CE 432 WATER QUALITY ENGINEERING

WASTEWATER TREATMENT DESIGN PROJECT

PURPOSES
1.
2.

To familiarize students with waste water treatment plant design

To prepare students to work in a professional environment as an effective team
member and a project manager.

PROJECT TEAM
Each team may have four people. One member will be elected as group leader. Group
leader shall submit the names of his team to instructor no later than 5th week of school.
Each member will turn in an evaluation of his (or her) fellow team members at conclusion
of the project. These evaluations are confidential and will be used as a reference in
assigning grades.
Each report will be judged equally regardless of the number of members per team.
SCOPE
Each member will performed design calculations respectively.
Design report shall be prepared collectively in a professional manner. Design report shall
include project description , design calculation and drawings.
Calculations shall identify all design criteria and assumptions and include all tasks
identified herein.
Drawings shall be on 11" x 17" sheets ( B size). Format and neatness will be considered in
assigning grades. Drawings shall include, as a minimum, process flow diagrams,
hydraulic profiles, site layout plan and all information required in project description.
Process flow diagram and hydraulic profile shall use customary treatment unit symbols.
Process flow diagram shall also identify design criteria for each process.
Site layout plan shall incorporate the following:
Scale 1 in. = 100 ft
Show all unit processes and unit operations
Show admin/operation building (40 ft x 60 ft)
Show plant roadways
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
The city of Growingpain has hired you to design a new wastewater treatment plant for
the City. The wastewater characteristics and discharge requirements for the service areas
are show in Table 1.
DESIGN CRITERIA AND REQUIRED TASKS

A.

Plant Influent Interceptor Sewer

Given: S = 0.005 ft/ft

n = 0.013
conduit 3/4 full
Find:

B.

1. Pipe diameter
2. Water depths
3. Velocities
Bar Screens

Given: Provide two (1+1) mechanical screens; s = 75

Use Bar space = 1.0 in., Bar width 0.25 in., V max = 3 fps,
Vavg = 2 fps, Vmin = 1.3 fps.
Find:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

C.

Bar rack and chamber dimension

Flow depth i n the rack at peak flow.
Head loss through the rack.
Draw a dimensional plan and profile of the bar screens
structure. Allow a maximum head loss of 0.5 ft through
clogged screen.
Quantity of screenings (ft3/day).

Aerated Grit Chambers

Given: o

Provide two chambers to handle Qp.

o
Particle size to be removed 0.2 mm or larger.
o
Detention time T = 3 min. at Qp.
o
Flow depth, D = 12 ft.
o
L/W = 4.
o
Use rectangular effluent weir. Weir length = tank width - 2 ft.

Determine:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Tank dimensions.
Quantity of grit (ft3/day)
Total air required.
Surface overflow rate.
Influent and effluent structure geometry (include influent orifice and
effluent weir )
6.
Hydraulic head on weir crest.
7.
Draw a dimension plan and sections of the grit chamber. Allow
1 foot drop between weir crest and highwater level in
effluent
channel.
C1. (Alternate I ) Design rectangular horizontal grit chambers- Use two chambers.
C2. (Alternate II) Design square horizontal grit chambers- use two chambers.

D.

Primary Sedimentation
Given:

Determine:

E.

o
o
o
o
o
o

Provide two rectangular tanks

Detention time, T = 1.5 hour, SOR = 800 gpd/ft2
T and SOR should be based on Qavg
BOD removal = 34%, SS removal = 63% and NH3-N
removal = 30%.
Weir loading rate 30,000 gpd/ft at Max. flow.
L/W = 5

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Tank dimensions
Overflow weir length
Primary sludge flow rate, assuming solids concentration is 4.5%
BOD and SS in primary effluent
Sketches showing plan and sections of the primary system.

Activated Sludge System

Given: o

Provide completely mixed activated sludge process using diffused air

aeration system. Design aeration tanks for average flow and size
mechanical equipment for peak flow.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Plant effluent of 20 mg/1 BODF and TSS and 4 mg/1 NH3-N

Provide 4 rectangular concrete aeration basins.
Provide 6 air compressors
Aeration basin Min. D.O. = 2 mg/1
Provide 4 (3+1) RAS pumps
Provide 3 (2+1) WAS pumps
Operational parameters are:
MLSS = 3500 mg/1 (Ave.)
MLVSS = 2800 mg/l (Ave.)
Sludge Yield Coefficient Y = 0.6 VSS/lb BOD5
Cell formula C5H7O2N
Decay coefficient Kd = 0.06
Mean cell residence time = 10 days
Return Sludge MLVSS 10,000 mg/l
Use grid ceramic disc diffusers, the SOTE is 32%
Field Oxygen transfer efficiently is 40% of SOTE

Find:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Biological and overall treatment efficiencies

Aeration reactor volume (ft3 and MG)
Using W/D ratio of 1.5:1, and 15 ft water depth, find tank
dimensions
Estimate return activated sludge rate. (lbs./day) 24 Hr/day
operation.
Estimate waste activated sludge rate. (lbs./day 8 Hr/day operation.
3

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
E1. (Alternate I)
E2. (Alternate II)
F.

G.

Design single stage trickling filters without intermediate clarifier. Use

Empirical criteria and NRC equations with R = 2.0.
Design Rotating Biological Contactors. Use Figure 10-39 in Textbook.

Final Clarifiers
Given:

Provide 4 circular final clarifiers (side water depth = 10 ft,

SOR at Qp = 1500 gpd-ft2
SL at Qp = 50 lbs/d-ft2)

Find:

1.
2.

Final clarifier diameter D and detention time Td

Prepare process layout sketches and details

Gravity Thickeners
Given:

o
o
o
o

2 Tanks
SLR = 10 lb/D/ft2
Solids conc. of thickened sludge = 8%
SOR = 800 gpd/ft2. Use plant effluent for elutriation water to
maintain aerobic condition.

Find:

1.
2.

Tank diameter and depth

Sludge volume ratio if tank depth is 12 ft (4 ft allowance for
supernatant inclusive).
Prepare layout, sections & details

3.
G. (Alternate)
H.

Design RAS and WAS pumps assuming hL = 20ft.

Estimate Oxygen requirement (lbs/day) Check mixing requirement.
M & E, P. 573.
Design compressors assuming: Pi = - 1.0 psi and
Pd = 10 psi, Ti = 110F
Calculate number of diffusers.
Check F/M ratio
Check organic loading
Prepare process and equipment layout sketches and details.

Design Dissolved Air Flotation Process. Use Air/ Solid ration of 0.03
and two DAF units.

Anaerobic Digesters
Given:

o
o
o
o
o

Single-stage high-rate system

3 circular concrete tanks (side water depth = 30 ft)
Temperature in digester = 95oF
Incoming sludge Temp 50oF
Earth temperature 40oF
4

Find:

o
o
o

Air temperature 40oF

Dentention time = 15 days
Max VSS loading = 0.2 lbs VSS/CF/Day

1.
2.

Tank Dimensions
Energy production (assume 15 CF gas/lb solids destroyed and heat
value = 600 BTU/CF gas)
Energy requirements for digester heating Qh.
Heat exchanger capacity (provide 2 + 1 units, and assuming 80%
efficiency).
Determine excess energy
Prepare layout, sections & details

3.
4.
5.
6.
I.

Sludge Dewatering
Given:

o
o

Find:

o
o

Vacuum Filter
Chemical Conditioning 8% lime and 2% Ferric Chloride based on
dry sludge solids
Solids loading = 4 lb/hr-ft2
Sludge Cake 18% solid content

1.
2.
3.
4.

Determine filter drum area

Amount of chemicals ( lbs/day)
Volume of sludge cake (CF/day)
Prepare layout, sections and details

TABLE 1-- WASTE CHARATERISTICS

Item

Unit
5

Quantity

Population served
Average Flow
Minimum Flow
Peak Flow

person
mgd
mgd
mgd

Average WW Characteristics (30 day average)

BOD5
Suspended solids ( 70% volatile)
Total solids
pH
Total phosphorous
NH3 - N

mg/1
mg/1
mg/1
mg/1
mg/1
mg/1

100,000
12
6
25
250
220
750
7.2
9.0
30

The discharge permit requirements dictates that the new WWTP must produce an ave effluent
quality having BOD5, and SS of 20 mg/1 or less. The SS in effluent are biomass that is 65%
biodegradable. (BOD5 = 0.68 x BODu). See M & E p. 149, Table 5-1 for design flows.