Water Treatment_Sedimentation-1(1)

Water Treatment
Sedimentation
Sedimentation
It is the process of removing solid particles
heavier than water by gravity.
Or, Sedimentation is a solid-liquid separation

utilizing gravitational settling to remove
suspended solids.
Particles that will settle within a reasonable

period of time can removed by using a
sedimentation tank (also called clarifiers)
After the source water has been coagulated

and flocculated, it is ready for sedimentation.
Sedimentation is used in water and wastewater

treatment plants
PROCESS DEFINITION
 To remove suspended solids that are denser than
water and to reduce the load on the filters
 Suspended solids
 Natural state
 bacteria, clays or silts
 Modified/preconditioned
 to form floc
 Precipitated impurities
 hardness, iron precipitates formed by the
addition of chemicals
Settlement in horizontal-flow basins
For simple, unaided settlement consider a rectangular
horizontal-flow basin as portrayed in Figure.
It is clear that a particle settling at vs m/s and being
carried horizontally by water flowing at velocity v m/s
would follow the inclined path AB, and by comparing
similar triangles the particle would just reach the
bottom when:
If νs > ν, particles will completely settle
If νs > ν, particles do not settle unless the particles are at h level when entering
the sedimentation tank, where h = νs * t
To get the effective of sedimentation tank,
νs <<< ν. This can be achieved by increasing the area of the tank (ν = Q/As)
Settling velocities of particles in water
Laboratory experiments
Much research has been done on the
settling velocities of discrete particles and
typical figures for the settling velocities of
selected particles are given in Table
below.
These are indicative of the general range

of settling velocities of the particles to be
removed by settlement; but the velocities
are difficult to apply directly. Where a
design is to be based on settling
velocities, it is necessary to determine
actual values by laboratory tests.
To determine the criteria of the particles and the effectiveness of the tank
Using settling column
• diameter of the column is not important but the depth of the water is same as the actual water depth
• occur in steady state
Record the initial concentration of the suspended solids, Co

• withdrawn the sample at every sample ports at selected time intervals, Ct
• calculate the percent of removal for every sample point and sampling time
• plot the %R at depth versus time graph

In this experiment, it can be seen that shallower basins would achieve
better clarification in a given time.
For instance, after 90 minutes retention the average concentration ratio of

silt from points A and B would be 0.13, as opposed to 0.46 for a basin of
full depth.
Settlement in upward-flow tanks
Settlement in the upper regions of an upward-flow basin is controlled by

making the area (A) of the tank sufficiently big so that v , vs, where v is the
upward velocity of the water (=Q/A) and vs is the settling velocity of the
particle that it is desired to remove.
When this condition is achieved the particle will be settling through the rising
water and clarification must result, with all particles with a settling velocity
greater than v being removed.
In practice, the upward velocity of the water is kept down to about half the
settling velocity of the floc particles.
As in the case of the horizontal-flow basins, it would appear in theory that the
depth of the tank is not particularly significant and that surface area is the
only important factor.
HIGH-RATE TUBE SETTLERS
High rate tube settlers are designed to improve the characteristics of the rectangular
basin and to increase flow through the tank.
The tube settlers consist of a series of tubes that are installed at a 60 degree angle to
the surface of the tank.
The flow is directed up through the settlers.
Particles have a tendency to flow at an angle different than the water and to contact
the tube at some point before reaching the top of the tube.
After particles have been removed from the flow and collected on the tubes, they tend
to slide down the tube and back into the sludge zone.
SOLIDS CONTACT UNIT
A solids contact unit combines coagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation in one
unit.
These units are also called upflow clarifiers or sludge-blanket clarifiers.
These units are used primarily with lime-soda ash to settle floc formed during water
softening.
Flow is usually in an upward direction through a sludge blanket or slurry of flocculated
suspended solids.
SOLIDS-CONTACT UNITS SOLIDS-CONTACT CLARIFICATION
• Uniform sludge blanket must be maintained • Known as solids-contact clarifiers,
• Sludge blanket sensitive to changes in water upflow clarifiers, reactivators, and
temperature precipitators
• Changes in rate of flow should be made infrequently, • Sludge – settled materials from
slowly, and carefully coagulation or settling
• Operational factors of importance • Slurry – the suspended floc clumps in
 Temperature the Clarifier
 Control of chemical dosage • Internal mechanism consists of 3 distinct
 Mixing of chemicals processes that function in the same way
 Control of sludge blanket as conventional treatment
• Sludge produce by the unit is recycled
• Perform a drawdown on sludge blanket to check through the process to act as a
thickness and concentration coagulant aid
• check solids concentration 2 times a day
• check solids concentration every 8 hours (3
times a day)
Sludge removal frequency depends on
• Rate of sludge buildup
 Dependent on amount of
suspended material & flock
removed
• Size and capacity of sludge pump
• Manual removal should be performed
twice per year
o If sludge is too thick and bulks, increase

removal frequency
o If sludge is too low in solids, decrease
removal frequency
To design Sedimentation tank following elements are required in the consideration:
• Over flow velocity
• Detention period
• Flow through velocity
• Dimensions of the tank
• Sludge zone depth
• Efficiency
Overflow Velocity (Vo)

The volume of water applied per unit time per unit horizontal surface area is called over flow
velocity. It is also called as surface loading rate or surface over flow rate. Over flow velocity must
be less than settling velocity of particle otherwise the particle or sediment will escapes without
settling. The over flow velocity is calculated from the formula
Vo = Discharge / surface area = Q / (BxL)
In general, over flow velocity of sedimentation tank = 12 to 18 m3/day/m2.
Flow Through Velocity (V)
The velocity of water with which it travels from inlet to outlet of sedimentation tank is called
flow through velocity (V). The allowable flow through velocity of water in sedimentation tank is
0.005m/s.
Flow through velocity, V = discharge / area = Q /(BxH)
Detention Period (T)

The time taken by water to travel from inlet to outlet is termed as detention period or detention
time. The allowable detention period in the sedimentation tank is 4 to 8 hours.
Detention Time = volume of tank / discharge = V/Q
Sludge Zone Depth

Sludge zone depth is used to collect the sludge which is nothing but settled particles. It is provided
only when removal of the sludge takes place manually. Generally it is limited to 0.8 to 1.2 meters.
Dimensions of Sedimentation Tank
The basin dimensions length, breadth and depth of tank are derived from the volume of the tank and
over flow velocity. First we have to compute the area of tank,
Area (A) = Volume of water/ over flow velocity
After obtaining the area assume length and depth based on allowable limits as followed below. The
breadth of sedimentation tank should be provided is 10 to 12 meters while the length of
sedimentation tank should be at least 4 times the breadth of sedimentation tank. The depth of tank
should be 3 to 4.5 meters.
Efficiency
Efficiency is nothing but the performance of sedimentation tank. It is maximum when the maximum amount
of suspended particles in the raw water are separated. In sedimentation tanks, efficiency purely depends upon
the settling velocity and over flow velocity.
Efficiency of Sedimentation Tank = (Vs/Vo) x 100
Design Details
Detention period: for plain sedimentation: 3 to 4 h, and for
coagulated sedimentation: 2 to 2.5 h.
Velocity of flow: Not greater than 30 cm/min (horizontal flow).
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.
Depth 2.5 to 5.0 m (3 m).
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.
Slopes: Rectangular 1% towards inlet and circular 8%.

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Water Treatment

Or, Sedimentation is a solid-liquid separation

Particles that will settle within a reasonable

After the source water has been coagulated

Sedimentation is used in water and wastewater

the sedimentation tank, where h = νs * t

To get the effective of sedimentation tank,

These are indicative of the general range

Record the initial concentration of the suspended solids, Co

• plot the %R at depth versus time graph

For instance, after 90 minutes retention the average concentration ratio of

Settlement in the upper regions of an upward-flow basin is controlled by

o If sludge is too thick and bulks, increase

Overflow Velocity (Vo)

Detention Period (T)

Sludge Zone Depth

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