Example

• Design the settling tank (s) for Serowe water treatment plant expansion using design over flow
rate of 35 m/d.

• Vo was determined from 2.0 m column experiment

• The maximum day design flow is 0.5 m3/s.

• Assume a water temperature of 10˚C

Solution

• Surface area:

• Q = 0.5 m3/s = 0.5 m3/sx86400s/d = 43200 m3/d.

• AS = Q/Vo = 43200 m3/d/(35 m/d) = 1234 m2.

• Use a trial of 6 tanks:

• Area of each tank: 1234/6 = 206 m2.

• Assume width of 4.0 m

• Check length to width ratio

• L = 206/4.0 = 51.0 m

• L/w = 51/4 = 13 or 13: 1 since its larger than ratio of 6:1 is acceptable

• Trial depth

• Start with 2.0 m which was the column depth

• Make 0.5 m allowance of sludge depth, and 0.5 m of freeboard making a total depth of 3.0 m.

• Side water depth = 2.0 m

• If sludge zone is not counted the depth of the water is less than the design recommendation of
2.0 m

• Check velocity:

• V = Q/A = 0.5m3/s/(6 tanks x2m x4) = 0.0104 m/s within (0.005 – 0.018 m/s range)

• Provide launders for 1/3 of the tank length = 51/3 = 17 m.

• Place them at 1.0 m intervals on centre so that there are three in the tank (Launders typically
consist of troughs with v notch or square notch weir plates which should be carefully levelled to
allow the flow to exit the clarifier in a distributed and even manner)
 •

• Check weir loading rate:

43200
• WL = = 71 m3/d.m
(6 tanks)¿ ¿
• WL is below limit of 250 m3/d. m and is acceptable

Flocculators

• Flocculation tanks are to be designed for a total flow rate of 49200 m3/d.

• The following conditions apply to the design:

• Water mean detention time of 45 min, basin depth of 3.5 m, 3 parallel trains of flocculators
(each train receives one third of the total flow)

• 3 flocculation stages of the same dimensions for each train (so a total of 9 flocculators)

• The first stage G is 50/s, the second stage G is 35/s and the third stage G is 20/s

• Determine the dimensions of the tank for each stage as well as the overall dimensions in m

Solution

• Volume = tR*Q

• Detention time for each stage = 45/3 or 15 minutes

• Q for each train = 49200/3 = 16400 m3/d.

• Volume for each tank = 15 min*(16400m3/d)(d/1440min) = 171 m3.

• OR 45X16400/1440 = 512.5 m3 and volume for each of the three tanks is 512.5/3 = 171 m3.

• Overall volume = 9* volume of tank = 9*171 = 1534 m3.

• Depth must be 3.5 m, then area must be: 171/3.5 = 48.9 m2.

• Overall area: Voverall/3.5 = 1534/3.5 = 438.3 m2.

• Any combination of length and width giving the above square area is ok as long as L/W is below
11.
 • E.g. individual tank of 7x7x3.5 m

Overall size 21x21x3.5 m

• Average Gt value for overall process

• G average = (50/s+35/s+20/s)/3 = 35/s

• Gt = 35/s*45 min(60s/min) = 94500

• Power required for each stage, in Kw:

• P = μVg2 = 1.307 x 10-3 kg/m-sx171 m3(G)2

• Stage 1: 1.307 x 10-3 kg/m-sx171 m3(50)2 = 559 W = 0.56 Kw

• Stage 2: 1.307 x 10-3 kg/m-sx171 m3(35)2 = 0.27 kW

• Stage 2: 1.307 x 10-3 kg/m-sx171 m3(20)2 = 0.089 kW

Example

• Design a flocculation basin by determining the basin volume, tank dimensions, required input
power, impeller diameter, and its rotational speed using the following parameters and the
manufacturers data.

• Design flow rate = 11.5 x 103 m3/d

• Detention time, t = 30 minutes

• Three flocculator compartments with G = 70, 50, 30/s

• Water temp = 5˚C

• Place impeller at 1/3 water depth

• Manufacturers data:

Impelle Impeller diameter (m) K

r type

Radial 0.3 0.4 0.6 5.7

Axial 0.8 1.4 2.0 0.31

• Two flocculation basins are provided for redundancy at the design flow rate.

• The maximum day flow rate is assumed to be twice the average day flow rate.

11.5x103 m 3 /d
• Q= = 8.0 m3/min
1440 min/d
• Q = through each basin will be 8/2 = 4.0 m3/min
 • Volume of each basin, V = t*Q = 30 min x 4.0 m3/min = 120 m3.

• Each basin is divided into 3 compartments is 120/3 = 40 m3.

• With recommended water depth range of 3 to 4.5 m, assume water depth of 4.0 m

• Surface are = 40 m3/4.0 m = 10.0 m2.

• Choose a rectangular plan with length equal to width

• L = W: L*W = 10 m2

L = √ 10 , hence L=3.16 m

• Equivalent diameter:

πD 2
• A=
4
πD 2
• 10 m2 =
4
• D = 3.57 m

• Required power for each compartment

• G=
√ P
μV
• At 5˚C, μ = 1.519 x 10-3

• P1 = G2 x μV = 702x1.519 x 10-3x 40 = 297.72 w

• P2 = G2 x μV = 502x1.519 x 10-3x 40 = 152 w

• P2 = G2 x μV = 302x1.519 x 10-3x 40 = 55 w

• Because to efficiency of transfer of motor power to water power is about 80%, motor power for
each compartment should be :

• 1) 297.72/0.8 = 372.2 W

• 2) 152/0.8 = 190 W

• 3) 55/0.8 = 69 W

• Impeller located at 1/3 x 4.0 m = 1.33 m above bottom of the tank

Filtration
Parameter SSF RSF

Rate of 2-6 m3/m2.d 120-360

filtration m3/m2.d

Size of bed Large Small

Depth of bed Sand (1.2 – 1.5 70 cm sand, 40

m) reduced to cm gravel
70 cm after
scrapping

Size of sand ES = 0.2 mm, ES = 0.5 mm,

UC = < 3 UC = 1.2 -1.7

Grain size Unstratified Stratified

distribution in
the filter of
sand

Under drain Simple (stacked Complex

bricks, slabs, (manifold and
bricks) laterals)

Loss of head 5 cm initial 1.0 10 cm initial

m final 2.5 m final

Length of run 1-2 months 24 – 72 hours

between
cleanings

Penetration of Restricted to In-depth

suspended top layers penetration
matter

Method of Scrapping the Backwashing

cleaning top layer with water

Amount of 0.2 – 0.6% for 1 -5% of

wash water washing filtered water
used in scrapped sand
cleaning
Example
Solution