

harvesting manual Sand filters have commonly available sand as filter
media. Sand filters are easy and inexpensive to
for urban areas construct. These filters can be employed for
treatment of water to effectively remove turbidity
(suspended particles like silt and clay), colour and microorganisms.
In a simple sand filter that can be constructed
domestically, the top layer comprises coarse sand
followed by a 5-10 mm layer of gravel followed by
another 5-25 cm
layer of gravel and
boulders.

(ii. a) Dewas filters

Most residents in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh,
have wells in their houses. Formerly, all that
those wells would do was extract groundwater.
But then, the district administration of Dewas
initiated a groundwater recharge scheme. The rooftop water was collected and
allowed to pass through a filter system called the Dewasfillter, designed by
Mohan Rao , district collecter of Dewas, and engineers of the rural engineering
services. The water thus filtered is put into the service tubewell.

The filter consists of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe 140 mm in diameter and
1.2m long. There are three chambers. The first purification chamber has pebbles
varying between 2-6 mm, the second chamber has slightly larger pebbles,
between 6 and 12 mm and the third chamber has
the largest - 12-20 mm pebbles. There is a mesh
at the outflow side through which clean water
flows out after passing through the three
chambers. The cost of this filter unit is Rs 600.

Filter for large rooftops

When rainwater is harvested in a large rooftop
area, the filtering system should accommodate
the excess flow. A system is designed with three
concentric circular chambers in which the outer chamber is filled with sand, the
middle one with coarse aggregate and the inner-most layer with pebbles.

This way the area of filtration is

increased for sand, in relation to coarse
aggregate and pebbles. Rainwater
reaches the centre core and is collected
in the sump where it is treated with few
tablets of chlorine and is made ready for
consumption. This system was designed
by
R Jeyakumar (Source: Jeyakumar; Rain
water Harvest Manual P-21)

selection of pump.method of measuring rainfall :

Precipitation is expressed in terms of the vertical depth to which water from it would
stand on a level surface area if all the water from it were collected on this surface.

The depth is to which water would accumulate on the horizontal projection of the earth’s
surface, if there were no losses by evaporation, infiltration and runoff and if any part
falling as snow etc melted.

The amount of precipitation is measured using a rain gauge (also called pluviometer,
ombrometer, hyetometer etc). A breif study on different rainguages and selection of
raingauage stations are explained below.

Measurement of Rainfall Using Raingauges

A rain gauge consists of a cylindrical vessel assembly kept in the open to collect rain.
Rainfall collected in the rain gauge is measured at regular intervals.

Rainfall catch is affected by the exposure conditions of the rain gauge. Rain gauges may
be broadly classified into 2 categories:

1. Non-recording raingauges and

 2. Recording raingauges
Non-recording Raingauge
These rain gauges just collect the rainwater but do not record the quantity of rainfall. The
most extensively used non-recording rain gauge is Symon’s gauge. Circular collecting
area of 12.7 cm diameter connected to a funnel. The rim of the collector is set in a
horizontal plane at a height of 30.5cm above the ground level.

The funnel discharges the rainfall catch into a receiving vessel. The funnel and collecting
vessel (bottle) are housed in a metallic container. Water collected in the bottle is
measured using a suitably graduated measuring jar with 0.1mm accuracy. Rainfall is
measured in mm or cm of water depth

Recently IMD has started adopting fibreglass reinforced polyester raingauges. These are
available in different combinations of collector and bottle. The collector is in two sizes –
having 100 and 200 sq.m area. For details see IS:5225 and IS:4986.

Rainfall is measured every day at 8.30AM IST and is recorded as the rainfall of that day.
The receiving bottle cannot hold more than 10 cm of rain. Hence on days of heavy
rainfall, measurements are taken more frequently and the last reading is taken at 8.30AM
IST. The sum of the rainfall measurements over the past 24h is entered as the total
rainfall of that day.

When snow is expected, the funnel and the receiving bottle are removed and snow is
collected in the outer metal container. It is then melted and the depth of resulting water is
measured. In areas of heavy snowfall, snow gauges with shields and storage pipes are
used. Snow surveys are also conducted.
 STP AND ETP PLANT
STP PLANT- Block diagram:
There are 5 stages in a wastewater treatment plant:
1). Movement of sludge
The first step is to make sure that the wastewater is well drained into the
sewage treatment plant. No matter where it comes from, it must follow the
same route. Wastewater is sent to the sewer and sent to the next sewage
treatment facility via an underground pipe.
Sewage pumping stations, such as those available for pumps, often play a
decisive role at this stage. For example, if the room is under the main sewer
system (such as a basement bathroom or utility room), or if it is difficult to
connect to the main sewer system, you may need a sewage pumping station.
You will arrive where you need it.
2). Pre-screening
Many things that shouldn't be there go into the sewer. For example, diapers,
sanitary napkins, incontinence pads, condoms, cleaning and makeup wipes,
and plastic bags are not uncommon. Everything needs to be removed before
starting wastewater treatment. Debris and gravel washed off the street are
also removed at this stage.
3). Primary settlement
The next step in wastewater treatment is the separation of suspended solids.
To do this, the wastewater is pumped into a large sand basin. Solid particles
are heavy and will sink to the bottom of the tank. Here they can form a layer of
sludge and remove it.
4). Secondary wastewater treatment
After removing all the visible debris, it's time to work on the invisible debris.
This is done by a two-step biological process. First, the wastewater is held in
a large tank and air is pumped in to promote the growth of bacteria. This is
known as the "activated sludge method". The water then passes through a
special filter bed. These beds contain billions of "wasteful" bacteria that
essentially digest organic matter and break down waste into harmless
substances.
5). Third-line treatment
This is the final stage of wastewater treatment. At this point, the water is
already very clean. Only the last few particles of dirt need to be removed
before draining.
The exact tertiary wastewater treatment required depends on the type and
sensitivity of the water received. For example, bathing and mussel water
usually require disinfection. However, phosphorus and nitrates (that is,
nutrients in wastewater) must also be removed to protect waters that suffer
from eutrophication (nutrient abundance).
In both cases, the process is the same. Wastewater simply passes through a
special tank (so-called humus tank) or reed bed and is finally drained into the
selected body of water.

Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP):

Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) is a Wastewater Treatment process and is

designed to treat industrial, commercial, & residential wastewater by removing
contaminants (toxins, bacteria, wastewater, & sludge) from it for making them
reusable and its safe disposal into the environment.

Process of Effluent Treatment Plant:-

ETP takes untreated wastewater as input(influent) and produces effluent as

the output of this untreated wastewater and also extracts valuable substances
from effluent. It runs through various steps for its successful working such as
Equalisation, pH Control, Coagulation, Sedimentation, Filtration, Disinfection,
& Sludge Drying.

In today’s world, the quality of industrial & commercial wastewater is

increasing very rapidly and causing environmental pollution, contaminating
our natural resources, and many types of harmful diseases. The government
also takes some strict action against this issue and makes it mandatory for
every industry to establish ETP Plants for treating their wastewater and make
it reusable or disposed of safely into rivers, ponds, lakes, or any natural facility
without causing any pollution.

The design of an effluent treatment plant mainly depends on industry and site
as shown in the above design. Important factors considered during designing
ETP are traits of the site(soils, topology, geology, hydrology, climate) and
wastewater. Treated & Untreated effluent requirements are also considered in
designing the wastewater treatment plant process.