BEIRUT ARAB UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING DEPT.

SANITARY COURSE
(CIVE434)

CHAPTER 2: WATER TREATMENT

SEDIMENTATION

FALL 2012-2013
 SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER
Groundwater:
Soil & Rock layers naturally filter the ground water to a high
degree.
Deep ground water is of very high bacteriological quality
(pathogenic bacteria are typically absent).
Water is rich in dissolved solids (carbonates and sulfates of
calcium and magnesium).
Chloride and bicarbonate ions may be present
To make it pleasant for drinking, cooking, etc.. We need to
reduce the iron or manganese content.
Disinfection may be required.
 SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER
Upland Lakes & Reservoirs
Located above human habitation.

Bacteria and pathogen are low.

Some bacteria, like protozoa and algae may be present.

May have low pH, which requires adjustment

Rivers & Canals

Have significant bacterial load and variety of dissolved

constituents
Atmospheric water generation is a new technology that can
provide high quality drinking water by extracting water from
the air by cooling thus condensing water vapor.
Rainwater Harvesting: Used in areas with dry season and
experience fog.
 SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER
Desalination of seawater
Storage Water from rivers may be stored in reservoirs for

periods between days and months to allow natural biological

purification. And, to provide storage against drought periods.
Pre-Conditioning: Used for water rich in hardness salts. Soda

ash is added.
Pre-Chlorination

pH Adjustment

o Distilled water pH<7

o Sea water pH around 8.2
o For acidic water (pH<7), lime or soda ash is added
o Lime is cheap, it also adds to the resulting water hardness.
o For alkaline water (pH>7), HCL and CO2 are added.
 Water Treatment Plant
Water treatment type depends on the quality
of the water to be treated
Water quality depends o the source
Usually, groundwater requires less treatment
than water from lakes and rivers
 Water Treatment Plant
Water treatment plants are designed to provide
complete purification system composed of:
Pre-sedimentation
Softening
Disinfection
Taste & Odor Reduction
Filtration
General Layout of Water Treatment Plant (WTP)
Hydraulic Line of Water Treatment Plant (WTP)
Sea or River Water Intake
 Raw Water Sump & Low Lift Pump
Raw Water is collected into a raw water sump, then it is pumped to
water treatment plant units through pumps called Low lift pumps.
Pumps should be selected taking into consideration the following:

-Number of pumps should be selected based on various conditions of

operation.
- Stand-By pumps should be provided
-Minimum number of pumps is two.
- Total Dynamic Head of the pumps is equal to the static head plus the
head losses (friction & minor losses).
-The static head is the difference between the maximum water level at
the discharge side and the minimum water level at the raw water
sump.
-Minimum water level in the sump should be higher than the discharge
side level of a distance at least three times the pipe diameter.
 FLASH MIXING
- To provide the dispersion of the coagulants in a rapid way
- To ensure equal hydraulic distribution to all sedimentation tanks
though a weir
- Detention Time : 20 to 60 seconds

GENTLE MIXING
- To ensure chemical reaction between the coagulants and the particles
in the water
- Detention Time : 20 to 40 minutes
- Small particles get incorporated into larger ones
 SEDIMENTATION
Flocculation: Is the process which clarifies water.

Clarifying water means removal of any turbidity or color in order to get

clear and colorless water.

It is the process of causing a precipitate to form then to be removed

using physical methods.

Several parameters affect the design & operation of sedimentation

tanks:

- Horizontal water velocity

- Tank surface area
- Inlet & outlet of the tank
- Method of sediments removal
 SEDIMENTATION
-Settleable Solids
- Suspended Solids

Parameters affecting the sedimentation efficiency:

- Turbidity level
- Shape of particles causing turbidity
- Volume of particles causing turbidity
- Density of particles causing turbidity
- Water temperature
- Water viscosity
- Retention time
 SEDIMENTATION
Coagulants or flocculating agents help the sedimentation process to be
done efficiently.
Small particles in water get incorporated into the large particles that
coagulation produces.

Coagulants:
-Aluminum Hydroxide
- Aluminum Sulphate

Coagulant + water = flocculation= flocs

Flocs + suspended solids= fast sedimentation
 Jar Test
Jar test is a valuable tool to determine types and amounts of
chemicals to use for optimum floc formation. It simulate the
coagulation/flocculation process in a batch mode.
The jar test should simulate actual plant operating conditions,
such as mixing rates and detention times.
The most important part of the jar test is to document the
procedures used to enable replication in the future.
References for detailed instructions for performing a jar test:
AWWA. 1992. Operational Control of Coagulation and Filtration
Processes. M37.
California State University. 1994. Water Treatment Plant Operation.
Jar Test Procedure
1. Fill 6 jars one-liter samples of the water or wastewater to be treated.
2. Prepare chemical dosages (coagulant)
3. Immediately after the coagulant is added the samples are "flash mixed"
for approximately one minute.
4. The stirrer speed is then reduced to simulate a flocculation basin.
Flocculation mode is maintained for about 20 minutes.
5. At the end of the flocculation period the stirrers are turned off and the
floc is allowed to settle for one-half hour.
6. After this settling period supernatant samples are drawn off from each
sample and analyzed for turbidity and sometimes alkalinity and pH.

Settling
Flocculation
Filtration
 SEDIMENTATION
-The minimum clarifier retention time is 4 hours
- A layer of sludge is formed on the floor of the tank
- Amount of sludge 3-5% of total volume of water that is treated
- The tank may be equipped with mechanical cleaning devices that
continually clean the bottom of the tank or the tank can be taken out
of service.
 SEDIMENTATION

Overflow Rate (OFR): Average flow rate per surface area

Over Flow Rate = OFR = Q/A (m3/day/m2)

Detention Time (DT) or Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT): Is the

duration that a water particle stays in the tank from the time
it enters till the time it leaves.
DT=HRT=T =Q Vol.
Vol. = Q/T
 Design Criteria of Sedimentation Tank

- OFR = 20 40 (m3/m2/day)
- Detention time is 4 hours
- Tank Depth 3 to 6 meters
- For rectangular tanks; maximum tank length 40m,
Preferable 30m
- L:W = 4:1
- For circular tanks, maximum diameter 40m
including the gentle mixing
- Average water flow at weir = 450 m3/m/day
EXAMPLE:
For flow rate of 120000 m3/d, design the following:
- Flash mixing tank.
- Circular sedimentation tank.
- Rectangular Sedimentation tank & gentle mixing
- Aluminum sulfate for coagulation for one year if dose = 30ppm
and cost of one ton = 250 $
- Volume of sludge m3/d if turbidity = 60ppm

SOLUTION:
Flash mixing:
Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) = 20-60 seconds, take=40sec.
Volume = Q * HRT = 120000*40/(24*60*60) = 55 m3
For circular tank (Assume D=H); then D=4.2m
Circular Sedimentation zone:
Over Flow Rate (OFR) = 30 m3/m2/d
Area surface = 120000 / 30 = 4000 m2
HRT = 3 hours
Volume = 120000 *3/24 = 15000 m3
Depth = volume/area = 15000/4000 = 3.75 m

Gentle mixing zone:

HRT = 30 min
Volume = 120000*30/24*60 = 2500 m3
Depth = 3.75 0.50 = 3.25 m
Area = 2500/3.25 = 769 m2
Total area of sedimentation and gentle mixing zones =
Area of sedimentation tank = 4000+769 = 4769 m2
take 6 tanks, the area of tank = 4769/6 = 795m2
Diameter of sedimentation tank = 32 m
Area of one gentle mixing tank = 769/6
Diameter of gentle mixing zone = 12.8m
Rectangular Sedimentation zone:
Over Flow Rate (OFR) = 30 m3/m2/d
Area surface = 120000 / 30 = 4000 m2
Assume L=32 m. L:W=4; then W=8m
Area of one tank = 32*8=256 m2
Number of Tanks = 4000/256 = 15.6 Take 16 Tanks
Therefore Actual Area = 4000/16 = 250 m2 (31.25*8m)
HRT = 3 hours
Volume = 120000 *3/24 = 15000 m3
Depth = volume/area = 15000/4000 = 3.75 m

Gentle mixing zone:

Number of Tanks = 16
HRT = 30 min
Volume = 120000*30/24*60 = 2500 m3
Area = 2500/16 = 156.25 m2

Width = 8m same as the rectangular tank; Assume 3m depth

Then L= 7.75m
Coagulants:
Dose = 30 ppm, Q= 120000m3/d
Weight of Alum. Sulphate = 30*120000/1000*1000 = 3.6 ton /d
= 3.6 * 365 = 1314 ton/year
Cost of coagulants every year = 1314*250=328500 $

Sludge Volume:

Turbidity of solids = 60ppm

Efficiency of sedimentation = 90%
Weight of dry solids = 120000*60*0.90/1000*1000 = 6.47 ton/d
If water percentage in the sludge = 98% and dry solids = 2%
If specific gravity of sludge = specific gravity of water = 1ton /m3
Volume of sludge = 6.47 *100/2 = 324 ton/d
In case of Circular Tanks:

Sludge Volume / Tank = 324/6 = 54 m3

Assume Sludge Removal every 4 hrs (6times per day)
Sludge to be removed every time = 54/6 = 9m3

In case of RectangularTanks:

Sludge Volume / Tank = 324/16 = 20.25 m3

Assume Sludge Removal every 4 hrs (6times per day)
Sludge to be removed every time = 20.25/6 = 3.375m3