Grit Chamber Design Examples and Tutorial

Example:1
Design a grit chamber for population 50000 with water consumption of 135 LPCD.
Solution
Average quantity of sewage, considering sewage generation 80% of water supply, is
=135 x 50000 x 0.8 = 5400 m3/day = 0.0625 m3/sec
Maximum flow = 2.5 x average flow
= 0.0625 x 2.5 = 0.156 m3/sec
Keeping the horizontal velocity as 0.2 m/sec (<0.228 m/sec) and detention time period as one
minute.
Length of the grit chamber = velocity x detention time
= 0.2 x 60 = 12.0m
Volume of the grit chamber = Discharge x detention time
= 0.156 x 60 = 9.36m3
Cross section area of flow ‘A’ = Volume / Length = 9.32/12 = 0.777m2
Provide width of the chamber = 1.0 m, hence depth = 0.777m
Provide 25% additional length to accommodate inlet and outlet zones.
Hence, the length of the grit chamber = 12 x 1.25 = 15.0m
Provide 0.3 m free board and 0.25 m grit accumulation zone depth, hence total depth
= 0.777 + 0.3 + 0.25 = 1.33m and width = 1.0m
Example :2
Design a horizontal flow grit chamber with rectangular cross section for treating maximum
sewage flow of 10 MLD at maximum temperature of 34 oC during summer and minimum
temperature of 15oC in winter.
Solution
o
The settling velocity of the grit particle will be minimum at minimum temperature, i.e., 15 C.
At this temperature kinematic viscosity = 1.14 x 10-2 cm2/sec.
In first trial assume Reynolds number ‘R’ less than or equal to 0.5.
V s=
[ ]
g S−1 2
18 v
D
V s=
[
981 2.65−1
18 1.14 x 10−2
0.022
]
= 3.15cm/sec
Reynolds Number R = vs.D/ = 3.15 x 0.02 / 1.14 x 10-2

= 5.53 > 0.5
Therefore, Vs is not equal to 3.15 cm/sec because the equation for Vs is valid only for R <
0.5. Using Vs = 3.15 cm/sec, calculate R and CD and then again Vs till it converges.
Subsequent Trial
Vs = 2.4 cm/sec
R = 2.4 x 0.02 /(1.14 x 10-2) = 4.21
24 3
CD= + +0.34
4.21 √ 4.21
= 7.50
From equation
V s=
√[ 4 981
3 7.50
( 2.65−1 ) 0.02 ]
Vs = 2.4 cm/sec Hence, O.K.
Now for  = 0.06, f = 0.03, and D = 0.02 cm
V c=
√ 8β
f
g ( S−1 ) D
V c=
√ 8 x 0.06
0.03
981 (2.65−1 ) 0.02
= 22.76 cm/sec
Now Q = 10 MLD = 0.116 m3/sec

Therefore, C/S Area A = Q/V = 0.116/0.227 = 0.51 m2
If width of 1 m is provided, the depth required = 0.51 m

Provide total depth = 0.51 + 0.3 (free board) + 0.25 (space for grit accumulation)
= 1.06 Say 1.1 m
Now Vo/Vc = H/L = 2.4/22.7
Therefore, theoretical length L = 22.7 x 0.51 / 2.4 = 4.824 m
Provide 2 m extra length for inlet and outlet
Therefore, total length = 2 + 4.824 = 6.824 m say 6.9 m
Total working volume = 0.51 x 6.9 x 1 = 3.52 m3
Hence, Overall detention time = 3.52 / 0. 116 = 30.34 sec (within 30 to 60 seconds)
Example: 3
Design aerated grit chamber for treatment of sewage with an average flow of 60 MLD.
Consider the peak factor of 2.
Typical design details for the aerated grit chamber are provided below
Depth: 2 to 5 m
Length: 7.5 to 20 m
Width: 2.5 to 7.0 m Width to depth ratio: 1:1 to 5:1
Detention time at peak flow: 2 to 5 min (3 minutes typical)
Air supply m3/m.min of length: 0.15 to 0.45 (0.3 typical)
Solution:
1. Average flow = 60 MLD = 0.694 m3/sec, and Peak flow = 0.694 x 2.0 = 1.389 m3/sec
2. The volume of the grit chamber
Provide two chambers to facilitate periodic cleaning and maintenance
Provide detention time = 3.0 m
Volume of each tank = 1.389 x 3 x 60 /2 = 125.01 m3
3. Dimensions of aeration basin: Provide depth to width ratio of 1: 1.2
Provide depth = 3.0 m, hence width = 1.2 x 3.0 = 3.6 m
Length = 125.01 / (3 x 3.6) = 11.575 m
Increase length by 20% to account for inlet and outlet conditions.
Total length = 11.575 x 1.2 = 13.89 m.
4. Determine the air-supply requirement Consider 0.3 m 3/min.m of length air supply Air
Requirement = 13.89 x 0.3 = 4.17 m3/min
Provide air swing arrangement at 0.5 m from floor
5. Quantity of grit:
Consider grit collection 0.015 m3/103 m3
Volume of grit = 1.389 x 60 x 60 x 24 x 0.015 x 10-3
= 1.8 m3/d
6. Check for surface overflow rate (SOR)
The surface overflow rate Vo is the ratio of flow (Q) of sewage to be treated in an ideal
grit chamber to the plan area (A) of the tank. In an ideal grit chamber, all particles with
settling velocity Vs ≥ Vo are completely removed
The settling velocity of the smallest particle = 2.4 cm/sec, the actual SOR in the grit
chamber = 1.389 / (2 x 3.6 x 11.575) = 0.0167 m/s = 1.67 cm/sec, which is less than the
settling velocity of the smallest particle hence design is safe.
Questions
1. Why is a separate grit chamber provided in a sewage treatment plant?
2. Describe different types of grit chambers.
3. Describe square grit chamber. Design a rectangular grit chamber and square grit
chamber for the treatment of sewage with an average flow of 8.5 MLD and peak flow
factor of 2.25.

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Example:1

Reynolds Number R = vs.D/ = 3.15 x 0.02 / 1.14 x 10-2

Now for  = 0.06, f = 0.03, and D = 0.02 cm

Now Q = 10 MLD = 0.116 m3/sec

If width of 1 m is provided, the depth required = 0.51 m

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