2.

CHARACTERISTICS OF WASTEWATER
 The design of a wastewater treatment plant requires
knowledge of its characteristics:

• Quantity or flow rate of wastewater.

− Required to determine the size of the various unit
operations and unit processes

• Quality of raw wastewater.

− Required to determine types of unit operations and
processes to be used.
− Required to evaluate effectiveness/performance of
implemented unit operations and processes.
− Required to determine suitability of final effluent for
disposal or reuse.
 2.1. WW sources and quantity

Sources /components/ of wastewater flow

 Domestic sewage: discharges from residential, commercial and

institutional facilities (toilets, laundry, kitchen sinks …)
 Industrial discharge: from different industries (used for
manufacturing purposes)
 Storm runoff: (if drainage system is combined type) runoff from
rain
 Infiltration/Inflow (I/I): Water that enters the sewer system
through direct (relatively unpolluted water through drains) and
indirect means (GW seepage through cracks).
• Most treatment units are designed to produce the required effluent quality when
treating the maximum day flow.
* See different applications of flow rate types (P199 Metcalf & Eddy)

• For areas served with sewers, wastewater flow rates are commonly determined
from existing records or by direct field measurement plus an allowance for
future change

Future growth of daily flow rate depends on changes in

 climate,
 living standard/economy/,
 quality of water supply or
 water conservation efforts
 For new developments, wastewater flow rates can be obtained from
recorded avg. wastewater flow rates per unit (l/c/d, l/ha/d) from
similar communities,

(climate, living standard/economy/, quality of water supply or water

conservation practices)
 allowance for future change of flow rates

 And multiplied by corresponding analysis of projected

 Population data,
 Commercial areas/institutions and
 Number of industries /industrial areas
 Apply peaking factor
 2.1. WW sources and quantity

Harmon’s formula
For max. PF=1

Babbitt's formula

PF = 15.05 Q-0.167 , Where Q WW discharge is in m3/d

 2.1. WW sources and quantity

 If no records on waste water flow rates are found, water

supply flow rate records can often be used

Then about 85% of the water consumption can be considered

as wastewater
 2.1. WW sources and quantity

• Design flow = max. flow + I/I

l/ha/d
• From recorded data,
I/I = wet weather average flow - base (dry weather) avg. flow
Depend on;
 GW level
 Soil type
 Age of sewerage system
 Workmanship in construction
 Character of maintenance
 Building connection
 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic/quality of
Wastewater
Physical Characteristics
 suspended solids, turbidity , color, odor, temperature
Chemical Characteristics
 Alkalinity, pH, Chloride Contents, Dissolved gases,
Nitrogen compounds, Phosphorus, Presence of Fats,
Oils and Greases, Sulphides, Sulphates and
Hydrogen Sulphide Gas, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Bio-
Chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen
Demand (COD), Total Organic Carbon
Biological Characteristics
 Bacteria, protozoa, helminthes & viruses
 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic of
Wastewater
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Suspended / settleable solids;
Are particles that are larger than 10 microns (0.01mm)
Settle in practical duration of time

Due to mostly organic and inorganic solids from animal

excreta, industrial processing and cleaning activities

Effluent discharge with excessive SS can also result in the

deposition of sludge into the aquatic system and occurrence
of anaerobic condition

Filter sample of WW and heat filtrate to dryness and measure its

weight
 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic of
Wastewater
Turbidity
is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of
individual particles that are generally un dissolved and invisible to
the naked eye.
A measure of light transmitting property of wastewater
Due to detergents, soaps, dyes and emulsifying agents from
industries and households
Blocks light penetration in to water bodies
 Can shield bacteria from disinfectants
 Photometrically determined by the percentage of light
of a given intensity that is either absorbed or scattered

color, odor,
- Aesthetic impact,
Temperature
 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic of
Wastewater
CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS, INORGANIC
pH
•is a method of expressing the hydrogen ion concentration

•Due to industrial or other nondomestic discharges

•pH is an important limiting chemical factor for aquatic life

•Wastewater with an extreme concentration of hydrogen ion is

difficult to treat by biological means.

•PH meter
 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic of
Wastewater
Chloride Contents
•derived from the kitchen wastes, human feces, and urinary discharges,
etc.
•Industrial processes such as battery manufacturing, pulp mills, bullion
refining, electroplating, pesticide manufacturing, etc are the main
sources of chlorides in water.

•Chloride is necessary for water habitats to thrive, yet high levels is toxic
to aquatic life and impacts vegetation and wildlife

•High chloride concentrations in freshwater can harm aquatic organisms

by hindering survival, growth, and reproduction.

•Measured using specific ion electrode

Physical, Chemical and Bacteriological
Characteristic of Wastewater
 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic of
Wastewater
ALKALINITY
• the ability of a wastewater to neutralize acid or to absorb
hydrogen ions.
• Wastewater receives its alkalinity from the water supply, (the
groundwater) and the materials added during domestic use.

• Insufficient alkalinity present in the wastewater makes

neutralizing acids generated by the active biomass during
waste treatment difficult.

• Alkalinity is determined by titrating against a standard acid

 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic of
Wastewater
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is an essential building block in the synthesis of protein
Nitrogen compounds
a) Organic nitrogen;
b) Free ammonia, called ammonia nitrogen;
c) Nitrites; and
d) Nitrates
 Animal excreta, kitchen wastes
 If these cpds enter drinking water sources health impact/Blue baby
 Nitrites are toxic to fish and
 can also react with chlorine used for disinfection, hence, increasing treatment
cost
Concentration is typically determined colorimetrically, titrimetrically, or with
specific-ion electrodes.
 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic of
Wastewater
Phosphorus
•Animal excreta, detergents and from different industries
•Excessive amounts can cause stream damage and excessive
algal growth Eutrophication.

•Orthophosphates can be determined by directly adding a

substance such as ammonium molybdate which will form a
colored complex with the phosphate

•Other forms of phosphates must be converted to

orthophosphates using an acid digestion step
 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic of
Wastewater
Heavy Metals
• Arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury …
• Major sources are industrial discharges

• Toxic, carcinogen and mutagen (p79 Metcalf & Eddy)

• should be removed by pretreatment at the site of the industry
rather than be mixed with the municipal wastewater.
• Metals are determined typically by
 Flame atomic absorption,
 Electro thermal atomic absorption,
 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic of
Wastewater
CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS, ORGANIC
•Are compounds that contain carbon
Biodegradable and non biodegradable (refractory)
•Biodegradable Organics: utilized for food by naturally occurring
microorganisms within a reasonable length of time.

•Domestic & food preparation industries

•The greater the BOD, the more rapidly oxygen is depleted in the
water body.
•The consequences of high BOD is;
– aquatic organisms become stressed, suffocate, and die.
2.2. Physical, Chemical and Bacteriological
Characteristic of Wastewater
• The amount of organic compounds in wastewater is generally
evaluated by biological oxygen demand (BOD) test and
chemical oxygen demand (COD) test

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)

• Is an indirect measure of the quantity of biodegradable
organic matter, by measuring oxygen required for oxidation
of organic matter by aerobic biological action.
 5 day BOD test
 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic of
Wastewater
• The amount of organic compounds in wastewater is generally
evaluated by biological oxygen demand (BOD) test and
chemical oxygen demand (COD) test

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)

• Is an indirect measure of the quantity of biodegradable
organic matter, by measuring oxygen required for oxidation
of organic matter by aerobic biological action.
 5 day BOD test
 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic of
Wastewater
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)

•measures the total quantity of oxygen required for oxidation

of organics into carbon dioxide and water chemically.
•it measures everything, including nitrogen cpds, sulfur
compounds and non-biodegradable organic matter that can be
oxidized chemically.
Oxidizing sample by strong oxidizing chemical (Potassium
Permanganate) under acidic condition
2.2. Physical, Chemical and Bacteriological
Characteristic of Wastewater
PRESENCE OF FATS, OILS AND GREASES
have low solubility in wastewater, resulting in relatively low
biodegradability by microorganisms.
are largely derived from the discharges of animals, garages, kitchens of
hotels and restaurants, etc.
as well as petroleum sources (e.g., kerosene, lubricating oils)
- blockages, pump failures
- create unsightly films
- Contribute to oxygen depletion in natural water bodies
•Removal takes place at source site before discharging it to receiving system
Determined by extraction of the waste sample with trichloro trifluoro
ethane
 2.2. Physical, Chemical and
Bacteriological Characteristic of
Wastewater
BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The presence of bacteria and other living microorganisms, such as algae,

fungi, viruses, protozoa, etc.
Pathogenic organisms include bacteria, protozoa, helminthes and viruses
Health hazard to down stream users (irrigation or whoever comes in
direct contact),
We do not usually test waters for all of these organisms but we use
indicator organisms to determine if it is possible that animal or human
waste has contaminated the water (thus the presence of pathogens is
likely).
Coliform bacteria are used as an indicator of disease-causing
organisms /bactriologically polluted water.
Membrane filtration or Multiple tube fermentation methods
Assignment
Do a literature review on the common
laboratory test methods, procedures and
analysis of each discussed contaminants.
 2.3 Measurement of Concentration of
Contaminants in Wastewater
As the populations of many cities grew significantly larger during the late
19thCentury (due to industrial expansion),

 Sewer systems were installed to transport domestic and industrial

wastewater to rivers or other surface waters for disposal with little or no
treatment
Primary wastewater treatment, that employed only sedimentation basins,
removed large debris and readily settle able solids

however, the majority of the organic material was not removed because it
was either dissolved or of low density so that it settled slowly.
Thus, as human populations increased further, so did the loading of organics to
the nearby surface waters.

The increased organic loading stimulated microbial decomposition that

utilized dissolved oxygen (DO) in the surface water.
 Measurement of Concentration of
Contaminants in Wastewater
This consumption of DO and attendant DO depletion in many cases led to
the development of anaerobic conditions that could not support desired
aquatic life, such as fish, and also caused aesthetic water quality problems
After more important priorities such as disinfection (pathogen
destruction) were addressed, the depletion of dissolved oxygen and its
consequences in natural water bodies thus became a primary water quality
concern
Secondary wastewater treatment was then introduced to biologically
remove the organic matter to alleviate this problem.
by exposing the main wastewater stream to biological action, the
organisms utilize the soluble organic matter as a food source, thus
removing it.
Wastewater treatment facilities were issued permits which established
maximum allowable levels of oxygen demanding wastes
 wastewater has complex contaminant composition it is impossible to
obtain complete chemical analysis of most wastewaters.
But it is relatively easy to measure the amount of oxygen used by the
bacteria as they oxidize the wastewater
 Measurement of Concentration of
Contaminants in Wastewater

 To do this you don't need to know the individual

chemical makeup of the wastewater just the gross
amount of oxygen required to degrade those
chemicals is required.
 Measurement of Concentration of
Contaminants in Wastewater
Gross Organic Content Measurements
1. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
2. is determined by performing a lab. test with a strong oxidant
like dichromate solution.
3. Principle:- Organic and oxidizable inorganic materials can be
oxidized to carbon dioxide with a strong oxidizing agent under
acidic condition at high temperature
4. In order to perform this test, a known quantity of WW is mixed
with a known quantity of standard solution of potassium
dichromate, and the mixture is heated.
5. The organic matter is oxidized by K2Cr2O7 (in the presence of
H2SO4 (helps to digest/break down the complex molecules).
6. COD used more of to measure non-biodegradable matter.
33
 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
cont.

• The oxygen demand is determined either from a titrimetric or spectrophotometric

determination of the remaining oxidant.
• COD is quantified in spectrophotometric method by measuring the absorbance of light by
the sample
• Chromium species are colored and absorb light or radiation.
• Absorbance of light is correlated to a COD concentration value.
 The advantage of COD measurements is that they are obtained very quickly (within 2hours)
the disadvantages, they do not give any information on the proportion of the WW that can
be oxidized by bacteria. Can be done by BOD test
 Measurement of Concentration of
Contaminants in Wastewater
• Oxygen demand of WW is exerted by three classes of materials:
 Carbonaceous organic materials usable as a source of food by aerobic organisms

Oxygen demand
 Oxidizable nitrogen derived from nitrite, ammonia, and organic nitrogen compounds
which serve as food for specific bacteria (e.g., Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter).
Nitrosomonas

Nitrobacter

 Chemical reducing compounds, e.g., ferrous ion (Fe2+), sulfites (SO32-), and
sulfide (S2-) which are oxidized by dissolved oxygen.
 For domestic sewage, nearly all oxygen demand is due to carbonaceous organic
materials
 For effluents subjected to biological treatment, a considerable part of the
oxygen demand may be due to nitrification.

35
 Measurement of Concentration of
Contaminants in Wastewater
2. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
• amount of oxygen used in metabolism of biodegradable organics
• The carbonaceous BOD (CBOD) is the amount of oxygen required by microorganisms
to decompose carbonaceous material that are subject to microbial decomposition.
• This is the first stage of oxidation and the corresponding BOD is known as the first
stage demand.

• In the 2nd stage, nitrogenous matter

oxidized, and the corresponding
BOD is called second stage BOD or
nitrifying demand (NBOD).
• In the BOD test, the CBOD is the
desired measurement since
ammonia can be measured directly
by ammonia probe quickly and
36
directly
 Measurement of Concentration of
Contaminants in Wastewater
• distilled water with no evidence of toxicity and trace organics (checked
with blanks) is made to saturate with DO,
• small sample of the wastewater to be tested is placed in a BOD bottle
(volume =300 mL). The bottle is then filled with dilution water saturated in
oxygen and containing the nutrients required for biological growth
• nitrification inhibitor is also added during the BOD test so that only
oxygen uptake associated with the oxidation of organic compounds (i.e.
carbonaceous BOD or CBOD) is measured during the test.
• Normally, several dilutions are prepared to cover the complete range of
possible values.
• Then the oxygen concentration in the bottle is measured, DOi
• After the bottle is incubated for 5 days at 200C, the dissolved oxygen
concentration is measured again, DOf
DOi  DOf Volumeofun dilutedsample
BOD5  Where , DF 
Volumeofdi lutedsample
DF
37
 Measurement of Concentration of
Contaminants in Wastewater

• It would take the bacteria in a wastewater sample 20 - plus days to

assimilate all the consumable material in a water sample.
• Because it is impractical to wait for the test to finalize and to
achieve ultimate results faster, an approximation using the BOD5
Can be made using mathematical model based on the change in
rate of oxygen depletion.

38
2.4. Mathematical Model for the BOD Curve

39
 Mathematical Model for the BOD Curve

The rate of oxygen utilization, at a given

incubation time decreases as
concentration of organic matter
remaining un-oxidized becomes
gradually smaller.

Fig. First stage BOD curve

40
Mathematical Model for the BOD Curve

41
 Mathematical Model for the BOD Curve
Fig. of BOD exertion as a function of KD
KD (deoxygenating rate) value

The value of KD determines the

speed of the BOD reaction,
without influencing the ultimate
BOD

42
 Mathematical Model for the BOD Curve
Example 1
• The dissolved oxygen in an unseeded sample of diluted wastewater
having an initial DO of 9.0 mg/L is measured to be 3.0 mg/L after 5
days. The dilution fraction is 0.03 and reaction rate constant k =
0.22 day-1 Calculate
a) 5 day BOD of the waste,
b) ultimate carbonaceous BOD, and
c) What would be remaining oxygen demand after 5 days?

43
 Mathematical Model for the BOD Curve

Example 2
• Determine the ultimate BOD for wastewater having 5 day BOD at
20oC as 160mg/l. Assume reaction rate constant of 0.2 per day.
 Mathematical Model for the BOD Curve
Example 3
• The BOD of sewage incubated for one day at 30oC has been found
to be 100mg/l. What will be the five day BOD? Assume k=0.12 at
20oC, and θ = 1.056
Mathematical Model for the BOD Curve

46
Mathematical Model for the BOD Curve

47
 Mathematical Model for the BOD Curve

Exercise
• The BOD versus time data for the first 5 days of a BOD
test are obtained as follows:
Time
BOD (mg/L)
(days)
2 7
5 16
8 23

• Calculate k; and & ultimate BOD.

 2.5. Wastewater Treatment Standards
Standards are developed to ensure that the impacts of treated
wastewater discharges into ambient waters, land or reuse are
acceptable.
Standards can be;
- Max. contaminant concentration standards or
- Technology based standards
water quality standards are developed depending on the
characteristics or assimilating capacity of the receiving environment
characterized by
-Extent of water quality
-Diluting capacity (for rivers & lakes)
-Sensitivity or Designated water uses (in case of reuse),
-Location/ distance of dischargers
Accordingly there are some variations among countries relative to
effluent disposal limitations and requirements 49
 •THE MANUFACTURE AND FINISHING OF TEXTILES
•Limit Values for Discharges to Parameter Limit Values
Water Temperature 40 C
•TANNING AND LEATHER FINISHING pH 6–9
BOD5 at 20C 90% removal or 50 mg/l, whichever
Parameter Limit Value is less
Temperature 40 C Total nitrogen (as N) 80% removal or 40 mg/l, whichever
is less
pH 6–9 COD (mg O2 /l) 80% removal or 150 mg/l, whichever
BOD5 at 20C 90% removal or 200 mg/l, is less
whichever is less Total phosphorus (as P) 80% removal or 10 mg/l, whichever
is less
COD 500 mg/l Suspended solids 30
Suspended solids 50 mg/l Total ammonia (as N) 20
Total ammonia (as 30 mg/l Oils, fats & grease 20
Phenols 1
N)
Mercury (as Hg) 0.001
Total nitrogen (as N) 80% removal or 60 mg/l, Nickel (as Ni) 2
whichever is less Cobalt (as Co) 1
Total phosphorus (as 80% removal or 10 mg/l, Lead (as Pb) 0.5
Antimony (as Sb) 2
P) whichever is less Tin (as Sn) 5
Oils, fats, and grease 15 mg/l Chromium (as Cr VI) 0.1
Mineral oils at oil 20 mg/l Chromium (as total Cr) 1
trap or interceptors Arsenic (as As) 0.25
Chromium (as total 2 mg/l Cadmium (as Cd) 1
Zinc (as Zn) 5
Cr) Copper (as Cu) 2
Chromium (as Cr 0.1 mg/l Mineral oils (Interceptors) 20
VI) Benzene, toluene & xylene 1
Chlorides (as Cl) 1000 mg/l (combined)
Mineral oils (Biological Treatment) 5
Sulphides (as S) 1 mg/l Organochlorine pesticides (as Cl) 0.03
Phenols 1 mg/l Mothproofing agents (as Cl) 0.003
Organophosphorus pesticides (as P) 0.003
Adsorbable organic halogen 5
FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY, ETHIOPIA compounds (AOX)
Sulphide (as S) 2
CONTROLLED APPLICATION OF EFFLUENTS TO LAND EFFLUENT DISCHARGES TO INLAND
WATERS
Parameter Emission Limit Value Parameter Emission Limit Value
(mg/l) (mg/l)
PH 5.5 – 9 pH units
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) at 20°C 500 pH 6–9
Total dissolved solids (TDS) 2100 Temperature 40°C
Fats, oils and grease 30 Biochemical oxygen demand
Arsenic (as As) 0.25 (BOD5) at 20°C 80
Barium (as Ba) 10
Boron (as B) 5 Chemical oxygen demand
(COD) 250
Cadmium (as CD) 1
Chromium (as total Cr) 2 Suspended solids (SS) 100
Chromium (as hexavalent Cr) 0.5 Total dissolved solids (TDS) 3000
Cobalt (as Co) 1 Total kjeldahl nitrogen (as N) 80
Copper (as Cu) 2 Total ammonia (as N) 30
Cyanide (as Cn) 0.5
Ammonia (as free ammonia) 5
Lead (as Pb) 0.5
Manganese (as Mn) 5 Nitrate (as N) 20
Mercury (as Hg) 0.001 Dissolved phosphorus (as P) 5
Nickel (as Ni) 3 Total phosphate (as P) 10
Selenium (as Se) 1 Fats, oils and grease 20
Silver (as Ag) 1 Aluminium (as Al) 0.2
Tin (as Sn) 5
Arsenic (as As) 0.25
Zinc (as Zn) 5
Total Heavy Metals (Combined) 15 Barium (as Ba) 10
Chloride (as Cl) 1000 Boron (as B) 5
Fluoride (as F) 20 Cadmium (as CD) 1
Sulphate (SO4) 1000

FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY, ETHIOPIA

The primary wastewater quality parameters of importance from an agricultural viewpoint
are;
Parameters Symbol Unit Parameters Symbol Unit
Physical Carbonate CO3-- me/l

Total dissolved solids TDS mg/l Bicarbonate HCO3- me/l

Electrical conductivity Ecw dS/m1
Chloride Cl- me/l
Temperature T °C
Colour/Turbidity NTU/JTU2
Sulphate SO4-- me/l
Hardness mg equiv.
Sodium adsorption ratio SAR
CaCO3/l
Sediments g/l Boron B mg/l4
Trace metals mg/l
Chemical
Heavy metals mg/l
Acidity/Basicity pH
Nitrate-Nitrogen NO3-N mg/l
Type and concentration of
anions and cations: Phosphate Phosphorus PO4-P mg/l
Calcium Ca++ me/l3 Potassium K mg/l

Magnesium Mg++ me/l

Sodium Na+ me/l

 2.6. Flow Sheets for WWT Systems
• The term "flow sheet" is used to describe a particular combination
of unit operations and processes used to achieve a specific
treatment objective.
• Flow sheet preparation is important step in overall design of wastewater
treatment and requires thorough understanding of the treatment units which
are generally described as,
 preliminary treatment (large suspensions and floating matter
removal)
 primary (suspended solids removing units)
 Secondary (biological organic matter removal units)
 Tertiary treatment system (polishing units)
 Sludge treatment (stabilizing and dewatering units)
• One can select unit operations and processes depending on the
– characteristics of the sewage,
– required level of contaminants in the treated effluents,
– available area and cost.
56
It is possible to replace the activated sludge process or trickling filter process by
low cost treatment devices such as oxidation ditch, aerated lagoon or waste
stabilization ponds.
Flow Sheets for WWT Systems

58
 Unit 3
Preliminary and primary wastewater treatment

60
 3.1. Preliminary Treatment
• Consists solely in separating the floating materials and heavy settleable
inorganic solids.
• It also helps in removing the oils and greases, etc.
reduces the BOD of the WW, by about 15 to 30%.

• The treatment units used include:

 Screens
 Communitors
 Floatation (Skimming tanks )
 Grit chambers or Detritus tanks
 Flow measuring
 Pumping
 Pre-aeration
61
 Preliminary Treatment
3.1.1 Screening
 found at the start of the wastewater treatment plants
 a device with openings of uniform size to retain solids in influent wastewater
remove the coarse and floating matter, such as pieces of cloth, paper, wood,
cork, hair, fiber, kitchen refuse, fecal solids, etc. to
- prevent damage of equipment
i.e., If floating materials are not removed, will choke the pipes, or
adversely affect the working of the sewage pumps

62
 Preliminary Treatment

Based on the cleaning operation they are classified

as;
1. Manually cleaned screens (for small installations)
- Screen is usually mounted at an angle of
45-70 from horizontal
2.Mechanically cleaned screens (For Large
installations)
- Such devices may be operated either by time
clocks or by pressure-sensing probes
- Screen is usually mounted at an angle of 70-90
from horizontal

Depending upon the size of the openings, screens

may be classified as
 coarse screens, 50mm-150mm opening size
 medium screens, 6mm to 50 mm. and
 fine screens. <6mm
 Preliminary Treatment

Design of Coarse/medium screens

Factors to consider;
1) Number of screens: plants should have a standby screen to put in
operation when the primary screening device is out of service.
2)Approach velocity; minimum approach velocity in the bar screen
channel is 0.6m/s to prevent solids deposition

3) Velocity between bars; Maximum velocity between bars is 0.9m/s

to prevent wash out of solids through the bars
4)clear openings between bars or mesh size
5) Head Loss through the screens;
hL through clean bar screens, Kirschmer has proposed the following
expression
where h = the head loss across the screen (m);
 = the shape factor
4 2 w = the maximum bar width (mm);
 w  3 Va
h    sin  b = the minimum opening width (mm);
b 2g Va = the velocity in the approach channel (m/s);
g = acceleration due to gravity, and
 = the angle of inclination of the bars to the horizontal (commonly 30).
 Preliminary Treatment
 Since it only applies when the bars are clean, the buildup of head loss can
be estimated by assuming that a part of the open space in the upper
portion of the bars in the flow path is clogged.

• Another expression commonly used for head loss;

 Preliminary Treatment

Bar screen Gross section Ac= channel cross section, m2

*Note: Usually, rectangular channels are used, and the ratio between depth and width is
taken as 1.5 to give the most efficient section
 Preliminary Treatment
Example1

0.0741m
0.6
 Preliminary Treatment

Example 2
A mechanical bar screen is to be used in an approach channel with a
maximum velocity of 1 m/s. The bars are 15 mm thick, and the
openings are 25 mm wide. Determine:
• The velocity between the bars
• The head loss in meters
 Preliminary Treatment
Fine Screens:
Have perforations of less than 6 mm in size.
The installation of these screens proves very effective, and remove
20% of the suspended solids.
Get clogged very often, and need frequent cleaning. (not suitable
for sewage preliminary treatment)
Used for pretreatment in industrial wastes
Other uses include primary treatment (as a substitute for primary
clarifiers)
 Preliminary Treatment
Disposal of Screenings
Screening is material separated by screens.
It contains 85 to 90% of moisture and other floating matter.
It may also contain some organic load which may putrefy, causing bad smells
and nuisance.
To avoid such possibilities, the screenings are disposed of either by:
Removal by hauling to disposal areas (landfill) including co disposal with
municipal solid wastes,
Disposal by burial on the plant site (for small installations only),
Incineration either alone or in combination with sludge and grit (large
installations only), and
Discharge to grinders or macerators where it is grounded and returned to the
wastewater

74
 Preliminary Treatment
3.1.2. Comminutors/shredder
- Located ahead of sludge pumps
-Preceded by grit chambers to prolong the Life of the equipment and to reduce the
wear on the cutting surfaces.

-Shred large organic material to size

6mm without removing the shredded
solids from the flow stream.
-Comminutors are commonly
employed where it is undesirable,
impractical or uneconomic to remove
solids due to the lack of disposal
options.
-Eliminate the messy and offensive
task of handling and disposal of
screenings.
Figure of Comminutor and shredder

76
 Preliminary Treatment
-Because these units are complete in themselves, no detailed design is
necessary.

-Manufacturers' data and rating tables for these units should be consulted
for different capacity ranges,
Discharge /capacity
headloss, and
power requirements.

-Because manufacturers' capacity ratings are usually based on clean water,

the ratings should be decreased by approximately 80% to account for
partial clogging of openings

- Comminutors should be provided with a bypass arrangement for repair

during mechanical failure or during power failure.
3.1.3. Grit Chamber
 Types of Velocity Control Devices
Principle Constant velocity is maintained by
combination of proper cross-sectional geometry of
the chamber and control device.

The condition of constant velocity is maintained,

provided the width of the basin varies so that
where n is the discharge coefficient of the control
section.
 Preliminary Treatment

- A rectangular channel with a sutro (proportional) weir, with

free fall downstream of the channel.
- A parabolic shaped channel with a rectangular weir.

- A rectangular shaped channel with a parshall flume at the end

which would also help easy flow measurement.
 Preliminary Treatment
Example /grit chamber/
• Design a grit –removal system consisting of three identical
channels for a plant which has a max flow of 65,000 m3/day,
an average flow of 50,000 m3/day and a minimum flow of
20,000 m3/day. Use parabolic channels. The design velocity
(Vh) is 0.25 m/s and Vs is 0.02m/sec. (use hourly peak flow
rate of 80,000m3/d)
 Preliminary Treatment
Solution
The max flow per channel will be
- 65,000/3= 21666 m3/day = 0.25 m3/s
The average flow per channel will be
- 50,000/3= 16,666 m3/day = 0.19 m3/s.
The minimum flow per channel will be
- 20,000/3= 6,666 m3/day = 0.077 m3/s

• A = Q/V
• Amax. = 0.25/0.25 = 1.0 m2
• A average = 0.19/0.25 = 0.76 m2
• A min = 0.077/0.25 = 0.31 m2
 Preliminary Treatment
 Typical width 0.6 - 1.5m
 Length 3 - 25m
Solution
• For parabolic channel …………..A= 2/3* W*D
• The channel can have any appropriate combination of width and depth.
• For width of 1.5 m at a maximum depth should equal:
A max = 1.0 = 2/3 * 1.5 *Dmax. , D max = 1.0 m

• The control section will produce critical depth, dc thus, the control velocity
= Vc and
dc = Vc2/g. ………..ref

• The total energy head in the control is

vc2/g + Vc2/2g
 Preliminary Treatment
Solution
• If we assume the head loss in the control is 10% of the
velocity head, then
D = Vc2/g + Vc2/2g + 0.1Vc2/2g = 3.1 Vc2/2g
Vc = (2 g D/ 3.1)0.5
• At a maximum flow, Qmax, with Dmax = 1 m ,
Vc= (2*9.8* 1/3.1)0.5 = 2.5 m/s
dc = Vc2/g ……….. dc = 0.64 m
• And the width of control device section
wc = Q / (Vc *dc) = 0.25 /(2.5 * 0.64) = 0.16m
• For other flow conditions:
 Preliminary Treatment
Channel control device/rectangular/
Q Vchannel
(m3/s) (m/s) A(m2) W (m) D (m) Vc (m) dc (m) Wc (m)
0.31 0.25 1.24 1.65 1.11 2.65 0.72 0.16
0.25 0.25 1 1.5 1 2.52 0.65 0.15
0.19 0.25 0.76 1.41 0.81 2.26 0.52 0.16
0.077 0.25 0.308 1.03 0.45 1.68 0.29 0.16
The length of the basin depends on
the ratio of settling velocity and
horizontal velocity.
Vh/Vs = L/D at peak flow

L = D (Vh/Vs)
The length of the channel,
L = 1.11(0.25/0.02) = 13.2 m
 Preliminary Treatment
Reading assignment
• Design of parshall flume and proportional
weir for rectangular chambers
3.2. Primary Treatment
Primary Treatment
 Unit preceding biological treatment process so as to reduce BOD thereby
removing suspended organic solids.
 The very fundamental principle underlying the process of sedimentation is
that;
Organic matter present in sewage having specific gravity greater than
that of water (i.e. 1.0) is separated by gravity.

 Physical operation units where removal takes place due to gravitational

force are called Sedimentation tanks
→ SSs are separated by settling to the bottom of sedimentation tanks
 Efficiently designed and operated primary sedimentation tanks should
remove 50-70% of the SS and from 25 to 40 % of the BOD.

 There are generally four different types of sedimentation behaviors

 Unit preceding biological treatment process so as to reduce BOD thereby
removing suspended organic solids.
 The very fundamental principle underlying the process of sedimentation is
that;
Organic matter present in sewage having specific gravity greater than
that of water (i.e. 1.0) is separated by gravity.

 Physical operation units where removal takes place due to gravitational

force are called Sedimentation tanks
→ SSs are separated by settling to the bottom of sedimentation tanks
 Efficiently designed and operated primary sedimentation tanks should
remove 50-70% of the SS and from 25 to 40 % of the BOD.

 There are generally four different types of sedimentation behaviors

3.2.1 Sedimentation Theory
Types of Settling
Depending on the particles nature and concentration, 4 types of settling can occur:
Discrete (type I), Flocculent (type II), Hindered (type III), Compression (type IV)
1.Type I - Discrete particle settling: The particles settle without interaction and occur
under low solids concentration. /already discussed-grit chambers/
eg. Grit chambers…WWT & Preliminary sedimentation …WT
2.Type II - Flocculent settling: particles initially flocculate along the depth of the
clarification unit but under low solids concentration.
– The velocity of settling particles is usually increasing as the particles aggregates.

eg.
-Primary clarifier /removing organic
substances/ in WWT or
-Sedimentation tank /settling chemical
flocs /colloids/ in WT
4. Type III: Hindered or zone settling
 Flocculent particles in intermediate concentration
 Solids move as a block rather than individual particles
 There will be distinguishable solids liquid interface

Example: - Sedimentation following activated sludge treatment (2o clarifier) in

WWT

5. Type IV: Compression or zone settling

 Discrete or flocculent particles in very high concentration
 Particles physically in contact
 Water is squeezed out of interstitial spaces

Example: - Sludge dewatering in waste water treatment

 Because of the large amount of reagent necessary to treat domestic
wastewater, chemical coagulation and flocculation are generally
not used.

 However, coagulation and flocculation can also be used to further

polish treated wastewater at tertiary level of treatment
 Classification based on working

- Fill and draw /intermittent type: store sewage in complete rest for a
certain period.

- Continuous flow type: the flow velocity is only reduced by increasing

area, and the sewage is not brought to complete rest,

 They are generally made of reinforced concrete and can be classified

based on shape as;
₋ Rectangular
₋ Circular
 Classification based on working

- Fill and draw /intermittent type: store sewage in complete rest for a
certain period.

- Continuous flow type: the flow velocity is only reduced by increasing

area, and the sewage is not brought to complete rest,

 They are generally made of reinforced concrete and can be classified

based on shape as;
₋ Rectangular
₋ Circular
• Sedimentation basin has four district
zones:
 inlet,
 settling,
 outlet and
 sludge zone

Settling zone
Outlet
zone
zone
Inlet

Sludge zone
Primary Treatment
Primary Treatment
 CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF THE SEDIMENTATION TANKS
a.Inlet and Outlet Arrangement
In order to reduce short circuiting and to distribute the flow uniformly
proper arrangement must be made for smooth entry of water.
A most suitable type of an inlet for a rectangular settling tank is in the
form of a channel with a submerged weir type baffle wall extending to full
width of the tank.

Fig. Section of a submerged type or a

weir type inlet
 Primary Treatment

Baffle Baffle

Multiple
opening
across Multiple
width opening
across
width

Typical baffle (diffuser) walls

Flow distribution
CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF THE
SEDIMENTATION TANKS, … contd
 Outlet arrangement consist of an overflow weir and a
receiving channel or launder.

launder  the exit channel or pipe.

weir  flow controlling device at outlet

 most circular center-feed clarifiers consist of a single

perimeter v-notch weir that overflows into an effluent
trough/launder
• Table. Design criteria for primary sedimentation tank
parameter Value range * the criteria for
Detention time, hr 1.5-2.5 primary sedimentation
Overflow rate,m3/m2/d basins are different
Average flow 32-48 from WT sedimentation
Peak flow 80-120 tanks and this must be
Weir loading, m3/m/d 125-500
accounted for in the
Dimensions, m
design
Rectangular
Depth 3-5
Length 15-90 More complete info.
Width* 3-24 On Mackenzie
Sludge scrapper speed, m/min 0.6-1.4 P 21-23
Circular
Depth 3-5
Diameter 3.6-60
Bottom slope, mm/m 60-160
Sludge scrapper speed, m/min 0.02-0.05
*must divide into bays of not greater than 6m wide Source: Howard S. Peavy
Example
• A circular primary sedimentation tank for a municipal wastewater
treatment plant is to be designed for an average flow of 15,140
m3/d. The minimum side wall depth is 3 m.
Assume The overflow rate (SOR) as 36.7 m3/m2.d.
Determine:
1. The diameter of the tank.
2. The depth of the tank
3. Check the weir loading rate.
Solution
1. Use two tanks, where Q/2 = 15,140/2 = 7,570 m3/d
A = Q/ SOR = 7570 m3/d /36.7 m3/m2.d = 206.3 m2
D = (4A/π)0.5 = ((4*206.3)/3.14)0.50 = 16.20 m

2. Select the minimum depth d =3 m and check for td :

Volume of the tank (Vol.) = A*d = 206.3*3 = 618.9 m3
td = Vol./Q = 618.9/7570 = 0.08176 day = 1.96 hrs … 1.5-2.5hrs… OK!

3. The circumference of the tank : L = π*D = 3.14*16.2 = 50.868 m

WL = Q/L = 7570/50.868 = 148.82 m3/m.d …. 125-500m3/m/d … Ok!
END