Bioprocess Engineering 6 (1991) 249-257

Bi0pr0cessEngineering

0178515X9100024T

9 Springer-Verlag 1991

A short cut procedure for the design and monitoring

of continuous flow sedimentation or thickening tanks
H. A. Talaat, N. M. H. EI-Defrawi, M. H. Sorour and A. G. Abulnour, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract. A Short cut graphical procedure has been developed

analogous to stepwise for the design of continuous flow sedimentation or thickening tanks.
In this technique, several computer programs have been set up in
order to reduce the data input, necessary for performing all intermediate calculations by computer. The data describing the settling of
particles and movement of the particle-liquid interface as a function
of time and operating conditions are the only data required. The
method predicts the time required to attain the prescribed underflow concentration, the rate of hindered settling subsidence, the area
required for clarification, the thickener area and dimensions. The
proposed method has been applied to illustrate the effect of different
chemical treatment doses on a typical industrial effluent from the
manufacture of starch and byproducts from American yellow corn.

cm
cm
cm
cm
cm

ACL
A L P H A ( c0
ATH
ATH1
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
BT
BT1
CC
CO
CU
D
DIAM
DMIN
DT
DT1
HT
HT1

m 2

Q
SL
T1
T3
TM
TM1
TML
TMR
TMU
TU

List of symbols
AI
A2
A3
A4
A5

L1
LMAX
LMIN
NI
NO
PI

First falling zone line intercept

Settling zone curve intercept
Compression zone line intercept
Angle bisector intercept
Tangent interception at the compression

ZO
ZU
FI

m
m
m

Actual length of the tank

Maximum allowable tank length
Minimum allowable tank length
Number of iterations
Number of tanks
Const.
ma/h
Wastewater flowrate
m3/(m 2 - d) Surface loading
Tan (c0
Tan (c~/2)
min
Time of measuring subsiding particle-liquid interface
min
Time coordinate for line 1 and line 2 intersection
min
Lower limit of the root
rain
Time coordinate for compression point
min
Upper limit of the root
min
Time required to attain underflow concentration
cm
Initial height of sludge
cm
Settled height of sludge interface
m
Inert depth (typically taken as 1 m)

point

m 2
m 2

cm. min- 1
cm - min- 1
cm - min - 1
cm - m i n - ~
m
m
mg/dm s
mg/dm 3
m
m

m
h
h
cm

min

HTR

cm

Minimum clarification area

Angle between line 1 and line 2, radians
Minimum thickening area
Area of each individual tank
First falling zone line slope
Settling zone curve power
Compression zone line slope
Angle bisector slope
Tangent slope at the compression point
Approximate width of the tank
Actual width of the tank
Conversion criteria
Initial solid concentration
Underflow solid concentration
Basin depth
Diameter of circular tank
Minimum allowable liquid depth
Minimum allowable detention time
Calculated detention time
Subsiding particle-liquid interface height
Subsiding particle-liquid interface coordinate for line 1 and line 2 intersection
Subsiding particle-liquid interface coordinate for compression point
Approximate length of the tank

1 Introduction

Design of settling tanks for conditioning of wastewater prior

to biological treatment or thickening of sludge is achieved by
the use of analytical and graphical procedures. Conventional
procedures require batch settling tests. Another relevant application in wastewater treatment plants is related to the
expansion of current facilities or utilization of chemicals to
enhance the rate of clarification and/or thickening. The optim u m dose of chemicals required is a function of the feed
characteristics and the effluent standards. Hence, a short cut
procedure is needed for specifying chemical conditioning
requirements.
The present work aims primarily at developing a software
that integrates a graphical technique with numerical methods to realise the stated objectives. Appropriate software for
short cut design or monitoring of settling tanks is tested by
available data. The application of the developed software for
monitoring the primary treatment of starch industry effluents is presented.

250

H.A. Talaat et al.: A short cut procedure for continuous flow sedimentation

ZO

2 Theoretical approach

Coordinates of points
PointI (TMI,H/I)
Poinl2 (TMR,HTR)
Point3 (TU,ZU)

cm

Numerous analytical and graphical methods for the design

of settling tanks have been reported by many workers [110].
The basic principles governing settler design have been
summarised and expressed by Linvil [1]. The graphical approach adopted entails plotting the interface height-time
relationship. Such a plot manifests the first falling mode,
zone settling and compression mode. The time required to
attain the desired underflow concentration can be determined graphically by intersecting the line representing the
desired underflow concentration with the tangent to the
zone settling curve through the interface concentration, as
shown in Fig. 1. The concentration at the boundary of the
compression zone critically influences the solids handling
capacity of the system. The mathematical expressions used
in developing the program are presented in Appendix [I].

%9

&.

~zz
~zu

Compessionzone
Line(2)

Point1~'~

~.~%'<

. I { P~
T2 TO

I
Time

min

Fig. l. Geometry index for the graphical analysis of interface settling curve

3 Software development
The flow diagram of the computer program for the graphical
design technique is based on the Linvil approach [1] and, is
illustrated in Fig. 2. The procedure adopted for developing
the software encompasses several steps described in the following sections.

As the angle between line 1 and line 2 is obtuse, then:

A L P H A = P I - ]ALPHAI .

The slope of the line bisecting the angle A L P H A (B4) is

obtained, viz.
B 3 + T3

B4

3.1 Minimum area calculations

The equations describing the first falling, settling and compression zones have to be defined. Settling data are introduced in pairs of T M and H T for the three prementioned
zones. Using least square regression techniques, the relevant
functions are [11]:

~ r = A3 + (B3- TM).

-(T3" B3)

(1)
(2)
(3)

B4 =

H T - HT1
T M - - TM1

In a second step the coordinates of point 1 TM1 and HT1

using the inversion method [12], will be determined.

H T = A4 + (B4. T M ) .

The third step is concerned with the determination of the

time required to attain underflow concentration TU through
the definition of bisector equation (line 3) [13]:

l + ( m ' ~3)'

and
ALPHA=ARCTAN(~).

(8)

The compression point coordinates T M R and H T R is

obtained by the simultaneous solution of Eqs. (2) and (8)
using the bisection method for location roots [14]:
(9)

and
H T R = A 2 . T M R ~2 .

(10)

The slope and equation tangent at the compression point

(line 4) are given as:

3.1.3 Third step

B1 - B3

(7)

Hence,

D E F F N F ( T M ) = ( A 2 . T M B Z ) - ( A 4 + B 4 9 TM)

3.1.2 Second step

T1 -

(6)

or

3.1.1 First step

H T = A1 + (B1. T M ) ;
H T = A2 9 ( T M 82);

(5)

(4)

dHT
B 5 = d T M = A2 9 B2 [TM (~z-t)] ;

(11)

H T = A5 + (B5. T M ) .

(12)

The final sludge height can be determined as:

ZU-

CO 9Z O
CU

(13)

H. A. Talaat et al.: A short cut procedure for continuous flow sedimentation

/input/

/
/

O,CU,ZO,Q

251

I Input settling data for /

9First fatting rate.
/
Settling curve.
/
3. Compression zone us /
pairs of (TM,HI).
/

Determine the eqns.of

- Straight line No.1 (eqn.1)
- Power curve No.1 (eqn.2)
- Straight line No.2 (eqn. 3)

l
Calculate the coordinates
of intersection (TMI,HTI)
of the two straight lines
(I &2 )

9,eqns. of functions 1,2,3

Fitting data by
least square
regression

I
ISubroutine 2
Solving simultaneous
eqns. by inversion
method

Determine the eqns. of

the straight line No.3
eqns. (4to 8)
Calculate the coordinates
of the compression point
(TMR,HTR)

Subroutinel 1

(TM1,HI1)
Point no. 2

Input
/
TML, TMU
CC,NI

Determine the eqn. of the

tangent at the compression
point eqns. (11 & 12)

CalcuLate the final

sludge interface (zu)
eq. (13)

Subroutine 3
Locating roots
by bisection
method
eqns. (9 &lO)

(THR,HTR)
Point no.2

Calculate the coordinates

of pt.3 (TU, ZU) to obtain
the time required to
attain underf[ow
concentration (ZU)eq.(14)

/
Print eqns of line1, /
curve 1,line 2, line 3
(THR,HIR),
line 4, ZU, TU

i
Ca[curate thickener
area (ATH) eqn.(15)

i
Calculate area of
clarification (ACL)
eqn. (16)

Settling data

/
_L/

(TM,HT)
ZO, ZU,TU, ATH,ACL~--~
O,D, LI,BTI,D I A M ~

i
J Calculate
V
Calculate
D,DIAM,NO

I
Fig. 2. Flow diagram of the computer program for the graphical design technique

,.9=

252

H.A. Talaat et al.: A short cut procedure for continuous flow sedimentation

The time required to attain underflow concentration is

given by:
ZU-A5

ru

(14)

B5

3.1.4 Fourth step

Calculation of thickener and clarifier areas may be carried
out using the following relations:
ATH

ACL-

Q (TU/60)
(ZO/IO0)'

4 0.6[Bl[ "

(15)

(22)

The constraint is L1/BT1 > 20. If this condition is not satisfied, then BT1 is reduced automatically until the constraint
is satisfied providing that the ratio L1/BT1 does not exceed
the value 5.
For circular tanks, the diameter is first calculated based
on A T H for one tank and a consecutive trial and error
calculation is executed to obtain the adequate diameter and
number of tanks.

4 Reliability of the design technique

These calculations are based on surface loading, practical

dimension ratio considerations, number of tanks in relation
to layout constraints. The detention time (DT) is taken as 2.5
times the time required to attain underflow concentration
[15]:

To check the reliability of the technique for the design of

continuous flow sedimentation or thickening tanks, the program has been tested using reported data [1, 5, 7, 8], as
shown in Fig. 3. The results show close agreement of the
calculated values with reported ones, as shown in Table 1.

5 Materials and methods

DMIN
'

(17)
5.1 Experimental batch settling

where D M I N is normally taken as 2 m.

The calculated detention time (DTI) is checked against
the minimum allowable detention time (DT).
If DT1 > DT, then the design is considered safe. Otherwise, D M I N is automatically increased by an interval of
0.5 m until the condition DT1 > DT is realised.
The total depth of the tank is determined by the equation:
D = D M I N + FI,

L = (LMIN+ LMAX)/2.

(19)

The approximate width B T of the tanks is taken primarily as one fourth the approximate length (L).
The number of tanks can be calculated from:
ATH
B T . L"

A series of batch settling experiments were conducted on

wastewater from a starch factory (The Egyptian Company
for starch and glucose - Mustorod Factory).
For testing the influence of some coagulation agents on
the settling characteristics that affect clarification and/or
thickening process design, lime, ferric chloride, ferrous sulphate and aluminium sulphate were used.

(18)

where FI is taken as an inert depth to account for sludge

storage and free depth above the liquid surface (typically
taken as 1).
For rectangular shape, the number and dimensions of the
tanks are obtained by considering the following constraints:
The allowable tank length is ranging between 7 - 1 5 times
the depth, therefore:

NO =

ATH1
L1 = - BTI

(16)

3.2 Settler dimensions calculations

Dr1 = 2 4 . - SL

and the actual tank length is then determined by:

(20)

100

9 Ref. [5]

cm

* Ref. [7]

80 ~

9 Ref. [8]

70
6O

,o

40

30

",, \.

ZO

".--~c:~.
'J~mA--m--m -- m-- m - - m--m.,..m

10 -~,,....

The area of each individual tank is given by:

ATH1 = A TH/NO .

t It

20

-'-'-'-" ..... "-'-'-"

t tl

40

60

1 1 ~

~ q klt

It

~tll

llt

80 100 120 140 160 180 200 m[n 240

TM ----.-

The actual tank width can be expressed as [15]:

BT1 = 0.5. A T H 1 ,

Fig. 3. Sedimentation test data from literature for calculating thick-

(21)

ener and clarifier design parameters

H. A. Talaat et al.: A short cut procedure for continuous flow sedimentation

Table

253

1. Comparison between calculated results and reported design parameters

TU [min]

Reference
No.

Reported
[7]
[5]
[8]
[1]

12
37.5
112
11

ATH

Calculated

[m2]

ACL[m 2]

Reported

11.82
38.49
94.66
11.62

Calculated

781.41
46.88

Reported

77.68
46.19
660.28
49.38

31
32

Calculated
26.4
31.25
307.66
33.06

Summary of the experimental conditions; temperature = 30 _+1 ~

Table2.

Wastewater characteristics
- suspended solids
-

5200
4.7
1.909
1.015
31.2
40.69
4.11

pH

viscosity
density
solids composition

mg/dm 3
c.p
g/cm 3
starch %
protein %
fats %

1600
mgldm~

\ L
.

~200-J"

Coagulants
- lime
- ferric chloride
- lime+ferrous sulphate

50-1600 mg/dm 3
800 1600 mg/dm 3
(50, 150 rag/din 3) to
(120, 350 mg/dm 3)
- lime + aluminium sulphate
(800, 150 mg/dm 3) to
(800, 330 rag/din 3)
- Tests batch settling in graduated cylinders
sample volume
2
dm 3
- time of experiment
3 hours for settling curve.
Final height after
24 hours.

Table

3. Design features for different chemical treatments

Ferrous Z U
sulphate
dose
[mg/dm 3] [mg/dm 3] [ c m ]

Lime
dose

50
70
80
100
120
50
150
250
300
400

150
200
250
300
350
-

3.41
3.75
3.85
3.78
3.96
3.76
4.15
4.11
4.45
4.45
4.82

Supernatant Area
(SS) concen- A T H
tration
[mg/dm 3]
[mz]

DIAM

1614
1156
1102
1110
1048
1075
715
766
205
236
traces

12.87
12.78
12.59
13.26
12.71
14.03
13.29
14.04
15.66
15.40
16.07

130.21
128.32
124.50
138.02
126.79
154.50
138.68
154.75
192.49
186.96
202.65

:!L

200

~ y I ////

'\I/J
9

600

/i_)
/
A,Lime
Lime-FerFfcchloride

II'l#,/

1000 mgldm31000

Superncltant concentration

C o Lime- Ferrous sulphole

B 9 Lime - Aluminium sulphate

Fig. 4. The effect of different chemical dosing rates on supernatant

concentration

Set
Set
Set
Set

A
B
C
D

comprises
comprises
comprises
comprises

increasing doses of lime;

doses o f lime and ferric chloride;
doses o f lime and ferrous sulphate;
doses o f lime and aluminium sulphate.

The subsiding particle-liquid interface were recorded

with time for each set o f experiments and the settling curves
d a t a were fed to the computer software to r e p o r t the design
features o f the sedimentation t a n k (s) concerning each run.

[m]

Solutions o f w a s t e w a t e r and coagulants were prepared at

different concentration levels. The experimental conditions
are presented in Table 2.
F o u r sets representing 30 runs have been investigated;
and the results are given in Fig. 4:

Results

and

discussion

The developed design technique has been utilised to investigate settling characteristics o f starch industry liquid waste.
Some commercial chemicals have been utilised to accelerate
removal of suspended solids. The calculated areas tend to
indicate slight increase o f the required settler areas as the
dose is increased due to increased a m o u n t o f solid deposition and, hence, more purified overflows. Such explanation
m a y be confirmed by the measured supernatant suspended
solids (SS) concentration at different chemical dosing rates
assuming constant underflow concentration, as depicted in
Fig. 4 for the four investigated sets A, B, C and D.
F o r sets A and B, the m a r k e d increase in the calculated
settler areas as the doses increase is coupled with a decrease
in supernatant (SS) concentrations.

254

H.A. Talaat et al.: A short cut procedure for continuous flow sedimentation

Table 4. Design features of wastewater, supernatant settling tanks

Wastewater

Initial
TU
Conc.
[mg/dm3] [min]

ATH

ACL

Tank dimensions

[m2]

[m2]

Circular

Rectangular

No.

DIAM

No

Length

Width

Wastewater
without
chemicals

5200

31.2

135.8

38.8

13.2

23.3

5.8

Wastewater*

5200

44.3

184.8

51.3

13.1

27.2

6.8

Supernatant*

1080

19.8

102.8

30.6

11.4

20.3

5.1

* Chemically conditioned [Lime (800 mg/dm3), Ferric chloride (200 rag/din3)]

|
9 Wastewater with coagulants

401~&

cm~

9 Wastewater

30]~i~

,, 5upernatant with coagulants

a) Settling with no chemical aid requires small area. However, the conditions of overflow are still unacceptable.
b) Chemical treatment manifests an apparent increase in the
required settler areas. However, the amount of separated
solids are increased and the conditions of the overflow
are improved.
c) The proposed scheme for suspended solids removal may
involve two separate settlers, one for the readily settling
solids and the other for the slowly settling ones. In latter
cases the use of chemicals would be advantageous.
d) Additional work is still needed to investigate the effect of
other chemical flocculants and specially recently developed polymers.

20 \

0
0

I
10

20

1
30

I
40

I
I
50
60
T M ~

I
70

I
80

I
min

The preliminary analysis of settling characteristics of the

given starch waste indicates the following:

I
100

Fig. 5. Sedimentation test data for starch industry liquid waste for
calculating thickener and clarifier design parameters
For set C, the results show that increasing the chemical
treatment with lime and ferrous sulphate leads to insignificant changes in supernatant concentrations and consequently in settler design.
Set D data showed that about 800 mg/dm 3 of lime in
addition to 200-250 mg/dm 3 aluminium sulphate are sufficient to attain a clearer supernatant (43 mg/dm3).
Figure 5 manifests the settling curves of a flowrate of
100 m3/h of wastewater (5200 kg/m 3) before and after treatment with lime and ferric chloride mixture (800, 200 mg/
dm 3 respectively).
The design features for a typical system are depicted in
Table 4.
Appendix [II] represents typical printout results for the
sludge and supernatant including chemical doses, settling
data, operating conditions, and design features (TU, areas
of thickener and clarifier, number of tanks and their dimensions).

References

1. Rich, L. G.: Unit operations of sanitary engineering. New York:

John Wiley&Sons 1961
2. Fitch, B.: Batch tests predict thickener performance, Chemical
Engineering 23 (1971) 83
3. Shannon, P. T.; Dehaas, R. D.; Stroupe, E. P.; Elmer, M. T.:
Batch and continuous thickener. I& EC Fundamentals 2 (1964)
250
4. Robins, W. H. M.: The theory of the design and operation of
settling tanks. Trans. Instn. Chem. Engrs 42 (1964) T158
5. Wilson, F.: Design calculations in wastewater treatment.
E&F.N Span Ltd. 1981
6. Lawler, D. E: Removing particles in water and wastewater.
Environ. Sci. Technol. 20 (1986) 856
7. Wills, R. F.: Sedimentation and flocculation in effluent Treatment. McGraw Hill 1984
8. Schweitzer: Handbook of Separation Techniques for Chemical
Engineers: Sedimentation; Section 4.8; McGraw Hill 1979
9. Comings, E. W.; Pruiss, C. E.; Debord, C.: Continuous settling
and thickening. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry 46 (1954)
1164
10. Tchobanoglous, G.: Wastewater engineering treatment disposal
reuse. McGraw Hill: Metcalf&Eddy 1979
11. Deutsch, D. J. and the Staff of McGraw Hill Chemical Engineering Publications: Microcomputer Programs for Chemical Engineers. McGraw Hill, New York 1984
12. Douglass, B.: Numerical Basic. Howard W. Sams&Co. 1983

H. A. Talaat et al.: A short cut procedure for continuous flow sedimentation

255

13. Vygodsky, M.: Mathematical Handbook. Moscow: MIR Publishers 1971

14. Chapra, S. C.; Canale, R. P.: Numerical analysis methods for
engineers with personal computer applications. McGraw Hill
1985
15. James, A.: An introduction to water quality modelling. John
Wiley and Sons 1984

Appendix I

c-dc

Fig. A.1. Definition sketch of a concentration layer rising through

a settling column

Mathematical expression f o r continuous sedimentation or

thickening

During settling processes, four zones are formed at different

time intervals in a thick, flocculent suspension. The suspension settles, leaving at a uniform velocity (#) the clarified
liquid at the top:
# =f(c),

Figure A.1 represents that the quantity of solids settling

into the layer perforce is equal that settling out of the layer.
( c - de) A T(# + d# + fi) = cA T (# + fi),

(A1.2)

where
A = cross-sectional area perpendicular to direction of solids
movement;
T = time.
By solving f o r / i and neglecting d#,
d#

d~

#'

(AI.3)

According to eq. (AI.1), eq. (A1.3) becomes:

= cf'

2 2

(AI.8)

t2

and

# =velocity of subsidence under conditions of hindered

settling;
c = initial concentration of particles in suspension.

a 1

#2-

(A1.1)

where

equal to the velocity at which the interface at that particular

point subsides. At T2,

(c) -f(c).

(A1.4)

A column of height Z o is considered to be filled with a

suspension having a uniform concentration of C O. Assuming
that the time required for a layer of concentration c 2 to
reach the interface is T2, then:
c o Zoo A = c 2 A T 2 (#2 + fi2),

(AI.5)

and
(A1.6)

where Z 2 is the interface height at time T 2 . The layer concentration c 2 can be calculated by the following expression:
Co Z o
C2 -- Z 2 Ac # 2 T2 "

(AI.7)

A plot of the interface height as a function of time is

shown in Fig. 1. The slope at any point along the curve is

Z2 .

(A1.9)

Substituting the right-hand term of this expression in

eq. (AI.9) results in
c2 Z1 =co Zo 9

(A1.10)

The term Z~ can be interpreted as the height at which the

sludge column would stand, if all the solids in the column
were at the same concentrations as those in the interface.
For any value of c2, the corresponding value of Z 1 can be
calculated.
In a continuous operation, conditions exist in which the
position of the solids-liquid interface is relatively static, and
the relative movement between the solids and the liquid is
caused by the upward flow of the liquid. Therefore, at time
T 2 the bulk rate of liquid flow past the interface having a
solids concentration c 2 would be

q'

A (Zl - Z2)

T2

(AI.11)

Not all the liquid will move through the interface. Some
will accompany the solids to the underflow. The actual volume of liquid passing through the interface is equal to the
volume which would be released in the concentration of the
solids from the interface concentration c 2 to that of the
underflow c~. The corresponding volume of liquid in a batch
analysis would be
V= A (Z1

Z 2

fi2 =T22'

#2 T 2 = Z 1 - -

Z~),

(A1.12)

where
Z, = height of the sludge interface, if all the solids in the
system were at an undertow concentration of c,.
The time required for a volume of water V to flow
through a layer of concentration, c 2 would be

v
T:--=
q'

A(z~-z.)
[A ( Z 1 - Z 2 ) ] / T z"

(A1.13)

256

H.A. Talaat et al.: A short cut procedure for continuous flow sedimentation

Rearranging terms,
T

Appendix II

Chemical treatment

T2

Z 1 --Z u

Z 1 -g

Chemical 1

Concentration
gm/lit

Chemical 2
gm/lit

Concentration

Lime

800

Aluminium
sulphate

330

F r o m Fig. I it is seen that

(Al.15)

T=T,.

The total quantity o f solids in the batch analysis is

c o Z o A . In a continuous thickening operation, it would take
time T U for this quantity to settle past a layer with a concen-

Settling data (sludge)

tration o f c : . Therefore, equating the rate o f solids input

with the rate at which the solids can pass through the layer,

Zone 1

qc o=

co Z oA

r.

qT.
Zo'

(Al.17)

where

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

37.89
36.37
34.48
32.21
29.18
26.43
23.68
21.6

7
8
9
10
12
14
17
20
26
30
35
45
55
65

21.60
20.08
18.95
18.00
16.67
15.54
14.21
13.36
12.10
11.56
10.99
10.41
9.85
9.66

A = cross section required for layer with a concentration o f

o f c2, f t 2 .
q = volumetric flow rate of suspension entering thickener,
f t3 /sec.

T u = time required to attain underflow concentration c u, sec.

Z o = initial height o f interface in settling column, f t .
Values o f T u can be determined graphically from plots
similar to Fig. 1. A straight line is drawn through e 2, tangent to the settling curve. The intersection o f the tangent
with the line representing the desired underflow concentration eu determines Tu.
The critical concentration controlling the solids-handling
capacity of the system is that concentration requiring the
largest cross-sectional area. This concentration normally occurs in the transition zone at the point where compression
begins. The compression point m a y be estimated by bisecting the angle formed where tangents from the hindered settling zone and the compression zone intersect. The bisector
cuts the settling curve near the point o f compression.
W h e n the underflow line intersects the settling curve
above the compression point, the critical concentration is
taken as the concentration occurring at the interface at the
point o f intersection. A tangent through any other concentration will intersect the underflow line at a lesser value of

L.
The thickening capacity is generally expressed in terms of
unit area, the units of which are square feet per ton o f solids
per day. U n i t area m a y be c o m p u t e d from
Unit a r e a = ( 2 . 3 2 x 10 -2)

Zone 3
X

(A1.16)

and
A=

Zone 2

T~
e ol

(Al.18)
o "

65
75
85
95
120
150

9.66
9.47
9.28
9.09
9
8.89

Operating conditions
Waste water flowrate
Initial solid concentration
Underflow solid concentration

= 100m3/hr
= 5200 g/m 3
---41600 g/m 3

Design features
Time required to attain underflow concentration = 44.29 rain
Area of thickener
= 194.83 m 2
Area of clarifier
= 51.31 m z
Tank dimensions
Circular

Rectangular

No

Depth
m

Diam
m

No

Depth
m

Length
m

Width
m

15.75

27.92

6.98

H. A. Talaat et al.: A short cut procedure for continuous flow sedimentation

Design features

Settling data (supernatant)

Zone 1

Zone 2

Zone 3

0
2
3
4
5
6

32.1
28.9
24.07
19.26
12.84
8.99

6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

8.99
7.38
6.74
6.26
5.94
5.78
5.46
5.30
5.13
4.97
4.81
4.81
4.65

22
54
76

4.49
3.53
3.14

Time
Area
Area
Tank

required to attain underflow concentration = 19.75 min

of thickener
= 102.54 m 2
of clarifier
= 30.59 m 2
dimensions

Circular

Rectangular

No

Depth
m

Diam
m

No

Depth
m

Length
m

Width
m

11.43

20.25

5.06

Received M a r c h 27, 1990

Operating conditions
Waste water flowrate
Initial solid concentration
Underflow solid concentration

257

= 100 m3/hr
= 1080 g/m 3
= 16250 g/m 3

H. A. Talaat (corresponding author)

Chemical Engineering and
Pilot Plant Department
National Research Centre
Dokki, Cairo, Egypt