4/9/23, 6:19 PM Sedimentation Tank Design

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4/9/23, 6:19 PM Sedimentation Tank Design
Home Settling
Lecture Purpose of Settling
Quiz Principle of Settling
Design Example
Types of Settling
Type I Settling
Types of Settling Tanks
Inlet and Outlet Arrangement
Weir Overflow Rates
Settling Operations
Design Details

Settling
Solid liquid separation process in which a suspension is separated
into two phases –

Clarified supernatant leaving the top of the sedimentation tank

(overflow).
Concentrated sludge leaving the bottom of the sedimentation
tank (underflow).

Purpose of Settling

To remove coarse dispersed phase.

To remove coagulated and flocculated impurities.
To remove precipitated impurities after chemical treatment.
To settle the sludge (biomass) after activated sludge process /
tricking filters.

Principle of Settling

Suspended solids present in water having specific gravity

greater than that of water tend to settle down by gravity as
soon as the turbulence is retarded by offering storage.
Basin in which the flow is retarded is called settling tank.
Theoretical average time for which the water is detained in the
settling tank is called the detention period.

Types of Settling

Type I: Discrete particle settling - Particles settle individually

without interaction with neighboring particles.
Type II: Flocculent Particles – Flocculation causes the particles to
increase in mass and settle at a faster rate.
Type III: Hindered or Zone settling –The mass of particles tends
to settle as a unit with individual particles remaining in fixed
positions with respect to each other.
Type IV: Compression – The concentration of particles is so high
that sedimentation can only occur through compaction of the
structure.

Type I Settling

Size, shape and specific gravity of the particles do not change

with time.
Settling velocity remains constant.

If a particle is suspended in water, it initially has two forces acting

upon it:
(1) force of gravity: Fg=rpgVp
(2) the buoyant force quantified by Archimedes as: Fb=rgVp
If the density of the particle differs from that of the water, a net
force is exerted and the particle is accelaratd in the direction of the

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4/9/23, 6:19 PM Sedimentation Tank Design

force:
Fnet=(rp-r)gVp
This net force becomes the driving force.
Once the motion has been initiated, a third force is created due to
viscous friction. This force, called the drag force, is quantified by:
Fd=CDAprv2/2
CD= drag coefficient.
Ap = projected area of the particle.
Because the drag force acts in the opposite direction to the driving
force and increases as the square of the velocity, accelaration occurs
at a decreasing rate until a steady velocity is reached at a point
where the drag force equals the driving force:
(rp-r)gVp = CDAprv2/2
For spherical particles,
Vp=pd3/6 and Ap=pd2/4
Thus, v2= 4g(rp-r)d         
                        3   CDr
Expressions for CD change with characteristics of different flow
regimes. For laminar, transition, and turbulent flow, the values of CD
are:
CD = 24  (laminar)  
        Re                                                   
CD= 24 + 3     +0.34 (transition)
       Re     Re1/2
CD= 0.4  (turbulent)
where Re is the Reynolds number:
Re=rvd
          m
Reynolds number less than 1.0 indicate laminar flow, while values
greater than 10 indicate turbulent flow. Intermediate values indicate
transitional flow.

Stokes Flow

For laminar flow, terminal settling velocity equation becomes:

           v= (rp-r)gd2
                   18m
which is known as the stokes equation.

Transition Flow
Need to solve non-linear equations:

v2=   4g(rp-r)d 
              3   CDr
CD= 24 + 3     +0.34    
       Re     Re1/2
Re=rvd
          m

Calculate velocity using Stokes law or turbulent expression.

Calculate and check Reynolds number.
Calculate CD.
Use general formula.
Repeat from step 2 until convergence.
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4/9/23, 6:19 PM Sedimentation Tank Design

Types of Settling Tanks

Sedimentation   tanks  may   function   either   intermittently   or

continuously.The intermittent tanks also called quiescent type
tanks are those which store water for a certain period and keep
it in complete rest. In a continuous flow type tank, the flow
velocity is only reduced and the water is not brought to
complete rest as is done in an intermittent type.
Settling basins may be either long rectangular or circular in
plan. Long narrow rectangular tanks with horizontal flow are
generally preferred to the circular tanks with radial or spiral
flow.

Long Rectangular Settling Basin

Long rectangular basins are hydraulically more stable, and flow

control for large volumes is easier with this configuration.
A typical long rectangular tank have length ranging from 2 to 4
times their width. The bottom is slightly sloped to facilitate
sludge scraping. A slow moving mechanical sludge scraper
continuously pulls the settled material into a sludge hopper
from where it is pumped out periodically.

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A long rectangular settling tank can be divided into four different
functional zones:
Inlet zone: Region in which the flow is uniformly distributed over
the cross section such that the flow through settling zone follows
horizontal path.
Settling zone: Settling occurs under quiescent conditions.
Outlet zone: Clarified effluent is collected and discharge through
outlet weir.
Sludge zone: For collection of sludge below settling zone.

Inlet and Outlet Arrangement

Inlet devices: Inlets shall be designed to distribute the water

equally and at uniform velocities. A baffle should be constructed
across the basin close to the inlet and should project several feet

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4/9/23, 6:19 PM Sedimentation Tank Design

below the water surface to dissipate inlet velocities and provide

uniform flow;

Outlet Devices: Outlet weirs or submerged orifices shall be

designed to maintain velocities suitable for settling in the basin and
to minimize short-circuiting. Weirs shall be adjustable, and at least
equivalent in length to the perimeter of the tank. However,
peripheral weirs are not acceptable as they tend to cause excessive
short-circuiting.

Weir Overflow Rates

Large weir overflow rates result in excessive velocities at the outlet.

These velocities extend backward into the settling zone, causing
particles and flocs to be drawn into the outlet. Weir loadings are
generally used upto 300 m3/d/m. It may be necessary to provide
special inboard weir designs as shown to lower the weir overflow
rates.

Inboard Weir Arrangement to Increase Weir Length

Circular Basins

Circular settling  basins have  the same functional zones as the

long rectangular basin, but the flow regime is different. When
the flow enters at the center and is baffled to flow radially
towards the perimeter, the horizontal velocity of the water is
continuously decreasing as the distance from the center
increases. Thus, the particle path in a circular basin is a
parabola as opposed to the straight line path in the long
rectangular tank.
Sludge  removal mechanisms in  circular  tanks are  simpler and
require less maintenance.

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4/9/23, 6:19 PM Sedimentation Tank Design

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Settling Operations

Particles falling through the settling basin have two components

of velocity:
1) Vertical component: vt=(rp-r)gd2
                                                18m

2) Horizontal component: vh=Q/A

The path of the particle is given by the vector sum of horizontal

velocity vh and vertical settling velocity vt.
Assume that a settling column is suspended in the flow of the
settling zone and that the column travels with the flow across
the settling zone. Consider the particle in the batch analysis for
type-1 settling which was initially at the surface and settled
through the depth of the column Z0, in the time t0. If t0 also
corresponds to the time required for the column to be carried
horizontally across the settling zone, then the particle will fall
into the sludge zone and be removed from the suspension at
the point at which the column reaches the end of the settling
zone.
All particles with vt>v0 will be removed from suspension at
some point along the settling zone.
Now consider the particle with settling velocity < v0. If the
initial depth of this particle was such that Zp/vt=t0, this particle
will also be removed. Therefore, the removal of suspended
particles passing through the settling zone will be in proportion
to the ratio of the individual settling velocities to the settling
velocity v0.
The time t0 corresponds to the retention time in the settling
zone. t= V = LZ0W
             Q     Q

Also, t0= Z0  
             v0 
Therefore,  Z0 = LZ0W and v0=  Q 
                v0      Q                 LW                              
or v0=  Q 

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4/9/23, 6:19 PM Sedimentation Tank Design

             AS
Thus, the depth of the basin is not a factor in determining the size
particle that can be removed completely in the settling zone. The
determining factor is the quantity Q/As, which has the units of
velocity and is referred to as the overflow rate q0. This overflow rate
is the design factor for settling basins and corresponds to the
terminal setting velocity of the particle that is 100% removed.

Design Details

1. Detention period: for plain sedimentation: 3 to 4 h, and for

coagulated sedimentation: 2 to 2.5 h.
2. Velocity of flow: Not greater than 30 cm/min (horizontal flow).
3. Tank dimensions: L:B = 3 to 5:1. Generally L= 30 m (common)
maximum 100 m. Breadth= 6 m to 10 m. Circular: Diameter
not greater than 60 m. generally 20 to 40 m.
4. Depth 2.5 to 5.0 m (3 m).
5. Surface Overflow Rate: For plain sedimentation 12000 to 18000
L/d/m2 tank area; for thoroughly flocculated water 24000 to
30000 L/d/m2 tank area.
6. Slopes: Rectangular 1% towards inlet and circular 8%.

Worked-out Example

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4/9/23, 6:19 PM Sedimentation Tank Design

   
 

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