Sedimentation is a solid-liquid

separation utilizing gravitational

settling to remove suspended
solids.
Sedimentation has been practiced
since the humans started to store
water in containers
2

Principles of Sedimentation

Most of the suspended particles present in water

have specific gravity > 1.
In still water, these particles will therefore, tend to
settle down under gravity.
Plain sedimentation - when impurities are
separated from water by the action of gravity
alone
Coagulant aided sedimentation - when the
particles are too small to be removed by gravity
and aided with coagulants to increase size and
agglomeration

Gravity separation can obviously be applied only to those

particles which have density greater than water. But this
density must be significantly greater than that of water
due to particle surface effects and turbulence in the
sedimentation tanks.
Goals of gravity sedimentation:

1)
2)

Produce a clarified (free of suspended solids)

effluent.
Produce a highly concentrated solid sludge stream.

Sedimentation Theory

Particle-fluid separation processes are difficult to

describe by theoretical analysis, mainly because the
particles involved are not regular in shape, density,
or size.
The various regimes in settling of particles are
commonly reffered to as
Type 1: Discrete particle settling
Type 2: Flocculant settling
Type 3: Hindered (zone) settling
Type 4: Compression settling
5

Settling Regimes
Type I Discrete particle settling
Type I settling (discrete of free settling) is the settling of
discrete particles in low concentration, with flocculation
and other interparticle effects being negligible.

These particles settle at constant settling velocity

They settle as individual particles and do not flocculate

during settling

Examples: Settling of sand, grit

Applications: Presedimentation for sand removal prior

to coagulation

Type II Flocculant settling

Type II settling is the settling of flocculent
particles in a dilute suspension.
As coalescence occurs, particle masses
increase and particles settle more rapidly.
Particles flocculate during sedimentation.

Type III Hindered (zone) settling

Type III settling, settling in which particle concentration
causes interparticle effects.
Flocculation and rate of settling is a function of particle
concentration
Particles remain in a fixed position relative to each other, and
all settle at a constant velocity
Mass of particles settle as a zone
Zones of different particle concentrations (different layers)
may develop as a result of particles with different settling
velocities
State of compression is reached at the bottom.
8

Type IV Compression settling

Type IV settling, settling of particles that are of such a high
concentration that the particles touch each other and settling
can occur only by compression of the compacting mass.

Compression settling occurs at lower depths of the

sedimentation tanks
Rate of compression is dependent on time and the force
caused by the weight of solids above the compression
layer.
Both discrete and flocculant particles may settle by zone or
compression settling
However, flocculent particles are the most common type
encountered.
9

Settling Types

10

Sedimentation Theory
Type I Discrete particle settling

Settling of discrete particles in low concentration, with

flocculation and other interparticle effects being negligible
When particles settle discretely, the particle settling
velocity can be calculated and the basins can be designed
to remove a specific particle size STOKE s LAW
Particle falling in a fluid accelerates until the frictional
resistance, or drag on the particle is equal to the
gravitational force of the particle. Isaac NEWTON
Settling velocity remains constant Terminal velocity
12

Terminal settling velocity depends on various fluid and

particle properties.
To calculate the settling velocity
Particle shape is assumed to be spherical
Particles that are not spherical can be expressed
in terms of a sphere of an equal volume.

13

The general equation for terminal settling of a

single particle is derived by equating the forces
upon a particle

FD

FD
FG

Forces acting on a free falling

particle in a fluid
FD: Drag Force
FB: Buoyancy Force
FG: Gravitational Force

FD=FG-FB
FB
14

FD

FD
FG

FD=FG-FB

Drag Force on a particle traveling in a resistant fluid:

CD f U T2 A
FD
2
FB

CD = Drag coefficient
U T = Settling velocity
f = Density of fluid
A = Projected area of particle in the direction of flow

15

FD

FD
FG

FD=FG-FB

Gravitational Force:

FG p gV
FB

p = Density of particle
V = Volume of particle
g = Gravitational acceleration

16

FD

FD
FG

FD=FG-FB

Buoyancy Force:

FB f gV
FB

f = Density of particle
V = Volume of particle
g = Gravitational acceleration

17

FD=FG-FB
CD f U T2 A
FD
2

FG p gV

FB f gV

CD f U T2 A
p gV - f gV
2
CD f U T2 A
Vg p - f
2

UT

2Vg p - f
CDf A

Terminal settling velocity of a

particle of any shape

Terminal settling velocity of a particle of a solid

spherical particle (x: diameter of a sphere):

4 3
V = r
3
A = r 2
UT

2Vg p - f
CDf A

4gx p - f
3CD f

Stokes equation
19

Terminal velocity (UT) is independent of horizontal and

vertical movement of the liquid
Drag coefficient depends on the nature of the flow
around the particle.
Nature of the flow can be described by the Reynolds
number (Rep)

f Ux
Re p =

U: Velocity of particle relative to fluid

20

Value of CD decreases as the value of Rep increases

21

10-4 < Rep <0.2

Laminar Flow

24
CD =
Re p

Stokes equation for laminar flow conditions becomes

UT

g p - f x

18

22

0.2 < Rep <500 to 1000 Transition zone

24
3
CD =
+
+0.34
Re p
Re p
It is very difficult to represent the transition
zone
However, for many particles found in natural
waters, the density and diameter yield Re
numbers around the transition zone.
23

500-1000 < Rep < 2 x 105 Turbulent flow zone

CD = 0.44
Stokes equation becomes

U T 1.74

g p - f
f

24

Rep > 2 x 105 Boundary layer turbulance

Drag force decreases considerably with the
development of turbulance at the surface of the
particle
CD=0.1
This region is unlikely to be encountered in the
sedimentation in water treatment

25

Particle Shape

Settling velocity of a non-spherical particle is

lower than the spherical particle having same
density and volume

A simple shape factor () is determined

24

CD =
Re p

29

Particles whose terminal settling velocity exceeds the

liquid upflow velocity will be retained
UT

Q
>
A

In an horizontal flow rectangular settling tanks, settling

particles have both horizontal and rectangular parts.
tQ
L=
HW

L : Horizontal distance travelled

H : Depth of water
W : Width of tank
t : time of travel

Vertical distance travelled

h = t
28

Horizontal and vertical components of settling velocity.

29

Settling time of for a particle that has entered the tank

at a given level, h
h
t =

tQ
Substitute into L =
HW
hQ
L=
HW
hQ
=
LHW

30

If all particles with a settling velocity of are

allowed to settle, then h = H and consequently this
case is defined as surface-loading or overflow rate
of the ideal tank
hQ
=
LHW

Q
becomes c =
Lc W

Q
c =
A

Critical velocity
Overflow velocity
Surface loading

Lc is the length of tank which settlement ideally

takes place
31

All the particles with settling velocity greater than critical

velocity are removed.
Particles with settling velocity less than critical velocity
are removed in proportion to the ratio :c
Particles with1 settling velocity 1 < c need a tank length
Lc

L >L
= 1
c

Settling efficiency for the ideal condition is independent on

the height (H) of the tank (Hazens Law)
c =

Q
Lc W

In reality, depth is important because it can affect

the stability

Variation in particle size and density produce a distribution

of settling velocities
32

Horizontal flow clarifier

33

Upflow clarifier
34

Settling velocity distribution can be

determined by

Settling column tests

Sieve analysis and hydrometer tests
Settling column tests produce information on

xc (fraction of particles with settling

velocities less than or equal to critical
velocity (c)

Critical velocity (c)

Ft (1 xc )

dx
c

35

Settling Velocity Analysis Curve for Type I

Settling column depth = 2 3 m
Settling column diameter = 200mm (at least 100 times the
largest particle size)
Initial suspended solids concentration is noted
Sample is mixed completely to ensure homogenous
mixture
Suspension is allowed to settle quiescently
Samples are drawn at time intervals from a sampling port
(one port)height is not important

h
i =
t
ti
36

Sampling port

Settling velocity analysis curve for discrete particles

40

Sieve Analysis for Type I Settling

Sieve analysis is a simple and cheap way for
the settling velocity analysis

Samples are shaken in sieves until the retained

fraction is constant

Cumulative distribution curve is drawn

38

Particles flocculate during settling

These types of particles generally occur in
Alum or iron coagulation
Wastewater primary sedimentation
Settling tanks in trickling filters

40

Stokes equation cannot be used to describe Type

II settling, because flocculating particles
constantly change in size and shape
As water trapped in the floc, specific gravity
increases
No adequate mathematical modeling to describe
Type II settling
Settling characteristics are determined by
settling
column tests.

41

Laboratory settling column tests can be used to

Model the behaviour of flocculant settling
Evaluation of existing settling tanks
Developing data for plant expansion or
modification
However, not pratical for the dosing of new
treatment plants not easy to estimate
concentration of particles that will come from
the coagulation/flocculation units
42

Settling column: 130-205 mm in

diameter to minimize side wall
effects
Height should be at least equal to
the proposed sedimentation tank
Sampling ports should be
provided at equal intervals in
height.

43

Settling column experimental procedure

The suspension must be mixed thoroughly
Suspended solids (SS) content should be determined
Suspension should be poured rapidly into the column
to ensure that a uniform distribution
Suspension allowed to settle
o
Temperature variation for more than 1 C should be
avoided

44

Samples should be removed from the ports at

periodic time intervals, SS concentration should
be determined
Percent SS removal is calculated for each sample
Percent removal is plotted on a time versus
depth of collection graph
Percent removal lines (R curves) are drawn by
interpolation

Ct
R% = 1 100
C0
Co : initial concentration, mg/L
Ct : concentration at time t, at given
depth, mg/L
45

Settling column and isopercentage settling curves for

flocculent particles
46

Overflow rates are determined

for various settling times (t1, t2
etc.) where R curves intercept
the x-axis
For the curve Ri Overflow
rate=H/ti
H: height of the column, m
ti : time defined by intersection of
isoconcentration line and x-axis

47

Fraction of solids removed

A vertical line drawn
from ti to intersect R
curves.
The mid points between
isoconcentration lines
define H1, H2, H3
H3
H1
H2
RT = Ra +
(R b -R a ) +
(R c -R b ) +
(R d -R c )+ ......
H
H
H
R T = Total fraction removed for settling time of interest
R a , R b , R c = Isoconcentration fractions a, b, c
48

Overflow rates and removal fractions are used to

plot two curves
1) Suspended solids removal versus detention time
2) Suspended solids removal versus overflow rate

These two plots can be used to size a settling

tank.
Scale-up factors of 0.65 for overflow rate and
1.75 for detention time can be used to design a
tank.
49

FlocculantSettlingORTypeIISettling;
ParticleTrejectory

Free
Sludgezone
Board
depth SideWaterDepthH0

Length,L

WaterLevel

Particletrajectory

Settlingzone

Sludgezone