Grit Removal

Jae K. (Jim) Park, Professor

Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Grit Removal
Grit: sand, dust, cinder, bone chips, coffee grounds, seeds,
eggshells, and other materials in wastewater that are
nonputrescible and are heavier than organic matter.
Reason for grit removal
To protect moving mechanical equipment and pumps
from unnecessary wear and abrasion
To prevent clogging in pipes, heavy deposits in channels
To prevent cementing effects on the bottom of sludge
digesters and primary sedimentation tanks
To reduce accumulation of inert material in aeration
basins and sludge digesters which would result in loss of
usable volume
Specific gravity
Grit: 1.5~2.7
Organic matter in wastewater: 1.02

Location of Grit Removal Facility

Location
Advantages
Disadvantages
Ahead of lift Max. protection of
Frequently deep in the
station pumping equipment ground, high
construction cost,
not easily accessible,
and difficult to raise the
the grit to ground level
After pumping Ground level structure - Some abnormal wear to
station easy to access and pumps
operate
Degritter in Usually low capital and Pumping equipment not
conjunction operation and maintenance adequately protected
with primary costs, cleaner and drier
sludge grit

Velocity-Controlled Grit Channel

A long narrow sedimentation basin with better control of
flow through velocity - used for small plants
Design Factors
Detention time: 60 sec.
Horizontal velocity: 0.3 m/sec
Settling velocity for a 65-mesh (0.23 mm) material: 1.15
m/min
Headloss: 30~40% of the max. water depth in the channel
Grit removal: manual or mechanical

Grit Channel

Recommended for small to medium size plants. This requires high

maintenance and grit removal is not easy. In this plant, a crane is
used by an operator, which is an labor-intensive operation.

Grit Removal System

Grit removal by grab bucket crane.

Grit Removal System

Grab bucket crane

Grit Hopper

Grit Loading System

Pista Grit Removal System

Operates on the vortex
principle.
Headloss: max. 0.25 inch
Removal efficiency
95% of the 50 mesh size grit
83% of the 80 mesh size grit
73% of the 140 mesh size
grit
Capacity: 1~70 MGD
Can be installed above or
below ground
Lower power usage
Supplied in steel for easy
installation and/or attachment
to a concrete channel
Installed in multiples

Pista Grit
Removal System

Pista Grit Removal System

Grit Removal System

Impeller mixer

Grit King Dynamic Separator

Has no moving parts
Requires no external power source
Virtually maintenance free
Highly efficient w/ min. headloss
Recovers clean grit
Self-cleansing
Designed to
operate over a wide range of flows
Compact, requiring minimal space
Simple to install and operate
Easily linked with new or existing
plant
Economical, reduces long term
expenditure

Grit Washing/Sludge
Degritting System
Washing (classifying) and dewatering grit abrasives removed by a
headworks grit chamber
Degritting dilute primary or
secondary sewage sludges
The SCS uses a very strong
free vortex and an accelerated
boundary layer to separate
abrasives as small as 50 m
sand from organic solids and
water and concentrate these
abrasives in a slurry stream.
Sand is then separated from
the slurry stream and
dewatered by the total particle
capture GRIT SNAIL.

Grit Separation and Washing Unit

Grit Separation and Washing Unit

Aerated Grit Chamber

Widely used for selective removal of grits
Create a spiral current within the basin using diffused
compressed air
Designed to remove
grit particles having a
specific gravity of 2.5
and retained over a
65-mesh (0.21-mm )
screen
Used for medium to
large treatment plants

Aerated Grit Chamber

Aerated Grit Chamber

Aerated Grit Chamber

Aerated Grit Chamber - continued

Advantages
Can be used for chemical addition, mixing, and
flocculation ahead of primary treatment
Fresh wastewater, thus reduce odors and remove BOD
5
Minimal headloss
Grease removal by providing a skimming device
Remove low putrescible organic matter by air supply
Remove any desired size by controlling the air supply
Volatile organic compound (VOC) and odor emission
Due to a health risk, covers may be required or
nonaerated type grit chambers may be used.

Aerated Grit Chamber - continued

Design Factors
Depth: 2~5 m; length: 7.5~20 m; width: 2.5~7 m;
width/depth ratio: 1:1~5:1; length/width ratio: 2.5:1~5:1
Transverse velocity at surface: 0.6~0.8 m/sec
Detention time at peak flow: 2~5 min
Air supply: 4.6~12.4 L/secm of tank length (3~8 cfm/ft) Higher air rate should be used for wider and deeper tanks;
provision for air flow control
Inlet structure: Inlet to the chamber should introduce the
influent into circulation pattern. > 0.3 m/sec under all
flow conditions
Outlet structure: Outlet should be at a right angle to the
inlet. > 0.3 m/sec under all flow conditions
Baffles: longitudinal and transverse baffles
Chamber geometry: consider location of air diffusers,
sloping tank bottom, grit hopper, and accommodation of
grit collection and removal equipment

Aerated Grit Chamber

Design Checklist
Design average, peak, and low initial flows
Information on existing facility in case of expansion,
site plan, and topographic maps
Type of grit removal facility to be provided
Influent pipe data, and static head, force main, hydraulic
grade line if grit removal is preceded by a pumping
station
Headloss constraints for grit removal facility
Treatment plant design criteria
Equipment manufacturers and equipment selection
guides

Design Criteria Used in Example

Two grit chambers with spiral circulation
Typically designed for max. flow delivered by the
pumping station: 1.56 m3/sec ( 24,700 gpm)
Design peak flow: 1.321 m3/sec; due to friction headloss
and installation of variable-drive pumps, use design
peak flow
Detention time: 4 min at Q
max
Air supply rate: 7.8 L/secm of tank length
Provide nozzle diffusers with coarse bubbles.
Provisions for 150% air capacity for peaking purposes
Inlet and outlet min. velocity: 0.3 m/sec
Chamber width: 3.5 m
Screw conveyer to move the grit to the hopper and grab
buckets for grit removal

Design Example
A. Geometry of Grit Chamber
1. Qmax through each chamber: 0.661 m3/sec
Volume: 0.661 m3/sec 4 min 60 sec/min = 158.6 m3
Average water depth at midwidth: 3.65 m
Freeboard: 0.8 m
Total depth: 3.65 m + 0.8 m = 4.45 m
Surface area: 158.6 m3/3.65 m = 43.5 m2
Length: 43.5 m2/3.5 m = 12.5 m 13 m
Design surface area: 3.5 m 13 m = 45.5 m2
2. Diffuser arrangement: along the length of the chamber
on one side and place them 0.6 m above the bottom
3. Actual detention time at Qmax = (3.5 m 13 m 3.65 m)
(0.661 m3/sec 60 sec/min) = 4.2 min
When only one chamber is in operation, HRT = 2.1 min

Design Example - continued

B. Design of Air Supply System
1. Air requirements
Air required = 7.8 L/secm 13 m = 101.4 L/sec
Total capacity of diffusers: 1.5 101.4 L/sec = 152.1
L/sec per chamber
Blower capacity: 2 152.1 L/sec = 18.3 standard m3/min
Provide two 20 m3/min blowers (one standby unit) at the
operating pressure of 27.6 kN/m2 (4 psig) at the outlet.
Air piping shall deliver a min. of 0.15 m3/sec air to each
chamber. Provide control valves and flow meters on all
branch lines to balance the air flow.
2. Diffusers and blowers
Provide coarse diffusers with air pipe headers and
hanger feed pipes having swing joint assembly.

Design Example - continued

Design Example - continued

Design Example - continued

Design Example - continued

C. Surface Rise Rate
1. Overflow rate when both chambers are in operation
Overflow rate: (0.661 m3/sec 86,400 sec/day) (3.5 m
13 m) = 1,255.2 m3/m2day (30,805 gpd/ft2)
2. Overflow rate when one chamber is in out of service
Overflow rate: 2 1,255.2 = 2,510.4 m3/m2day
D. Influent Structure
1. Arrangement of influent structure
Provide 1-m wide submerged influent channel with two
1 m 1 m orifices. Provide a baffle at the influent to
divert the flow transversally to follow the circulation
pattern. Provide sluice gates to remove one chamber
from service for maintenance purposes.

Design Example - continued

2. Headloss calculation through
the influent structure
2
2
v 2 v1
z

hL
2g 2g

z = z1 - z2 = difference in elevation of free water

surface into the channel 3and the chamber (m).

1.321 m /sec
0.33 m/sec
1 m 4.06 m (assumed water depth in the channel)
1.321 m 3 /sec
v2
0.10 m/sec
3.5 m 3.82 m (assumed water depth in the chamber)
v 22 v12

0.005 m (neglegibl e)
2g 2g
v1

hL = hL (into influent channel) + hL (exit loss thru port)

0

negligible

Design Example - continued

Q C d A 2gh L

where A = orifice area, m2 and

Cd = discharge coef. = 0.61 - square-edged
entrance
2

z h L

1.321 m 3 /sec

0.611 m 1 m 2 9.81 m/sec

z1

z2

0.24 m
If 4.06 - 3.82
0.24, go back to
Slide #32 and
repeat the
calculation until
z 1 - z 2 hL.

Design Example - continued

E. Effluent Structure
1. Arrangement of effluent structure
Provide a 2.5-m long rectangular weir, an effluent trough
(2.5 m long 1.5 m wide), an effluent box (2.3 m 1.5
m), and an outlet pipe. Provide removable gates at the
effluent box to drain the effluent trough when one
chamber is removed from service.
1/3
2. Head over the effluent weir
2
1.5 Q

2
3
2g
H
Q CdL' 2gH
CdL'
3

3
where Q= flow over weir, m /sec;
H = head over weir, m;
Cd = discharge coef. = 0.624; and
L = L - 0.2 H (L = length of weir).

Design Example - continued

At peak design flow when both chambers are in operation,
Q = 0.661 m3/sec. Calculate H by trial & error
Assume L = 2.44 m H = 0.28 m L = 2.5 - 0.20.28 =
2.44 m (same - ok); thus, H = 0.28 m
3. Height of the weir crest above the bottom of the chamber
Height of weir crest = 3.65 m - 0.28 m = 3.37 m
4. Head over the effluent weir at Qmax when one chamber is
out of service
Assume L = 2.41 m H = 0.45 m L = 2.5 - 0.20.45 =
2.41 m (same - ok); thus, H = 0.45 m
5. Water depth in the chamber at Qmax when one chamber is
out of service Height of weir crest above
head over weir
Water depth
the bottom of the chamber
= 3.37 m + 0.45 m = 3.82 m

Design Example - continued

6. Depth of the effluent trough
Flow varies in a free falling weir discharge. For uniform
velocity distribution, the drop in the water surface
elevation between two sections is expressed as follows:

q1v ave
v2
v q (SE ) ave x
y'
g q ave
q1

where y = drop in water surface elevation between

sections 1 and 2, m;
x = horizontal distance between sections 1 & 2, m;
y1 and y2 = depth of flow at sections 1 and 2, m;
q1 and q2 = discharge at sections 1 and 2, m3/secm;
v1 and v2 = velocity at sections 1 and 2, m/sec; and
(SE)ave = average slope of the energy line, m/m.

Design Example - continued

n 2 v ave

R ave 4/3

(S E ) ave

Rave = (R1 + R2)/2

where n = roughness coefficient and

R = hydraulic mean radius, m.

Design Example - continued

Depth of flow in the trough at the upstream section
y1

2 q' L N
y22
gb 2 y2

where y1 = water depth at the upstream end, m;

y2 = water depth in the trough at a distance L from
the upstream end, m;
q = discharge per unit length of the weir, m3/secm;
b = width of the trough, m; and
N = number of sides the weir receives flow (1 or 2).
Q
1.321 m 3 /sec
q'

0.5284 m 3 /sec m
Length of weir
2.5 m

Design Example - continued

Assume water depth in the effluent box at the exit point
(center of the effluent pipe) is 1.5 m; thus, the water depth
in the trough at the effluent box, y2, is also 1.5 m.
y1 (1.5 m) 2

1.321 m /sec

1.5 m 9.81 m/sec

2

1.54 m

2/3

d c

2 0.5284 m /sec m 2.5 m 1

9.81 m/sec 2 (1.5 m) 2 1.5 m
3

0.43 m submerged outfall

Allow 12% additional depth to account for friction losses,

and add 15 cm to ensure a free fall. Thus,
Total depth of trough = 1.54 m 1.12 + 0.15 m = 1.88 m
F. Headloss through the Grit Chamber
Total headloss = hL at the effluent structure + hL at the
influent structure + hL in the basin + hL due to baffles
0

Design Example - continued

Design Example - continued

Headloss due to influent and effluent
baffles
2
h L CD

where

v2 Ab
2g A

v2 = velocity through the chamber;

Ab = vertical projection of the area of the baffle; and
CD = drag coef. = 1.9 for flat plates.
v2 = 1.321 m3/sec [(3.5 m width)(3.82 m water depth)]
(0.099 m/sec) 2 0.5
0.0005 m
L 1.9
= 0.099h m/sec
2
2 9.81 m/sec 1

The headloss is small; so it can be neglected. Similarly,

the headloss due to effluent baffle can also be ignored.
G. Quantity of Grit
Grit produced = 30 m3/106 m3 0.44 m3/sec 86400 sec/day
= 10~30
1.14 mft33/day
Combined system:
/Mil gal; Separate system: 2~10 ft3/Mil gal

Operation and Maintenance

Requires well-trained operators

Maximize grit removal efficiency
Adjust the air flow to allow grit to settle but prevent
organic material from settling
Use swing type diffusers for easy maintenance

Trouble Shooting Guide

Rotten-egg odor, corrosion or wear on equipment:
increase air supply and inspect the walls, channels, and
the chamber for debris
Low recovery of grit: reduce air supply
Grit chamber overflow: adjust pump controls
Reduced surface turbulence: clean diffusers
High volatile matter content in grit: reduce air supply
Grey in color, smelly, greasy: increase air supply