Lecture 3

CE-341
Environmental Engineering II
(2+1)

Instructor: Madiha Razzaq

Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (IESE)

School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (SCEE)
National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) Islamabad, Pakistan
 Primary Treatment

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 Primary Sedimentation Tank
 Objective
- Removal of 45-70% of TSS
- Removal of 25-40% of BOD

 PST is always designed on average flow

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 Zones of Sedimentation Tank
1. Inlet Zone: reduce velocity and distribute
water/wastewater over the entire cross
section of sedimentation basin.
2. Outlet Zone: provides a flow transition from
the settling zone to the effluent pipe.
3. Settling Zone: relatively quiet space where
particle settle.
4. Sludge Zone: receives and stores the sludge
(solids).

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 Ideal PST
 Design of PST is based on the concept of the ideal sedimentation tank, having
following characteristics
- The direction of flow is horizontal.

- The velocity of flow is uniform in all parts of the settling zone.

- Concentration of suspended particles is uniform along the vertical section of the inflow.

- The particle is removed as it reaches the bottom of the tank.

- The water is uniformly distributed along the cross section of the PST.

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 Primary Sedimentation Tank
 Detention Time: Theoretical time for which water will stay in PST
- Problem: A round clarifier handles a flow of 1 MGD. The clarifier is
52 feet in diameter and has a depth of 8 feet. Find the clarifier
detention time in hours.

 Flow through time

- Actual time for which water stays in the tank
- Determined by tracer study using NaCl

 Hydraulic Efficiency (HE)

- Flow through time/detention time

 For ideal PST, HE is 1

 For actual HE<1, HE of 0.7 is acceptable

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 Primary Sedimentation Tank
Surface Overflow Rate (SOR)
L = Length of settling zone
D = Depth of settling zone
W = Width of settling zone
Vs = Settling velocity of particle
Vw= Horizontal velocity of water
Q = Inflow to the tank

𝑉𝑠 𝑉𝑤
=
𝐷 𝐿

𝑉𝑤. 𝐷. 𝑊
𝑉𝑠 =
𝐿. 𝑊
Corresponding sides are in proportion 𝑄 𝑄
Surface overflow rate 𝑉𝑠 = =
𝑆𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝐴𝑠
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 Surface Overflow Rate
Surface overflow rate (SOR) is numerically equal to the flow divided by the plan area of
the basin, but which physically represents the settling velocity of the slowest settling
particle which is 100% removed. Those particles which settle at velocities equal to or
greater than SOR will be entirely removed.

𝑄 𝑄
𝑉𝑠 = =
𝑆𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝐴𝑠

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 Important Conclusions
1. Surface area effects removal efficiency of a sedimentation basin. Larger area removes
even smaller particles, hence giving better efficiency.
2. Efficiency of a sedimentation tank is independent of its depth. However, minimum depth
is required.

Which tank has more removal efficiency?

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 Characteristics of Inlet
 Reduces entrance velocity to prevent pronounced currents
towards the outlet (i.e. prohibit short-circuiting)
 Distributes the water uniformly over the entire cross-section
of the tank.

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 Characteristics of Outlet
 Outlets are freefalling weirs which allow the wastewater to pass over the surface of
sedimentation tank

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 Inlet and outlet of Circular PST
 Inlet is a pipe in the centre of tank with a circular drum to reduce the entrance
velocity; outlet are typically V-notches.

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 Design Criteria
1. Design flow is Average flow

2. Surface overflow Rate (SOR):20-40 m3/m2.day (m/day)

3. Depth: 3-4 m

4. Detention Time: 2-4 hour

5. Sludge Accumulation: =2.5 kg of sludge (solids)/m3 of flow/day

6. Weir Loading: 125-500 m3/m length of weir/day.

 A typical value is 250 m3/m length of weir/day. (to prevent high approach velocity at outlets)

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 Design Criteria
7. Shapes
i. Rectangular
 Max L: W - 4: 1
 Flow pattern = horizontal
 Max length = 30m, max width = 6-8m
 Sludge removal = chain and flight solid collector or travelling bridge type collector

ii. Circular (mostly preferred)

 Dia = 10-30 m
 Flow pattern = radial
 Sludge removal = with scrappers moving in hoppered bottom

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 Design Problem of PST
Design a circular PST for a community having a design, population of 46,900 persons with
an average water consumption of 200 LPCD. Use SOR = 20m/d, detention time = 3 hour,
weir loading rate = 250 m3/m day. Take at least two units.

Solution steps
1. Average flow
2. Surface area
3. Diameter of circular tank
4. Volume and depth of PST

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