Primary Sedimentation Tank Design

Week-6
Primary Treatment
Sedimentation Tank Design
Lecture-12
Primary Treatment
• Purpose: Removal of suspended (settle-able) organic matter.
• Unit employed: Primary sedimentation tanks
• BOD removal = 15-30%, S.S. removal = 30-60%
• At 20oC any temperature, the Removal Efficiency (R) for BOD and SS can be
estimated using the equation:
• R = /(a+ )
• R = expected removal efficiency (%)
• t = normal hydraulic retention time (hours)
• a, b = empirical constants
Settling/Sedimentation
• Removal of suspended and colloidal materials from
wastewater by gravity separation.
• Sedimentation is the term applied to the separation of
suspended particles that are heavier than water, by
gravitational settling.
• Settling and sedimentation terms are interchangeable.
• Sedimentation basin/tank, clarifier, settling basin/tank.
Description of ImportantTerms
Detention time (DT)
• It is the theoretical time for which water will stay in PST.
• Mathematically, DT = =
Flow through time
• It is the actual time, the water will stay in the tank. Determined by tracer studies using NaCl.
• The hydraulic efficiency (HE) of a tank is defined as HE =
• For an “ideal settling tank” the above ratio will be equal to unity. For an actual tank it will be
less than unity. The sedimentation tank having hydraulic efficiency up to 70% is considered very
good.
Concept of ideal sedimentation tank
Design of sedimentation tank is based on the concept of the ideal
sedimentation tank, having following characteristics
1. The direction of flow is horizontal.
2. The velocity of flow is uniform in all parts of the settling zone.
3. Concentration of suspended particles is uniform along the vertical section
of the inflow.
4. The particle is removed as it reaches the bottom of the tank.
5. The water is uniformly distributed along the cross section of the PST.
Concept of ideal sedimentation tank
• 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
• From the geometry of the tank
• = (similar triangles: corresponding sides are in proportion)
. .
• =
.
• = = -------------(A)
Surface Overflow Rate (SOR)
• 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.
• Conclusions
1. Efficiency of a sedimentation tank is independent of its depth.

2. Smaller SOR removes smaller particles. Therefore, we can say that surface
area effects removal efficiency of a sedimentation basin.
Settlement Controlling Factors
• Particle density (dense particles settle faster than less dense
particles)
• Liquid density
• Liquid temperature
• Particle size (larger particles settle more quickly than smaller
sizes)
• Short-circuiting of flows.
Zones in Sedimentation tank
• An inlet zone in which the flow energy of the incoming liquid is dissipated. This
should take up only a small section but if badly designed and the flow passing
into the settlement zone may still be turbulent.
• Settlement zone which represents the true tank capacity where settlement is
accomplished.
• Outlet weir to collect the settled wastewater. These weirs are sometimes V-
notched
• Sludge zone for the collection and storage of the sludge and from where the
sludge will periodically be withdrawn
Rectangular tanks
• Uniform flow should occur between the
inlet and the outlet.
• Settled material is removed either by a
continues belt scraper
• Rectangular tanks are less susceptible to
flow disturbances.
• Complicated weir arrangements may be
needed, possibly extending for up to
one third of the tank length.
Circular Tanks
• The sewage enters in a central distribution
well in which this is designed to distribute
the flow evenly in all directions.
• Material which settles out is scraped down
the tank bottom into a central sump.
• Circular tanks occupy more land and are
susceptible to flow disturbance
Pictorial View of Sedimentation Tank
Types of Settling
• Discrete Settling
• Flocculent Settling
• Zone Settling
• Compression Settling
• Reference (Metcalf Book Chapter-5)

Surface Overflow Rate = Vs
gd 2 ( S s  1)
Vs 
18
Where
• g= gravitational acceleration m/s2
• Ss = specific gravity of solids
• v= kinematic viscosity of fluid cm2/s
• d= diameter of particles.
Rectangular PST
Inlet Design
• Influent baffles with holes throughout the walls to distribute
flow uniformly.
• It is possible either to introduce water from front wall or
• Holes can be made at the bottom of inlet chamber.
Outlets
• Outlet weirs- Can be located at outlet in any pattern. V-notches
PST Design
Inlet design of Rectangular Tank
• Flow = n x area of port x port velocity
• Total number of holes possible on given cross section of
baffle N1 = no of ports in first row
N2 = no of ports in first column
Width = n1X + (n1+1)Y X
Depth = n2X + (n2+1)Y Y Y Y Y
Q = naV
Where, n = number of ports X
a = area of a port
V = velocity through ports
Design Criteria for Inlets
Parameter Criteria
Inlet
Inlet length 2 m downstream inlet pipe
Head loss 4 – 5 times of approach velocity
Port velocity 0.2 – 0.3 m/s
Port diameter (x) 0.1 – 0.2 m
Port spacing (y) 0.25 – 0.6 m
Lowest port should be 0.6 m
above basin floor
Outlet Weirs in Rectangular PST
PST Design
Circular PST
inlet and outlet
• Inlet is a pipe in the center of tank with

a circular drum to reduce the entrance
velocity; outlet are typically V-notches.
PST Design
Inlet design of Circular Tank
• Inlet ports = Minimum 4-ports at inlet pipe
• Area of one ports = Circular or Square
• Design Flow = Peak flow
• Velocity through ports = Maximum permissible velocity= 0.3 m/s at
average flow and 0.75 m/s at peak flow (Syed R. Qasim, page 336) and
(Metcalf)
Inlet drum of Circular Tank
• Take diameter of circular drum at inlet = 15-20 % of diameter of PST (Metcalf;

page 401). Depth of circular drum is 1 to 2.5 m.
Outlet design
• Assume weir loading rate
• Weir length for one tank = Q / weir loading rate
• Take center to center distance of V-notch = 250 mm
• No. of V-notches (n) = weir length/ (distance of V- notch) x 1000
• Flow through V-notch = Q / n
.
• Water head over 90○ V-notch (Hw) = ( ) × 1000
• Note: Flow in above formula should be in m3/hr.
• Depth of V-notch = Hw + free board
Design of PST Contd… Design Criteria
Scum Removal Mechanism
• Collected at effluent end by flights returning back or water sprays.
• Scum Removal from Tank
• Scrapped manually
• Horizontal slotted pipe
• Transverse rotating helical wiper attached to a shaft. It rotates
75o forward and backward.
• Slotted pipe is used for uniform distribution.
Scum Removal
Mechanism
Design of PST Contd…
Scrapers Design
• Select scrappers spacings
• Calculate total length, height and width of the scrapper frame.
• From this find total length of chains
• Calculate No. of scrappers = total length / spacing between scrapers
• If width is greater than 6 m then two no. of same sized scrapers will be used in
one tank.
Sludge Zone
Rectangular Tank
• Take slope 1/100 and calculate drop at upstream
side.
Circular Tank
• Take hopper depth 25% of calculated depth.
• Bottom slope 1 in 12.
Design Equations
Tank design
• Design minimum two units both running at a time as per Metcalf (Q/2)
• Assume SOR
• Area (A) = Q/SOR
• Assume L:W
• Length (L) = A/ w
• Check lengths and widths with design criteria if not OK then divide flow
with 3 or any suitable number until length and width criteria matches.
• Assume depth (d)
• Volume of tank (V) = A x d
• Detention time (t) = V/ Q
• Total depth = d + free board + Extra depth provided for sludge zone
• Total length = length of tank + length of inlet + length of outlet
Design of PST Contd… Design Criteria
Numerical-1
• Design a sedimentation tank to treat a flow of 25000 m3/day;
surface overflow rate SOR = 25 m/day; detention time = 2
hours; sludge storage capacity 20% extra of effective volume.
Under ideal conditions what particle size will be removed if v
= 1.2 10-2 cm2/sec; Ss = 2.65
Numerical-2
• Determine the number and size of sedimentation tank to
treat a water flow of 20000 m3/day using an overflow rate of
24 m/day and detention time of 4 hours. Under ideal
condition what size of particles will be completely removed,
if v = 1.2 x 10-2 cm2/sec; Ss = 2.65
Assignment-2
•Design a sedimentation tank to serve a

population of 15000 persons with an
average water consumption of 350 LPCD.
•Follow the design procedure and design
criteria.

Primary Sedimentation Tank Design

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Week-6

• It is the theoretical time for which water will stay in PST.

Flow through time

• The hydraulic efficiency (HE) of a tank is defined as HE =

• From the geometry of the tank

• = (similar triangles: corresponding sides are in proportion)

1. Efficiency of a sedimentation tank is independent of its depth.

• Reference (Metcalf Book Chapter-5)

Depth = n2X + (n2+1)Y Y Y Y Y

inlet and outlet

• Inlet is a pipe in the center of tank with

• Take diameter of circular drum at inlet = 15-20 % of diameter of PST (Metcalf;

•Design a sedimentation tank to serve a

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