Preliminary Treatment of

Wastewater
Wastewater treatment stages
Preliminary Treatment Diagram
 Screening
Screening devices are usually employed as the first units, for the treatment of
incoming wastewater.
Screens can be defined as devices, with generally uniform openings for capturing
the solids of influent wastewater.
Depending on the operating mechanisms, screens can be classified into: (a)
coarse screens; (b) fine screens; and (c) microstrainers.
 Coarse screens
Coarse screens usually consist of equally spaced inclined vertical bars,
predominantly made of steel.
Coarse screens can further be classified into bar racks or bar screens, according
to the bar spacing.
Bar racks have clear spacing ranging between 5.08-10.16 cm, while bar screens
have clear spacing of 0.64-5.08 cm.
 Screen Cleaning
Screens can be cleaned manually, or mechanically.
Manually cleaned screens are only used in small treatment plants, typically
servicing a population equivalent (PE) of lower than 5000.
Mechanically raked screens are used for plants servicing a PE greater than 20000.
 Design Guidelines of Screen

Method of Cleaning
Parameter Unit
Manual Mechanical

Bar size
Width mm 5-15 5-15
Depth mm 25-38 25-38

Bar clearing space mm 25-50 15-75

Approach velocity
Maximum m/s 0.6-1.0
0.3-0.6
Minimum m/s 0.3-0.5

Allowable headloss mm 150 150-600

 Headloss Across Screens
The accumulation of solids across the bar racks can create hydraulic loss, which is a function of
upstream and downstream velocity through the bars (Figure 4.6), along with a discharge coefficient.
Bernoulli’s equation can be used to compute such headloss through bar racks, as illustrated in
Equation (4.1):

v2 V2
h1   h2   h (4.1)
2g 2g

and
V 2
 v2
h  h1  h2  (4.2)
2 gC 2

where h1= upstream depth of water, m

h2= downstream depth of water, m
h= headloss, m
V= flow velocity through bar rack, m/s
v= approach velocity in upstream channel, m/s
g= gravity acceleration, 9.81 m/s2
C= discharge coefficient, typically 0.84 (C2= 0.7)

Figure 4.6 Water flow profile across a bar screen.

Equation (4.2) can be rearranged into Equation (4.3), after considering the value of C.

1 V 2  v2
h  ( ) (4.3)
0.7 2g

Kirschmer (1926) proposed the following equation for computing headloss through racks:
 Headloss Across Screens
2
w 4 v
h  B( ) 3 sin 
b 2g

(4.4)

where h=headloss, m
w= maximum width of the bar with flow facing, m
b=minimum bar clear spacing, m
v=approach velocity towards the rack, m/s
g=gravity acceleration, 9.81 m/s2
θ=horizontal angle of the rack
B=bar shape factor

The value of bar shape factor (B) can be obtained from Table 4.2.

Table 4.2 Typical bar shape factors.a

Bar Type B
Sharp edged rectangular 2.42
Rectangular with semicircular face 1.83
Circular 1.79
a
after Lin (2007).
 Example
Headloss across coarse screens. Calculate the velocity through a rack, when approach velocity is
0.60 m/s, flow open area through clean bar rack is 0.15 m2 and headloss across the rack is 30 mm.
Also estimate the headloss, when 50% area of the flow area is blocked off due to coarse solids
accumulation.

Solution

1. Calculation of velocity through bar rack

The headloss across the rack can be computed employing Equation (4.3):

1 V 2  v2
h ( )
0.7 2g

V 2  ( 0.6 m / s ) 2
0.030 m 
0.7( 2  9.8 m / s 2 )

V  0.87 m / s

2. Calculation of headloss through the clogged bar rack

Reduction of screen area by 50% is associated with doubling of the velocity; as such, the velocity
through the clogged bar screen (V) is:

V  0.87  2  1.74 m / s

Assuming the flow coefficient for the clogged bar screen to be 0.6, the estimated headloss is:

1 (1.74m / s ) 2  (0.6m / s ) 2
h [ ]  0.22m
0.6 2(9.81m / s 2 )
 Fine Screen
Consist of wire, perforated plate, or closely spaced bars (with openings 1.5-6.4
mm).
Employed after coarse screens to retain finer materials from the incoming
wastewater (such as: agro and food processing industries).
Stainless-steel mesh or special wedge-shaped bars are commonly used as
screening medium.
 Microstrainers
Microstrainers are sometimes employed after fine screen, to achieve: (a) removal of algae; and
(b) further reduction of suspended solids from incoming wastewater.
Microstrainers are made of very fine fabric, or screen wound around a drum.
The drum which is usually 75% submerged continues to rotate, with water flowing from inside to
the outer portion of the drum. The solids retained by the strainers are removed by water jets
directed towards drum surface, and collected in a channel beneath the drum.
 Comminutor
o Comminutors, an alternative to racks or screens, cut coarse solids (from raw wastewater) to 6-10
mm, so that they do not interfere with other systems. Chopped solids are removed from the flow
during sedimentation process.
o The basic parts of a comminutor include a slotted drum rotating in the vertical plane, and a
cutting tooth.
o Stationary teeth shred the material intercepted by the screen; the shredded materials pass
through the drum slots. Barminutor is the most widely implemented comminuting device, which
uses a vertical screen with cutting head travelling up and down the rack of bars, thereby cutting
the intercepted materials.
 Grit

o Grit materials are common components of domestic and municipal wastewater, stormwater
runoff, and industrial sewage.
o These materials include inorganic solids such as pebbles, sand, silt, cinders, cigarette filters,
metal fragments etc; in addition, eggshells, bone chips, coffee grounds, and seeds are an inherent
proportion of grit materials.
o Grit materials can promote substantial wearing of mechanical equipment, pumps and clogging of
piping networks.
o As such, grit chambers are extremely important units of wastewater treatment plants, which
eventually protect the mechanical equipment from abrasion, reduce the deposition in pipelines
and digester cleaning frequency.
 Grit Removal: Constant Velocity Grit Chamber

The constant velocity grit chamber is usually equipped with two components.
The two components must be matched to have constant forward velocity (i.e. 0.3
m/s). The retention time usually varies between 1-2 min for grit settling, with low
yield capacity. This system is applicable for small treatment plants.
 Grit Removal: Aerated Grit Chamber

In larger treatment plant, the trend is toward aerated grit chambers.
In such systems, turbulence is created by the injection of compressed air to provide a
constant rate cross-current allowing settlement of heavier grit, whereas lighter organic
particles remain suspended and pass through the tank.
Proper control of the turbulence is essential for efficient functioning of aerated grit
chambers.
Extremely high turbulence washes away grit from the chambers; on the other hand,
lower turbulence promotes the removal of organic matter, along with grit.
Typically 0.0005-0.00236 m3/s of air per foot of chamber length is required with 3-5 min
retention time, to maintain the efficiency of aerated grit chambers.
Grit Removal: Aerated Grit Chamber

Table Aerated grit chamber design parameters.a

Item Unit Typical Design Values
Dimensions
Depth m 2-5
Length m 7.5-20
Width m 2.5-7
Width-depth ratio 1:1.5-1:2
Detention time at peak flow min 2-5
Grit quantities m3/10 m3 0.004-0.2
a
after Peavy et al., 1985
 Grease and Oil Removal

Effluent from kitchens, restaurants, oil refineries, and slaughter houses contains substantial
amount of grease and oil; such components, if not removed (from wastewater) can cause
deposits in air diffusers of biological units, and adversely effect bacteria and protozoa life in
biological reactors.

As such, grease and oil removal are extremely important for proper functioning of the treatment
plants, and are usually achieved through skimming tanks or floatation methods.
 Grease and Oil Removal: Skimming tanks
These units have baffled subsurface entrance and exit structures, which permit the floating
material to be retained.
Skimming tanks are usually designed with retention time 15 min or less.
Horizontal velocity of water is kept between 50-250 mm/s, to prevent deposition of organic
particles on the bottom.
 Grease and Oil Removal: Floatation

Floatation is required to separate solid or liquid materials from the liquid phase,
which is achieved by introducing fine gas bubbles into the bulk liquid.
The bubbles are attached into particulate materials, and the buoyant force of
combined particles and gas bubbles is adequate to cause particles to rise to the
water surface.
Particles, thus having higher density than liquid can be forced to rise.
 Floatation: DAF

Dissolved air floatation systems (DAF) are often implemented as floatation

chambers.
The basic components of a DAF system comprises of pressurizing pumps, air
injection facilities, retention tank, pressure reducing valve and floatation tank.
The operation mode of a DAF system can be classified into: (a) full flow mode;
and (b) recycle flow mode.
 DAF System with Full-Flow Mode
When a DAF system is operated under full flow mode, air is dissolved in wastewater under a
pressure of several atmospheres, followed by the release of pressure to the atmospheric level.
For small pressure systems, the total flow can be pressurized up to 275-350 kPa by a pump, with
compressed air added at the pump suction.
The entire flow is held in a retention tank under pressure for several minutes, to allow air
dissolving.
The flow is then admitted to the floatation tank through a pressure reducing valve, where air
comes out of solution in very fine bubbles attaching the particulate matter, and is removed by the
skimmer from the surface water.
 DAF System with Recycle-Flow Mode
• In a recycle flow mode DAF system, a portion of the DAF effluent (15-120%) is recycled,
pressurized and semi saturated with air.
• The recycled flow is mixed with unpressurized main stream, prior to the entrance point of the
floatation tank.
• Air comes out of the solution associated with particulate matter, at the entrance zone.
• Since relatively cleaner DAF effluent is utilized in recycling mode system, the blockage of diffusers
is generally reduced.
• However, the size of the floatation unit must be higher, for accommodating the combination of
incoming wastewater flow and recycled water.
 Equalization Basin
The purpose of equalization basins is to achieve mixing of wastewater of different volumes, in
order to obtain a uniform flow rate.
Equalization basins eliminate or reduce shock loadings, dilute inhibiting substances, and stabilize
pH, thereby enhancing smooth operation of the following biological reactors.
Such basins also enhance effluent water quality and thickening performances of secondary
sedimentation tanks, through consistent loading of solids.
In-line and Off-line Equalization Tank
Design Example :Coarse Screen
Design of coarse screens and aerated grit chambers. Design a coarse screen and aerated grit
chambers for wastewater treatment, employing the following information:

 Peak flow through the rack, Qp=0.9 m3/s

 Velocity through rack during peak flow, v= 0.8 m/s
 Angle of the rack to the horizontal,  =60°
 Upstream depth of wastewater, d=1.5 m
 Retention time in aerated grit chamber during peak flow=3 min
 Air supply= 0.00236 m3/s per ft
 Volume of grit to be produced during peak flow= 80 mL/m 3

Solution

a. Design of coarse screen.

Step 1. Determine total clean area (A) through the rack

QP
A
v

0 .9 m 3 / s
  1.12 m 2
0 .8 m / s

Step 2. Determine total width (w) of the opening at the rack

A
w
d

1.12
  0.75 m
1.5
Design Example: Coarse Screen

Choose a 25 mm clear opening

w 0.75m
Number of opening, n    30
opening 0.025m

Use 29 bars with 10 mm (0.01 m) width, and 50 mm thickness.

Step 4. Calculate width (W) of the chamber

W  0.75  0.01  29  1.04m

Step 5. Calculate height of the rack

1.5m
height   1.73m
sin 60

Allowing at least 0.6 m of freeboard, the total height 2.5 m is selected.

Equalization Tank Design
Volume of equalization tanks. Calculate the volume of the equalization tank of a treatment plant,
subjected to variable inflow rate (with time) as illustrated below.

Time Interval Flow (m3/h)

6.00 A.M-10.00 A.M 330
10.00 A.M -14.00P.M 150
14.00 P.M -18.00 P.M 400
18.00 P.M -22.00 P.M 80
22.00 P.M -2.00A.M 90
2.00A.M-6.00 A.M 150

Solution

Assuming the wastewater inflow is Q(t), constant pumping rate is Q p, and the process cycle time is
T, the volume of wastewater collected during the process cycle can be illustrated in Equation (4.9).

 Q( t )dt   Q( t )t
(4.9)
 Equalization Tank Design
If the volume of pumping rate is  Q p t , then the volume of the equalization tank can be computed
as the maximum difference between influent and pumped wastewater; such relation can be
illustrated as=  Q( t )t   Q p t . Employing the above relations the volume of the equalization
tank can be calculated, as illustrated below.

Time, ∆t Flow  Q( t )t  Q pt  Q( t )t   Q p t

4 330 1320 800 520

4 150 1920 1600 320
4 400 3520 2400 1120
4 80 3840 3200 640
4 90 4200 4000 200
4 150 4800 4800 0
4800
Qp =  200 m 3 / h
24

V  1120m 3