Sedimentation

CV6501 Water Treatment & Process Design

Part I

Dr. Katherine Dongqing Zhang

School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Nanyang Technological University

[email protected]
 Sedimentation
(WEEK 4)

Today’s Lecture
Flocculation and its applications in water treatment

Typical layout of a water treatment plant

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 Introduction of sedimentation;
 Principles of discrete (Type I) particle settling;
 Discrete settling in ideal sedimentation basins;
 Principle of flocculant (Type II) settling;
 Principle of hindered (Type III) settling;
 Conventional sedimentation tank design;
 High-rate sedimentation processes;
 Physical factors affecting sedimentation;
 Dissolved air flotation.
4.1. INTRODUCTION OF SEDIMENTATION
Gravity separation/Sedimentation

 Particles will settle by gravity in sedimentation

basin, also known as “clarifiers” or “settling
tanks”;
 Separation of unstable and destablized
suspended solids by the force of gravity;
 Gravity separation can be applied only to
those particles which have density greater
than water.
GRAVITY SEPARATION/SEDIMENTATION
Advantages
 Simplest technologies
 Little energy input
 Relatively inexpensive to install and operate
 No specialized operational skills
 Easily incorporated into new or existing facilities

Disadvantages
 Low hydraulic loading rates
 Poor removal of small suspended solids
 Large floor space requirements
 Re-suspension of solids and leeching
DISCRETE PARTICLES IN DILUTE SOLUTIONS
(TYPE I)

 Settling of discrete particles in dilute

suspensions;
 Particles have no tendency to flocculate;
 Do not change the size, shape and weight;
 Do not interfere with one another and do not
flocculate due to low concentration;
 Particles settle according to Stokes law;
 Design parameter is surface overflow rate
(Q/As).
FLOCCULENT PARTICLE SETTLING (TYPE II)

 Particles can adhere to each other and flocculate

as they settle;
 Particles tend to aggregate and grow in size;
 Settling of flocculent particles in dilute
suspensions;
 Particle size, shape and specific gravity change
continually;
 Floc particle velocity increases with time and
dependents on particle size.
ZONE OR HINDERED SETTLING (TYPE III)
 Settles as a mass settling of intermediate
concentration (> 500 mg/L) of flocculent particles;
 Suspensions concentration is higher than Type I &
II, but not sufficient to cause significant
displacement of water;
 Blanket is formed and traps particles below it;
 The settling velocity of the blanket depends on the
concentration of suspended solids: velocity
decreasing with increasing concentration.
COMPRESSION SETTLING (TYPE IV)

 Much higher concentration than Type III;

 The suspension begins to consolidate slowly;
 Particles compact at bottom of settling tank;
 Water drains out of a mat of particles;
 The suspension may become a paste or cake;
 Dewatering/sludge thickening.
CLASSIFICATIONS OF PARTICLES FOR SETTLING
4.2. PRINCIPAL OF DISCRETE (TYPE I) SETTLING
FORCE ACTING ON SETTLING PARTICLE (SPHERICAL
PARTICLES)

dv
F  ma  m  FG  FB  FD
dt
dv
FG  FB  FD  m  0
dt
SETTLING VELOCITY VS OF DISCRETE PARTICLES
SETTLING VELOCITY VS OF DISCRETE PARTICLES

 X-sectional area of spherical particles:

 Volume of spherical particles:

 Equation of settling discrete spherical particles:

Newton’s Law
REYNOLDS NUMBER
REYNOLDS NUMBER
REYNOLDS NUMBER
DRAG COEFFICIENT AS A FUNCTION OF
REYNOLDS NUMBER
EXAMPLE
SOLIDS REMOVAL EFFICIENCY IN AN
IDEAL SEDIMENTATION BASIN
SOLIDS REMOVAL EFFICIENCY IN AN
IDEAL SEDIMENTATION BASIN
ho

CV3501 (2008-09) Lecture 7: Sedimentation

vh
hs vh

22
SOLIDS REMOVAL EFFICIENCY IN AN
IDEAL SEDIMENTATION BASIN
SOLIDS REMOVAL EFFICIENCY IN AN
IDEAL SEDIMENTATION BASIN
 For a particle entering at depth hs and reaching
the sludge zone at basin’s retention time t, its

CV3501 (2008-09) Lecture 7: Sedimentation

settling velocity
vs1 = hs/t
t = V/Q = L/vh

24
SOLIDS REMOVAL EFFICIENCY IN AN
IDEAL SEDIMENTATION BASIN
 The same particle entering at the top of the basin
will not settle at the sludge zone but will wash out of

CV3501 (2008-09) Lecture 7: Sedimentation

the basin

25
SOLIDS REMOVAL EFFICIENCY IN AN
IDEAL SEDIMENTATION BASIN
 Consider a second particle which is bigger in size
(hence a bigger vs ) entering at the top and reaches
the sludge zone just before outlet at time t,

CV3501 (2008-09) Lecture 7: Sedimentation

vs2= ho/t
 Call vs2 the critical settling velocity of the design
particle for this basin = vo
 Critical settling velocity is the settling velocity of
particles which are 100% removed in the basin

26
SOLIDS REMOVAL EFFICIENCY IN AN
IDEAL SEDIMENTATION BASIN
 For any particle to be 100% removed in this basin
within retention time t (= V/Q), its settling velocity

CV3501 (2008-09) Lecture 7: Sedimentation

ho ho Q
vs  v o   
t  
hoWL
Q
A

27
SOLIDS REMOVAL EFFICIENCY IN AN
IDEAL SEDIMENTATION BASIN
 Q/A (= vo) is the surface overflow rate (SOR) or
overflow rate of the basin

CV3501 (2008-09) Lecture 7: Sedimentation

 A basin is designed for a particular particle size, dd
 This is the smallest particle size that can be 100%
removed
 This particle has a vs = vo = Q/A
ho ho Q
vs  v o   
t  
hoWL
Q
A
 The percentage of particles removal P = vs/vo x
100% 28
SOLIDS REMOVAL EFFICIENCY IN AN
IDEAL SEDIMENTATION BASIN
 Particles having vs< vo and enter at the top, will
wash out of the basin, i.e. not removed

CV3501 (2008-09) Lecture 7: Sedimentation

29
SOLIDS REMOVAL EFFICIENCY IN AN
IDEAL SEDIMENTATION BASIN
 Particles with vs < vo entering the basin at a lower
height hs < ho can be partially removed

CV3501 (2008-09) Lecture 7: Sedimentation

 Fraction of a particle with velocity vs < vo
(=Q/A=SOR) that can be removed in a horizontal
flow basin with removal efficiency:
hs vst vs
Xr    30
ho vot vo
Critical Settling Velocity and Overflow Rate
v0 expressed in units of velocity (ft/s) is the critical settling
velocity
Critical settling velocity is the settling velocity of particles which are
100% removed in the basin

v0 expressed in units of flow per unit area is called the

Overflow rate
Surface Overflow Rate
Surface Overflow Rate
Example

Example
A water treatment plant has a flow rate of 0.6 m3/s. The settling
basin at the plant has an effective settling volume that is 20 m long, 3
m tall and 6 m wide. Will particles that have a settling velocity of
0.004 m/s be completely removed? If not, what percent of the
particles will be removed?
v0 = Q/A = 0.6 m/s / (20 m x 6 m) = 0.005 m/s
Since v0 is greater than the settling velocity of the particle of interest,
they will not be completely removed.
The percent of particles which will be removed may be found using
the following formula:

Percent removed = (vp/v0) ×100%

= (0.004/0.005) × 100% = 80 %
Example
How big would the basin need to be to remove 100% of the
particles that have a settling velocity of 0.004 m/s and a flow rate of
0.6 m3/s?

v0 = Q / A
0.004 m/s = 0.6 m3/s / A
A = 150 m2
If the basin keeps the same width (6 m):
A = 150 m3 = 6m x L
L = 25 m
EXAMPLE
4.4. PRINCIPAL OF FLOCCULENT (TYPE II)
SETTLING

 Typically occurs in sedimentation basins following

coagulation;
 Follows two mechanisms:
 Particle aggregates result in fast settling velocity;
 “Sweeping” effect;

 STOKE’s law is not applicable.

 To determine the settling characteristics: batch
settling column test.
Column settling test
 Samples are withdrawn through ports at periodic time
intervals and SS concentrations are determined

 % removal of particles for each sample is calculated

removal (%) = [(C0 – Ci)/C0] x 100%; Ci = SS
concentration at time i; C0 = initial SS concentration

 Each % removal is plotted as a number on a graph of

depth and time of sampling

 Interpolate between these points to obtain curves of

equal % removal or iso-removal curves
Example
Find the total removal for a settling basin 1.75
m deep with an overflow rate of 105 m3/m2.d.
Scale-up factors : To account for effects such
as density currents, temperature currents,
and uneven distributions of inflow

 overflow rate (0.6 to 0.8) (smaller SOR)

 detention time (1.25 to 1.75) (lengthen t)

Example
Scouring of settled bed material

Where Vscour = horizontal scour velocity, m/s

k = constant for the type of scoured particles
= 0.04 for unigranular material
= 0.06 for sticky material
s = specific gravity of particle
g = acceleration due to gravity, 9.81 m/s2
d = diameter of particle, m
f = Darcy-Weisbach friction factor, 0.02-0.03
Example
Calculate the scouring velocity for settled particles having
the following characteristics: d = 1 mm and 0.1 mm
Solution
4.5. PRINCIPAL OF HINDERED (TYPE III) SETTLING

The height of the interface (between the

clarified zone and the zone settling zone)
versus time is plotted in the figure below to
determine the "zone settling velocity" (ZSV).
Velocity of this interface is steady after some
induction period but changes with time as
compression begins. The slope of the steady
interface subsidence rate represents zone
settling velocity.
ZONE SETTLING VELOCITY (ZSV)
HINDERED (TYPE III) SETTLING
Initial suspended solids concentration has a
significant effect on the ZSV because the higher the
suspended solids concentration the more difficult it
is to pass water through the pore spaces in the
settling matrix. (The only way a matrix can settle is
if the water below it is allowed to pass upward
through the matrix). A typical relationship between
initial suspended solids and ZSV is shown here.
HINDERED (TYPE III) SETTLING
4.6. CONVENTIONAL SEDIMENTATION BASIN
DESIGN

The basic design criteria to be considered for the

horizontal-flow settling zone are:
o Surface loading rate/over flow rate
o Effective water depth
o Detention time
o Settling velocity
o Minimum length-to-width ratio.
PRE-SEDIMENTATION TANK DESIGN
Assuming ideal settling in a rectangular basin, the
required length of a pre-sedimentation tank:
PRE-SEDIMENTATION TANK DESIGN CRITERIA
EXAMPLE
RECTANGULAR SEDIMENTATION BASIN
INLET ZONE
OUTLET ZONE
SLUDGE COLLECTOR
CONVENTIONAL SEDIMENTATION TANK DESIGN
TYPICAL DESIGN CRITERIA FOR HORIZONTAL-
FLOW RECTANGULAR TANK
CIRCULAR SEDIMENTATION BASIN
4.7. HIGH RATE SEDIMENTATION PROCESSES

 Two-tray system – by creating double surface

area and half of the surface loading;

 Solid-contacts devices – by promoting

flocculation and enmeshment of incoming
particles;

 Laminar-flow devices – by creating more ideal

flow conditions.
TWO-TRAY SYSTEM
 By providing a tray in a basin – effectively
stacking one basin on the top of another one;
 Horizontal baffles gives a double surface area
and half of the surface loading, resulting in a
increase in efficiency.
SOLID CONTACT CLARIFIER
SLUDGE BLANKET CLARIFIER
TUBE AND LAMELLA PLATE CLARIFIER
Design criteria
SEDIMENTATION WITH PLATE SETTLERS
SEDIMENTATION WITH PLATE SETTLERS
EXAMPLE
A settling basin is originally designed to remove floc
particles with an average settling velocity of 3 m/h. It
is proposed to retrofit the basin with countercurrent 1-
m square plates spaced at 75 mm apart at an
inclination angle of 45o from the horizon.

 Determine the fluid velocity in channel.

SLUDGE
4.8 Physical factors affecting sedimentation

 Temperature gradient
 Wind effects
 Inlet energy dissipation
 Outlet current
 Equipment movement
Physical factors affecting sedimentation
4.9 Dissolved air flotation
DISSOLVED AIR FLOATATION (DAF)
 High hydraulic loading;
 Shorter flocculation time;
 Very thick float (sludge) product:
 Intensive flocculation energy;
 Smaller footprint required;
 Best for the removal of low-density particulate
matter (e.g., algae), Giardia/Cryptosporidium,
dissolved organic matter, and turbidity from low-
temperature;
DAF FLOW DIAGRAM
MECHANISMS OF DAF
 Agglomerate rise the surface to join other
particles and form a blanket;
 Suspended solids that are floated by air bubbles
become enmeshed in floc particles;
 Air-solids mixture skimmed off from the
surface;
 Clarified liquid removed from the bottom;
 A portion of the effluent recycled back to the
pressure chamber.
FACTORS AFFECTING DAF PROCESS
FACTORS AFFECTING DAF PROCESS

Rise velocity vpb is determined by density ρpb and

diameter dpb of the particle-bubble.
PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE ON DISSOLVED
AIR CONCENTRATION
AIR LOADING
EXAMPLE