PII: S0043-1354(98)00072-4

Wat. Res. Vol. 32, No. 10, pp. 29512958, 1998

# 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
Printed in Great Britain
0043-1354/98 $19.00 + 0.00

VELOCITY AND SOLIDS DISTRIBUTION IN CIRCULAR

SECONDARY CLARIFIERS: FULL SCALE
MEASUREMENTS AND NUMERICAL MODELLING
M
M
A. DEININGER1*
, E. HOLTHAUSEN2 and P. A. WILDERER3**

VERMICON, Engineering and Microbiology, Nymphenburger Strae 81, 80636 Munich, Germany;
2
TOR Engineering GmbH, Siebenmorgen 43, 51427 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany and 3Institute of
Water Quality and Waste Management, Technische Universitat Munchen, Am Coulombwall, 85748
Garching, Germany

(First received July 1997; accepted in revised form January 1998)

AbstractResults of full-scale measurements of ow velocity and solids distribution in a circular secondary clarier are presented and evaluated using numerical modelling. The ow velocity distribution
was measured by means of an ultrasonic velocity prole monitor. A two phase three dimensional model
was applied to gain a better understanding of the observed ow patterns. The calculation was carried
out for a two dimensional eld assuming axisymmetric conditions. The momentum, continuity and ke
turbulence equations were solved. Solid transport equations for a coupled system were employed. Circulating currents were found by modelling and in practice. The full scale velocity components in radial
direction as well as the solids distribution showed a satisfactory agreement to the predicted values. At
the outer tank rim no settled sludge was predicted by modelling whereas a very thin sludge blanket was
found in reality, however. It is assumed that conveyance of the settled sludge by the scraper has not
been properly described for the very outer tank zone. The solids content at the tank bottom was
around 12 g l1. The maximum radial velocity components varied in the range of 10 to 17 mm s1. High
velocity components of up to 48 mm s1 towards the tank bottom were found in the inlet region. By
numerical modelling those high numbers could not be matched. The calculated values were being in the
range of 21 mm s1. # 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
Key wordsow patterns, numerical modelling, secondary sedimentation, solids distribution, velocity
distribution

NOMENCLATURE
CFIP
g
i
MLSS
R1(i)
R2(i)
SVI
Dv(i)
Vol(i)
r1
r2
r3
mt

constant (dimensionless) depending on the settling velocity

gravity constant (9.81 m s2)
cell index (dimensionless)
solids content aerated sludge tank (g l1)
volume phase 1 (water), cell i
volume phase 2 (sludge mixture), cell i
sludge volume index (ml g1)
velocity dierence phase 1/phase 2
volume cell i
density of the liquid phase (kg m3)
density of the solid phase (kg m3)
density of the sludge mixture (kg m3)
Increased turbulent viscosity (kg m1 s1)

INTRODUCTION

The secondary settling tank of an aerated sludge

treatment plant represents a very important element
in the process of removal of suspended solids.
Compliance with the euent requirements depends
greatly on the eciency of the secondary clariers.
The tank performance is strongly inuenced by hydrodynamic and physical eects such as a density
*Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed.

driven ow, gravity sedimentation, occulation and

thickening. In turn the velocity and density patterns
in the tank inuence those processes and are therefore of great interest for design engineers.
Numerical modelling of secondary clariers has
gained an advanced state of development in the
past years (Krebs, 1991; Lyn et al., 1992; Zhou and
McCorquodale, 1992; Dahl et al., 1994; Szalai et
al., 1994; Holthausen, 1995; Krebs et al., 1995).
Nowadays, it is possible to simulate the internal
three dimensional ow patterns of the clarier.
Corresponding measurement data are scarce, however. Full-scale measurements of velocity distributions have been mainly conducted in rectangular
secondary settling tanks (Larsen, 1977; Bretscher
and Hager, 1990; Bretscher et al., 1992; Baumer et
al., 1995; Uberl, 1995). Ponn (1975) described ow
investigations in a circular clarier using a thermoprobe. However, the inuence of factors like hydraulic loading were not investigated neither
systematically nor in detail. No comparison with
numerical ndings was made.
In the following the results of full scale measurements of the solids and velocity distribution in a
circular secondary clarier are presented. The ow

2951

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A. Deininger et al.

Table 1. Construction and loading characteristics of the investigated clarier

Diameter
Rim depth
Inlet characteristics
Outlet characteristics
Sludge scraper
Dry weather inow
Overow rate
Return sludge ratio
MLSS aerated sludge tank
Sludge volume index, SVI

24 m
3.3 m
centre-fed, Coanda Tulip with baes
peripheral serrated weir
one arm blade scraper
25 l s1
0.21 m h1
100%
3.3 g l1
55 ml g1

velocity values were detected in radial and in vertical direction. Additionally, numerical simulation of
the processes in the clarier under the same loading
criteria was conducted. The equations and parameters employed in the model are described. The
full-scale ndings and the numerical results are
compared and correspondences and deviations are
discussed.

Table 2. Parameters for numerical modelling

Dynamic viscosity
Density of the liquid phase, r1
Density of the solid phase, r2
Density of the Sludge mixture, r3

1.0  103 kg m1 s1
1000 kg m3
1100 kg m3
1000.3 kg m3

NUMERICAL MODEL

To predict the ow patterns in the clarier a numerical model was applied. The program was developed by Holthausen (1995) as an extension of the
CHAMPION3D model, a three dimensional numerical model to calculate two phase currents. The
momentum, continuity and ke turbulence
equations (Rodi, 1980) were solved. Solid transport
equations for a coupled system were used. The
applied phase parameters are shown in Table 2.
The equations describing friction forces between
the two phases and buoyancy are given as follows:
Friction forces:
FR i CFIP
R2i
Dvi
Voli =R1i

INVESTIGATED CLARIFIER

A full scale horizontal ow secondary clarier of

a newly built activated sludge treatment plant was
investigated. The clarier is centre-fed with a peripheral weir. Information about design, construction and loading characteristics of the secondary
clarier are provided in Table 1 and Fig. 1, respectively. The clarier was designed according to
German Design Standards (ATV, 1991). Under the
actual operation conditions the tank was signicantly underloaded.
The ow velocity measurements were carried out
with an ultrasonic velocity prole monitor (UVP)
(Durst et al., 1992) and the solid distribution was
detected with an infrared probe (Deininger, 1997).
The ultrasonic probe was xed to a metal bar
which was attached to the scraper bridge. The infrared probe could be positioned manually in the tank.
During the measuring interval the scraper was kept
from moving.

where FR(i): friction forces of cell i, CFIP: constant

(dimensionless) depending on the settling velocity,
R2(i): volume phase 2 (sludge mixture) of cell i,
Dv(i): velocity dierence phase 1/phase 2, Vol(i):
volume cell i and R1(i): volume phase 1 (water)
cell i.
The CFIP constant was determined for every cell
according to the solids concentration and the
settling velocity.
Buoyancy:
FA i g
R2i
r3 r1
Voli

where FA(i): buoyancy of cell i, g: gravity constant

(9.81 m s2), R2(i): volume phase 2 (sludge mixture)
of cell i, r3: density of the sludge mixture (kg m3),
r1: density of the liquid phase (kg m3) and Vol(i):
volume of cell i.
The settling velocity of the sludge was set in
correspondence to the solids concentration (Hartel,
1990). The value for the sludge settling velocity of

Fig. 1. Cross-section of the investigated secondary clarier.

Flow distribution in circular clariers

2953

Fig. 2. Measured ow velocity prole in radial direction in mm s1.

the incoming sludge (MLSS 3.3 g l1) was therefore

calculated as 1.39 mm s1. A nite-element grid
was employed to solve the partial dierential ow
equations. During modelling the settling velocity
was calculated for every grid depending on the
solids concentration within the grid. A 16.48 section of a circle was considered in the calculation,
assuming axisymmetric conditions. The tank
geometry was treated by setting blocked cells
according to the specic geometry of the clarier.
The eect of the sludge scraper was modelled by

assuming a frictionless tank bottom. Further calculations were carried out with an increased constant
value of the turbulent viscosity (mt=0.1 kg
m1 s1). Those results are not shown here, however some characteristics will be discussed with the
presented ndings.
RESULTS

A typical result of a measured prole and the

corresponding calculated velocity distribution are

Fig. 3. Calculated ow velocity prole.

2954

A. Deininger et al.

shown in Figs 2 and 3, respectively. In Figs 2 and

3, the numbers at the arrows represent the mean
velocity values in mm s1. The measuring time varied in the range of 22 to 42 s. The direction of the
arrows represents the ow direction during the observation time. When ow direction changed during
the observation time, two arrows are presented. To
facilitate interpretation of the measured data the
following aspects have to be considered:
. Fig. 2 shows the velocity components only in
radial direction. In this plan view the continuity
condition is not fullled. Since the currents in the
clarier must be treated as three dimensional in
character, the continuity condition can only be fullled in the three dimensional eld. Therefore, correspondence to a model assuming axisymmetric
conditions cannot be achieved in every instance.
. Small eddies exist in the tank due to a turbulent
ow. Therefore within a relatively short measuring
time (22 s) the mean velocity values might be
slightly higher than over an increased measuring
time.
. The change of the ow direction during
measuring time is due to those small eddies or to
an unstable ow.
. The inow during the measuring time was not
strictly constant since full-scale investigations were
conducted.
From both proles it can be seen that a circular
current in radial direction exists. This observation is
in agreement with ndings of Ponn (1975), Zhou
and McCorquodale (1992) and Szalai et al. (1994).
The circular current shows the following characteristics:

. Forward ow velocities (towards the tank rim)

in the zone close to the tank bottom.
. Backward ow velocities (toward the tank
inlet) in the upper zone of the tank.
. Higher forward ow velocities in the inlet
region than in the rim region.
. Higher backward ow velocities in the inlet
region than in the outlet region.
. Vertical currents downwards to the tank bottom in the inlet region.
. Vertical currents upwards to the water level in
the outlet region.
Obviously density current exists due to a higher
density of the incoming sludge suspension. The density current sinks toward the sludge blanket right
after leaving the inlet structure and ows towards
the tank rim. Thus backward velocities are induced
in the upper water zone of the tank following the
continuity equation. The modelling results show a
slightly larger area of forward velocities compared
to results of the full scale measurements. When a
constant value of the turbulent viscosity was used
for turbulence modelling instead of the ke turbulence model, the zone of forward velocities became
smaller.
The numerical values of the calculated radial velocities are shown in Fig. 4. Positive numerical
values are related to forward currents towards the
tank rim while negative numbers represent backward currents. The maximum calculated values
occur in the density current zone of the inlet region.
They are above 10 mm s1. The maximum measured
values were in the range of 10 to 17 mm s1 (see
Fig. 2). Also in the other tank zones the calculated
values were slightly below the measured numbers.

Fig. 4. Calculated distribution of radial ow velocities in mm s1.

Flow distribution in circular clariers

2955

Fig. 5. Measured ow velocity prole in vertical direction in mm s1.

In the clear water zone backward ow velocities of

3 to 10 mm s1 (Fig. 2) were measured while the
predicted values (Fig. 4) vary in the range of 0 to
7 mm s1. In the serrated weir zone the measured
values of radial ow velocities were in the range of
7 to 9 mm s1 whereas the calculated numbers are
almost zero.
In Fig. 5 one example of the vertical components
of the measured velocity prole is presented. Figure
6 shows the predicted values. The double arrows indicate change of direction of the vertical ow
during the observation time. This may have been
the result of small eddies due to a turbulent ow or
the result of an unstable ow which takes place in

higher order of magnitudes both in space and in

time than small eddies. Varying ow directions
were found in the inlet and outlet zone of the clarier.
In the numerical model it was distinguished
between the vertical velocities of either the liquid
phase or the solid phase. The vertical velocity of
the solid phase represents the relative settling velocity between sludge and water. It depends on the
solids concentration. This correlation is included in
the ux theory (e.g. Kynch, 1952). Hartel (1990)
developed a settling function on this basis which
was employed in the represented programme.

Fig. 6. Calculated distribution of vertical ow velocities (liquid phase) in mm s1.

2956

A. Deininger et al.

Fig. 7. Measured solids distribution in g l1.

The vertical velocity of the solid phase varies in

the range of 0 to 2 mm s1. The vertical velocity of
the liquid phase is higher due to density and hydrodynamic eects. Transport of the solid particles are
aected by frictional forces (see equation 1).
Positive numbers in Fig. 6 represent an upward current to the tank surface while negative numbers
stand for sinking of the incoming stream to the
tank bottom. Again, the calculated values were
found to be below the measured numbers. In the
inlet region maximum downward directed values of
48 mm s1 were measured. The maximum calculated
values are around 21 mm s1. Using a constant
turbulent viscosity value for turbulence modelling

instead of the ke-model, similar maximum downward velocity values were obtained.
In the rim region of the tank upwards velocities
of 6 to 9 mm s1 were detected while the predicted
values varied between 0.4 and 1.0 mm s1. In the
middle between inlet and outlet downward directed
ow velocities of 5 to 17 mm s1 were measured.
The calculated values in this zone were only at
1.5 mm s1. With respect to the vertical velocity
components the predicted values were below the
measured values which results from diculties in
appropriate considering the density eect in the secondary clarier.
In Figs 7 and 8 the measured and the calculated
solids distribution is presented. The numbers rep-

Fig. 8. Calculated solids distribution in g l1.

Flow distribution in circular clariers

resent the measured solids concentration in g l1 at

the respective depth of infrared probe. At the tank
bottom solids concentrations of 12 g l1 were
detected. Since the tank was signicantly underloaded (see Table 1) very little sludge was actually
found in the tank. Solid concentrations lower than
0.1 g l1 could not be detected with the infrared
probe used.
The calculated and the predicted solid distributions match well. However, at the outer rim of
the tank still little sludge was detected by measuring
(see Fig. 7) whereas the model predicted no more
settled sludge (see Fig. 8). Therefore conveyance of
the settled sludge by the scraper might not have
been properly described for the very outer tank
zone. The predicted solids concentration in the
euent is zero. This was veried by laboratory investigations of the euent quality where the solids
concentration was below the detection threshold.
SUMMARY

The results of this study can be summarized as

follows:
(1) The occurrence of a circulating current in
radial direction in the secondary sedimentation tank
could be found by both, direct measurement and
numerical modelling. In the lower tank region the
current was directed towards the tank rim (forward
current). In the upper zone the ow was directed
towards the tank inlet (backward current). The numerical ke turbulence model predicted a slightly
more extended zone of forward ow velocities as
compared to reality stated by the results of fullscale measurements. The velocity compounds in
radial direction showed a satisfactory correspondence between measurements and numerical calculation.
(2) A circulating current could be veried also in
the vertical direction. Considering that a 2D phenomenom is described, the results can be explained
as follows. The incoming sludge suspension sinks to
the sludge blanket and ows towards the tank rim.
In the rim region the ow is directed to the tank
surface. The calculated velocities in vertical direction were below the measured values. This can be a
result of the diculties in taking account turbulences and density eects by numerical modelling. A
density ``waterfall'' with velocities exceeding
30 mm s1 was only detected by full scale measurements.
(3) In the rather underloaded tank only very little
settled sludge could be detected. In case of the
solids distribution the predicted values and the
measured numbers showed a satisfactory conformity. The solids content at the tank bottom was
around 12 g l1. At the outer rim of the tank still
little sludge was detected by measuring (see Fig. 7)
whereas the model predicted no settled sludge at
this very location (see Fig. 8). Therefore conveyance

2957

of the settled sludge by the scraper movement

might not have been properly described for the very
outer tank zone.
In conclusion, reasonable agreement of predicted
and measured values of the ow velocity and the
solids distribution in clariers can be conrmed.
Numerical models that are available today provide
reasonable trend estimates and can be employed,
therefore, as a tool in the process of further developing and designing secondary clariers. They may
serve as an instrument to predict the eects of design and loading modications on the performance
of clariers. However, it should be realized that the
calculations which were performed in this study
were based on steady state assumptions. That is the
reason why the predicted values could not match
the measured values at all tank zones.
It should be realized that the current in a clarier
is three dimensional in nature, whereas many of the
models which have been applied so far assumed axisymmetric conditions. Deviations between model
prediction and reality are unavoidable in this case.
In general, caution is necessary when using calculated values for actual sizing of sedimentation
tanks. To avoid non-compliance of secondary clariers the combination of empirical design rules (e.g.
ATV, 1991), numerical modelling and full scale
monitoring of ow and solids concentration patterns provides is advisable.
AcknowledgementThis research was granted by the
Oswald-Schulze-Foundation, grant number AZ 747/95.

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