Water Treatment:

Sedimentation

Prof. Dan Tsang

Sedimentation
 Sedimentation
 removal of suspended solids (G5 )
 physical process by gravity
 settled material (sludge)
 removed by flight scrapers and pumps

 grease and oil float to the top (scum)

 removed by surface skimmers
Sedimentation
 Sedimentation
 particle size
 aggregated particles settle faster

 particle shape
 assumed to be spherical

 particle density
 relative to fluid

 fluid density
 fluid viscosity
 gravity

Sedimentation
 Particle settling velocity

Driving force (submerged weight Drag force on a particle:

of the particle, i.e., gravitational
force – buoyancy force):
vS2
FG  ( p  ) gV FD  C DA p
2
FG = gravity driving force FD = drag force
p = particle density CD = dimensionless drag coefficient
 = fluid density Ap = projected area of particle
Vp = particle volume vs = settling velocity of particle
Sedimentation
 Particle settling velocity
 Force balance
 (Fgravity – Fbuoyancy) – Fdrag = 0
  FG = FD
 sphere: Ap = 1/4 d2 and Vp = 1/6 d3
  Vp/Ap = 2/3 d
 particle settling velocity (vs)
4 (  p   ) gd
vS 
3 CD
vs d
 Drag coefficient (CD) is a function of Reynolds Number (Re) Re 

 Re < 1 (laminar) 24
CD 
Re
24 3
 1 < Re < 103 (transitional) CD   1  0.34
Re Re 2

 103 < Re (turbulent) C D  0 .4

Sedimentation
 Particle settling velocity (Stokes’ Law, for laminar flow)
g (  p   )d 2
vS 
18

 vs is the settling velocity (m s‐1)

 g is gravitational constant (i.e., 9.81 m s‐2)
 p is the density of the solid particles (kg m‐3)
  is the density of the fluid (kg m‐3)
 d is the diameter of the particles (m)
  is dynamic viscosity (Pa s)

 What is the settling velocity of a silt particle of 10 m diameter at

20C?
       
kg
m3

g
cm 3
1 kg
1000 g
106 cm 3
1m 3 
    1000    
kg g
3
m cm 3

temperature (°C) viscosity (Pa∙s)

10 1.308 × 10−3
20 1.003 × 10−3
30 7.978 × 10−4
40 6.531 × 10−4
50 5.471 × 10−4
60 4.668 × 10−4
70 4.044 × 10−4
80 3.550 × 10−4
90 3.150 × 10−4
100 2.822 × 10−4
         
kg
m3
g
cm 3
1 kg
1000 g
106 cm 3
1 m3 
    1000    
kg g
3
m cm 3

Hands‐on Exercise
 What is the settling velocity of a silt particle of 10 m diameter at 20C?
 g = 9.81 m s‐2 (gravitational constant)
 p = 2,680 kg m‐3 (density of the solid particles)
  = 998.23 kg m‐3 (density of the fluid)
 d = 10 m = 10 x 10‐6 m (diameter of the particles)
  = 0.001003 Pa s (dynamic viscosity)
"
6
g(g o) d ) ( 10×10 )
-

9 ) (2680 998
8 23 5
mls
- -

9 1 × 10
-

Ns
. .
= = =

( a 001003 )
.

'u 18
 Sedimentation
 Particle settling velocity (Stokes’ Law, for laminar flow)
 how does settling velocity of clay/silt particles vary with particle diameter?

1.E-04

9.E-05
settling velocity vs (m s )

8.E-05
-1

7.E-05

6.E-05

5.E-05

4.E-05

3.E-05
Particle size (m) 0.08 1 5

2.E-05 Settling Velocity (cm s‐1) 1 x 10‐6 9 x 10‐5 2.2 x 10‐3

1.E-05 Time to settle 3 m (days) 3472 38.6 0.0158
0.E+00
0.E+00 2.E-06 4.E-06 6.E-06 8.E-06 1.E-05 1.E-05

particle diameter d (m)

Sedimentation
 Hands‐on Exercise
 Will a 1 mm particle with a specific gravity of 1.1 settle in a rectangular
tank of 10 m length if the horizontal flow is 0.3 m3 s‐1, width is 1.0 m, and
velocity is 0.3 m s‐1 at 20C?

g (  p   )d 2
vS 
18

Hands‐on Exercise
 particle settling velocity "
3
9 8 ( 1100 998S ( 10 )
J
-

055mls
-

Ws = 0
.

=
(8 (0 001002)
.

 cross‐sectional area
3 m ls
3
Q
2
0
A 1
.

= = = m
~ Oc 3mls

 depth of the flow

2= 品 zlm
Hands‐on Exercise
 time to settle
tsettle )
=os a055mls = 18 .
2s

 detention time in grit chamber

z lom 33 3 S
l0 x1
lmmls tidetension=
=

t sdetension3b 3
.

{
= = .
or 3mls
0
.

 compare settling time to detention time

tlsettle) a
tldetension)
so partidewillsettle

Sedimentation
horizontal velocos
 Sedimentation
7
settle velocity
,
H L
 time required for a particle to settle (t0) t0  
v0 u
 since Q then Q
u v0 
which the
velocd tyof the smalestpartides
WH WL
settling
'

 surface loading rate or surface overflow rate

v 
Q basin will remove
0
A
Hands‐on Exercise
 A small water treatment plant has a raw water inflow rate of Q = 0.6 m3 s‐1.
Lab studies have shown that the flocculated particles have an average
settling rate of vs = 0.004 m s‐1. A proposed rectangular settling tank has
an effective settling zone of L = 20 m, H = 3 m, and W = 6 m. What fraction
of the particles will be removed by settling in this tank?

004 mls
ricaverayes = 0
.

Hands‐on Exercise
 critical settling velocity in the tank
QUAL= =
0
.

3×6
6
= 0 . 033 mls
t =
2oM
0 0
.
33 omls
e 006 .
06 s ws = 号⼆品
UC =
3m
= 0 00495 mls ≈ 0 005 mls
606 06 s
.
.

 fraction of the particles that will be removed

Jpartides sct %
O 004
=
.

= 80
0 . 005

Vuscrit = 0 .
005 mls
 Hands‐on Exercise 3
ld
2258 m

 The adoption of the new drinking water standards for New Zealand is
resulting in a boon for water treatment engineers, and your firm is
busy at designing new water treatment plants.
 The town of Greymouth, which is currently not producing drinking
water that meets the new standards, is upgrading their water
treatment plant with improved coagulation, flocculation, and settling
processes. Greymouth’s water use is 4,500 m3 d‐1. 225O
 You’ve determined that the particles entering two rectangular
settling basins have an average settling velocity of 0. 96 mm s‐1. The
basin depth and width are set at 1.5 m each based on other design
considerations.
 Determine the length (m) of one of the settling basins.
= 1500
tlsettle )
mm
96 mmls
= 1562 5 s .

2250 mld lovomld

U= =

1 5× 1 5m
=
. .

1562 5
1 o0omldx d 18 08 m
.

Lzut =
24 × 60 × 60
=
.

Hands‐on Exercise
ld m s
-
026 ls 96 0 3 x '
Q= us
5250 W H 1.
m
3
m ,
= = = 0
.

026m '
ls
3 0
96 × 0 18 m
-

.
=
0 =
.

5 L ×

solution .
ts =
⽓ ;
=
1 5m
.

000096 mls
= 1560 s

⻓
=

t ⼆

V = Qt = ( 2250 m / dJ ( 1560 s) (
3
6400 s ) = 40 6 mb
.

V = lwh
40 6 mB
L =
Wh =
.

1 5 3 (1 5m)
m .
.
= 18 m

18m
1 .
5m

个
1 5m
.
Sedimentation
 Type I sedimentation
 settle as individual particles without flocculation during
sedimentation
 constant velocity
 Type II sedimentation
 particles flocculate
 size and settling velocity increase with depth
 Type III sedimentation (zone sedimentation)
 high concentration of particles
 settle as a mass
 distinct clear zone and sludge zone
 Type IV sedimentation (compression sedimentation)
 compression at lower depth
 inter‐particle liquid squeezed out

Sedimentation
 Maximizing settling
 increase settling velocity vs
 coagulate and flocculate bigger,
more dense particles
 more coagulant = more sludge
 increase tank volume V
 increased volume means
increased residence time
 build bigger tanks
 bigger tanks = larger capital cost
and land area
Sedimentation
 Maximizing settling
 decrease tank depth H
 reduced depth means more
particles settle to bottom
 less depth = less additional
flocculation during settling
 less depth = more turbulence
from wind
 decrease flow Q
 decreased flow means
increased residence time
 build more tanks
 more tanks = higher cost

Sedimentation
 Sedimentation for Wastewater Treatment
 design to accept 2 to 3 x dry weather flow
 sludge scrapers should not cause re‐suspension
 40‐75% SS removal ( 50% in primary treatment of HK STWs)
 25‐40% incidental BOD removal
 hydraulic loading: 20 to 60 m3/m2‐d
 video (1 min)
Sedimentation (inclined plate settler)
 Spacing between plates a few inches as opposed to a
depth of several feet in a horizontal tank
 “Settling‐out” times dramatically reduced
 Small plate spacing and large surface area permits
laminar flow at higher velocities than horizontal tanks
 Effective slide down the plate
 low‐density particles – 60o
 heavy particles – 45o
Sedimentation
 Rectangular tanks
 usually 2.5 to 5 m deep
 detention time of 2 to 5 h
 horizontal (scouring) velocity < 72 to 90 m/h
 weir overflow rate = Q/W
 too high  solids carried over
 6 m3/m‐h for light flocs
 14 m3/m‐h for heavier discrete particles
 very narrow tanks
 horizontal velocity become very large
 particle re‐suspension due to high turbulence
 very short and wide tanks
 difficult to achieve even flow distribution
 high possibilities of short‐circuiting the tank
 usually 2:1 to 5:1 length‐to‐width ratio
Hands‐on Exercise
 A city must treat about 15,000 m3 d‐1 of water. Flocculating particles are
produced by coagulation, and a column analysis indicates that a surface
overflow rate of 20 m d‐1 will produce satisfactory removal at a depth of
3.5 m. Determine the size of the required settling tank with a length‐to‐
width ratio of 3:1.
3 5m
f00 mbld .

W
3W

Hands‐on Exercise
 surface area of each tank Q = WsA
1500012 jmld A = -

2oild
m

A = 7500 / 20 =375
 surface dimensions 3

WX ( 3 W ) = 375 m

11 18 m ; L ≈ 3W = 33 54
m
W = .
.

thus select W= 6 lm L= 34m ,

 retention time
,

wlumefowrate
= 1 lm ×34 mx .5
within 2 5 )
H ~
t = 凯
3

= 4 18 h
mldx
.

m7500


(
horizontal velocity
< I 2 kmlh)
u=
θ
WH
=
7500
mildxhm
×3 . 5
m=
81 mlh

6 mslomh (not Ok)

 weir overflow rate 3500 m3ldx in αα =28 .4 m ' slomih s

should below 6

thus, total weir length = llm × 5 = 55m

Hands‐on Exercise
 Add inlet and outlet zones equal to depth of tank (square compartment)
 Add sludge zones
Sedimentation
 Circular tanks
 advantages
 simpler sludge removal mechanisms
 less maintenance; floor slope of 1/12
 outlet weirs around tank periphery; entire circumference utilized
 radial flow towards perimeter with decreasing horizontal velocity
 u = Q/(2rD); i.e., parabolic settling path
 problems
 higher degree of turbulence
 short circuiting
 wind current; uneven flow distribution
 weir plate elevation to be optimized
 flow control more difficult
 limit tank diameters to ~30 m
 WTP: 1‐2 m/h