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Wastewater contains large solids and grit that can Coarse screens remove large solids, rags, and debris
interfere with treatment processes or cause undue from wastewater, and typically have openings of 6
mechanical wear and increased maintenance on mm (0.25 in) or larger. Types of coarse screens
wastewater treatment equipment. To minimize include mechanically and manually cleaned bar
potential problems, these materials require separate screens, including trash racks. Table 1 describes the
handling. Preliminary treatment removes these various types of coarse screens.
constituents from the influent wastewater.
Preliminary treatment consists of screening, grit Fine Screens
removal, septage handling, odor control, and flow
equalization. This fact sheet discusses screening Fine screens are typically used to remove material
and grit removal. that may create operation and maintenance problems
in downstream processes, particularly in systems
Screening that lack primary treatment. Typical opening sizes
for fine screens are 1.5 to 6 mm (0.06 to 0.25 in).
Screening is the first unit operation used at Very fine screens with openings of 0.2 to 1.5 mm
wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Screening (0.01 to 0.06 in) placed after coarse or fine screens
removes objects such as rags, paper, plastics, and can reduce suspended solids to levels near those
metals to prevent damage and clogging of achieved by primary clarification.
downstream equipment, piping, and appurtenances.
Some modern wastewater treatment plants use both Comminutors and Grinders
coarse screens and fine screens. Figure 1 depicts a
typical bar screen (a type of coarse screen). Processing coarse solids reduces their size so they
can be removed during downstream treatment
operations, such as primary clarification, where both
floating and settleable solids are removed.
Comminuting and grinding devices are installed in
the wastewater flow channel to grind and shred
material up to 6 to 19 mm (0.25 to 0.75 in) in size.
shafts with intermediate spacers. The shafts In aerated grit chambers, grit is removed by causing
counterrotate at different speeds to clean the cutters. the wastewater to flow in a spiral pattern, as shown
Figure 2 depicts a channel wastewater grinder.
Grit Removal
Hydrocyclone
Detritus tanks do not require flow control because Grit removal systems increase the headloss through
all bearings and moving mechanical parts are above a wastewater treatment plant, which could be
the water line. There is minimal headloss in this problematic if headloss is an issue. This could
type of unit. require additional pumping to compensate for the
headloss.
Horizontal Flow Grit Chamber
The following paragraphs describe the specific
Horizontal flow grit chambers are flexible because disadvantages of different types of grit removal
they allow performance to be altered by adjusting systems.
the outlet flow control device. Construction is not
complicated. Grit that does not require further Aerated Grit Chamber
classification may be removed with effective flow
control. Potentially harmful volatile organics and odors may
be released from the aerated grit chamber. Aerated
Hydrocyclone grit chambers also require more power than other
grit removal processes, and maintenance and control
Hydrocyclones can remove both grit and suspended of the aeration system requires additional labor.
solids from wastewater. A hydrocyclone can
potentially remove as many solids as a primary Vortex-Type Grit Chamber
clarifier.
• Vortex grit removal systems are usually of a
Disadvantages proprietary design, which makes
modifications difficult.
Screening
• Paddles tend to collect rags.
Manually cleaned screens require frequent raking to
avoid clogging and high backwater levels that cause • Vortex units usually require deep excavation
buildup of a solids mat on the screen. The due to their depth, increasing construction
increased raking frequency increases labor costs. costs, especially if unrippable rock is
Removal of this mat during cleaning may also cause present.
flow surges that can reduce the solids-capture
efficiency of downstream units. Mechanically • The grit sump tends to clog and requires
cleaned screens are not subject to this problem, but high-pressure agitation using water or air to
they have high equipment maintenance costs. loosen grit compacted in the sump.
Comminutors and grinders can create problems for • Detritus tanks have difficulty achieving
downstream processes, such as increasing plastics uniform flow distribution over a wide range
buildup in digestion tanks or rag accumulation on of flows because the inlet baffles cannot be
air diffusers. In addition, solids from comminutors adjusted.
and grinders will not decompose during the
digestion process. If these synthetic solids are not • This type of removal system removes large
removed, they may cause biosolids to be rejected quantities of organic material, especially at
for reuse as a soil amendment. low flows, and thus requires grit washing
and classifying.
• Grit may be lost in shallow installations
TABLE 2 SCREENING DEVICE
(less than 0.9 m [3 ft]) due to the agitation
CLASSIFICATION
created by the rake arm associated with this
system. Screening Device Size Classification/Size
Classification Range of Screen Opening
Horizontal Flow Grit Chamber Bar screen
Manually Cleaned Coarse/25-50 mm
• It is difficult to maintain a 0.3 m/s (1 ft/s) (1-2 in)
• The submerged chain, flight equipment, and Fine bar or perforated coarse screen (mechanically
bearings undergo excessive wear. cleaned)
County of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, South Shore 454,000 (120.0) 0.003 (0.48) 0.004 (0.60)
Collected grit must be removed from the chamber, Other Related Fact Sheets
dewatered, washed, and conveyed to a disposal site.
Some smaller plants use manual methods to remove 10 1
Annual O&M
method is sometimes used, where grit is conveyed
horizontally in a trough or channel to a hopper,
where it is then elevated from the hopper to another 0.1 0.01
location.
Other EPA Fact Sheets can be found at the National Small Flows Clearing House
following web address: at West Virginia University
http://www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/mtbfact.htm P.O. Box 6064
Morgantown, WV 26506
1. Crites, R. and G. Tchobanoglous, 1998.
Small and Decentralized Wastewater Parkson Corporation
Management Systems. The McGraw-Hill 2727 NW 62nd Street
Companies. Boston, Massachusetts. P.O. Box 408399
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33340-8399
2. Martin, E.J. and E.T. Martin, 1991.
Technologies for Small Water and U.S. Filter
Wastewater Systems. Van Nostrand Link-Belt Headworks Products
Reinhold. New York, New York. 100 High Point Drive - Suite 101
Chalfont, PA 18914
3. Qasim, S., 1994. Wastewater Treatment
Plants: Planning, Design and Operation.
Technomic Publishing Co., Lancaster, The mention of trade names or commercial products
Pennsylvania. does not constitute endorsement or recommendation
for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection
4. Reynolds, T. and P. Richards, 1996. Unit Agency (EPA).
Operations and Processes in Environmental
Engineering. PWS Publishing Company. Office of Water
Boston, Massachusetts. EPA 832-F-03-011
June 2003
5. Urquhart, L., 1962. Civil Engineering.
Costs include construction, operation, and
For more information contact:
maintenance. Specific cost data from
contractor bids.
Municipal Technology Branch
U.S. EPA
6. Water Environment Federation, 1998.
Mail Code 4204
Design of Municipal Wastewater Treatment
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Plants. Water Environment Federation.
Washington, D.C. 20460
Alexandria, Virginia.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION