Module 2

Characteristics of Sewage &

Layout of treatment plant
2
 Wastewater Characteristics

→ Physical Characteristics

→ Chemical Characteristics

→ Biological Characteristics

3
 Important Characteristics

➢ Temperature
• The observations of temperature of sewage are useful in
indicating solubility of oxygen, which affects transfer capacity
of aeration equipment in aerobic systems, and rate of
biological activity.
• In general, under Indian conditions the temperature of the raw
sewage is observed to be between 15 and 35 oC at various
places in different seasons.

➢ Colour and Odor

• Fresh domestic sewage has a slightly soapy and cloudy
appearance depending upon its concentration. As time passes
the sewage becomes stale, darkening in colour with a
pronounced smell due to microbial activity. 4
5
 Important Characteristics

➢ Solids

• The sewage solids may be classified into dissolved solids,

suspended solids and volatile suspended solids.
• Though sewage generally contains less than 0.5 percent solids,
the rest being water, still the nuisance caused by the solids
cannot be overlooked, as these solids are highly degradable
and therefore need proper disposal.

crucible

6
(Cont…)
Measurement of solids

Switch on the balance

Switch on Note down the
the balance initial dry weight
Note down the of the crucible
initial dry weight of
the crucible

Take the filter paper

Place the and place it on the
crucible Filter 50 mL of
evaporating dish
inside the field water sample
Take 20 mL of using filter paper
oven at
water sample in
103 oC
the crucible

Place the
evaporating
dish inside the Cool it to room
oven at 103 oC temperature in
Cool it to room
desiccator
temperature in
desiccator

Note down the Note down the final dry

final dry weight weight of the filter paper
of the crucible

Total solids (TS) Total suspended solids (TSS) 7

(Cont…)
Switch on the Note down the Portable TDS meter
balance initial dry weight of
the crucible
❑ It is best suited for filed
measurements.

Take 20 mL of
water sample in
the crucible Filter 50 mL of
field water
sample using
filter paper

Place the
crucible
inside the
Cool it to room
oven at
temperature in
103 oC
desiccator

Note down the

final dry weight
of the crucible

Total dissolved solids (TDS) Portable TDS meter

8
 Important Characteristics

➢ Nitrogen and Phosphorus

• The principal nitrogen compounds in domestic sewage are proteins,
amines, amino acids, and urea. Ammonia nitrogen in sewage results
from the bacterial decomposition of these organic constituents.
• Generally, nitrogen content in the untreated sewage is observed to be
in the range of 20 to 50 mg/L measured as TKN.
TKN: Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen

• Phosphorus is contributing to domestic sewage from food residues

containing phosphorus and their breakdown products. The use of
increased quantities of synthetic detergents adds substantially to the
phosphorus content of sewage.
9
 Organic Material

In practice two properties of almost all organic

compounds can be used:
(1) organic compound can be oxidized (BOD & COD)
(2) organic compounds contain organic carbon (TOC)
10
 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

• The BOD of the sewage is the amount of oxygen required for the
biochemical decomposition of biodegradable organic matter under
aerobic conditions.
• The general range of BOD observed for raw sewage is 100 to 400
mg/L.

Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)

• The COD gives the measure of the oxygen required for chemical
oxidation. It does not differentiate between biological oxidisable
and nonoxidisable material.
• In general, the COD of raw sewage at various places is reported to
be in the range 200 to 700 mg/L

11
 Chlorides

• Concentration of chlorides in sewage is greater than the

normal chloride content of water supply.
• The chloride concentration in excess than the water supplied
can be used as an index of the strength of the sewage.
• The daily contribution of chloride averages to about 8 gm per
person.

12
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

13
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

14
15
 DO measurement
Titration

Modified Winkler’s method Fill the field Add 2 mL of Add 2 mL of

sample in manganese alkali-iodide-
BOD bottle sulphate azide reagent

Add 2 mL of Allow the

concentrated sulfuric precipitate to
acid via a pipette settle down

Mix the
content
thoroughly
White Precipitate
Invert the Sample for 8 hrs in
bottle to mix a cool dark place
the contents

Add 201 mL of
this solution
to a 500 mL
conical flask

Continue
titration until Add 2 mL of
sample is starch to the
Brown Precipitate colourless conical flask
Calculate the
dissolved oxygen
concentration Titrate the
contents
against sodium
thiosulphate. 16
Dilution water requirement

17
BOD determination

18
BOD Model

19
Problem

0.23

20
Problem

21
Problem

22
Problem

23
Problem

24
25
Nitrification during BOD test

26
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)

27
COD (mg/L) = (a – b) x N x 8000 / Vo

Where, a = volume of FAS required for the blank solution (mL)

b = volume of FAS required for the sample (mL)

Vo = volume of sample (ml)

28
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31
Wastewater Treatment

32
Layout of Wastewater Treatment

33
34
Screens

35
 Vs

Vc

36
 Types of Screens

Coarse screen or Bar Screens

Clear spacing between the bars in these screens may be
in the range of 15 mm to 40 mm.

Fine screen :
Clear spacing between the bars in these screens up to of
6 mm.

37
Manual Screens Mechanical Screens

38
 Screens → Design

Design Considerations

→ Hand cleaned bar screens = 30 – 60 oC

→ For mechanical bar screens = 45 – 85 oC

(0.6-1.2)

Approach velocity of wastewater in the screening channel shall not fall below a self
cleansing velocity of 0.45 m/sec

39
 Screens → Design

Design a bar rack and screen chamber for a peak design

flow of 150 MLD (3×average sewage flow of 50 MLD)
with the following data.

40
Grit chamber

41
Horizontal Grit chamber with Parshall Flume

Converging Diverging
section section

Throat

42
Horizontal Grit chamber with Parshall Flume

Settling zone

Sludge zone

Inlet zone Outlet zone

43
 Horizontal Grit chamber

Design Considerations

Detention time = 30 to 60 sec

Settling velocity of the particle

CD= Coefficient of drag

Vs = Settling Velocity
S = Sp. Gravity of particle
D= Dia of particle
v = Kinematic Viscosity of the fluid
R = Reynolds Number = (VsD/v)

44
 Horizontal Grit chamber
Design a horizontal grit chamber with an avg flow of 50 MLD to remove non
uniform grit particle up to of 0.15 mm with a specific gravity of 2.65. (Consider Peak
Factor of 3) [consider kinematic viscosity of 1.14 * 10-2 cm2/s (at 15 oC)

Step 1: Estimate the Settling velocity of the particle (by

assuming Stokes law is valid)

Check for Reynolds value

If Re value satisfy the stokes law then O.K. Otherwise do the iterations till u get
same Vs values

45
 Horizontal Grit chamber

Step 2: Calculate the critical velocity

46
 Horizontal Grit chamber

Step 3: Calculate the Dimensions of the chamber

C/S area = Q/Vc

Step 4: Check for the retention time

47
 Parshall Flume

L
L1 L2

As per IS 14371:1996 48
Parshall Flume

49
Parshall Flume

50
51
 Parshall Flume

Step 1: Calculate the Max flow (m3/s)

Step 2: Consider the Discharge of Equation

Q = C * han
ha = head at upstream

Step 3: Based on submerge ratio calculate head at downstream

Step 4: Based on Parshall Flume No. calculate all dimensions

(From IS Code)

52
 Parshall Flume

Design Parshall Flume with an Avg flow of 35

MLD [Consider PF = 2.5]

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Skimming Tank

54
Primary Sedimentation Tank

55