Experiment 1: Design of a Settler

CH474: Process Plant Simulation Laboratory II

Submitted by:
Yash Shah (716CH1028)

Under the guidance of:

Prof. Soumya Sanjeeb Mohapatra

Department of Chemical Engineering,

National Institute of Technology, Rourkela
India- 769008
Question: Design a settler for separating an oil-
water mixture. Suggest appropriate dimensions,
conditions and assumptions (if made any).
Theory:
Settling
Solid liquid separation process in which a suspension is separated into two phases –
Clarified supernatant leaving the top of the sedimentation tank (overflow).
Concentrated sludge leaving the bottom of the sedimentation tank (underflow).
Purpose of Settling
 To remove coarse dispersed phase.
 To remove coagulated and flocculated impurities.
 To remove precipitated impurities after chemical treatment.
 To settle the sludge (biomass) after activated sludge process / tricking filters.
Principle of Settling
Suspended solids present in water having specific gravity greater than that of water tend to
settle down by gravity as soon as the turbulence is retarded by offering storage.
Basin in which the flow is retarded is called settling tank.
Theoretical average time for which the water is detained in the settling tank is called the
detention period.
Types of Settling
 Type I: Discrete particle settling - Particles settle individually without interaction
with neighboring particles.
 Type II: Flocculent Particles – Flocculation causes the particles to increase in mass
and settle at a faster rate.
 Type III: Hindered or Zone settling –The mass of particles tends to settle as a unit with
individual particles remaining in fixed positions with respect to each other.
 Type IV: Compression – The concentration of particles is so high that sedimentation
can only occur through compaction of the structure.
Types of Settling Tanks
 Sedimentation tanks may function either intermittently or continuously. The
intermittent tanks also called quiescent type tanks are those which store water for a
certain period and keep it in complete rest. In a continuous flow type tank, the flow
velocity is only reduced and the water is not brought to complete rest as is done in an
intermittent type.
 Settling basins may be either long rectangular or circular in plan. Long narrow
rectangular tanks with horizontal flow are generally preferred to the circular tanks
with radial or spiral flow.
Long Rectangular Settling Basin
Long rectangular basins are hydraulically more stable, and flow control for large volumes is
easier with this configuration.
A typical long rectangular tank has length ranging from 2 to 4 times their width. The bottom
is slightly sloped to facilitate sludge scraping. A slow moving mechanical sludge scraper
continuously pulls the settled material into a sludge hopper from where it is pumped out
periodically.
A long rectangular settling tank can be divided into four different functional zones:
 Inlet zone: Region in which the flow is uniformly distributed over the cross section
such that the flow through settling zone follows horizontal path.
 Settling zone: Settling occurs under quiescent conditions.
 Outlet zone: Clarified effluent is collected and discharge through outlet weir.
 Sludge zone: For collection of sludge below settling zone.
Design Details
 Detention period: for plain sedimentation: 3 to 4 h, and for coagulated
sedimentation: 2 to 2.5 h.
 Velocity of flow: Not greater than 30 cm/min (horizontal flow).
 Tank dimensions: L:B = 3 to 5:1. Generally L= 30 m (common) maximum 100 m.
Breadth= 6 m to 10 m. Circular: Diameter not greater than 60 m. generally 20 to 40
m.
 Depth 2.5 to 5.0 m (3 m).
 Surface Overflow Rate: For plain sedimentation 12000 to 18000 L/d/m2 tank area;
for thoroughly flocculated water 24000 to 30000 L/d/m2 tank area.
 Slopes: Rectangular 1% towards inlet and circular 8%.
Design:

Figure 1: Vertical Settler

Figure 2: Horizontal Settler

Horizontal vessels are more efficient at water treating because the oil droplets do not have
to flow countercurrent to the water flow. However, vertical skimmers are used in instances
where:
1. Sand and other solid particles must be handled. This can be done in vertical vessels with
either the water outlet or a sand drain off the bottom. Experience with elaborately designed
sand drains in large horizontal vessels has not been very satisfactory.
2. Liquid surges are expected. Vertical vessels are less susceptible to high level shutdowns
due to liquid surges. Internal waves due to surging in horizontal vessels can trigger a level
float even though the volume of liquid between the normal operating level and the high level
shutdown is equal to or larger than that in a vertical vessel. This possibility can be minimized
through the installation of stilling baffles in the vessel.
The choice of pressure versus atmospheric vessel for the skimmer tank is not determined
solely by the water treating requirements. The overall needs of the system need to be
considered in this decision. Pressure vessels are more expensive. However, they are
recommended where:
1. Potential gas blow by through the upstream vessel dump system could create too much
back-pressure in an atmospheric vent system.
2. The water must be dumped to a higher level for further treating and a pump would be
needed if an atmospheric vessel were installed.
Due to the potential danger from overpressure and potential gas venting problems
associated with atmospheric vessels, pressure vessels are preferred. However, an individual
cost/benefit decision must be made.
A minimum residence time of 10 to 30 minutes should be provided to assure that surges
do not upset the system and to provide for some coalescence. As previously discussed, the
potential benefits of providing much more residence time will probably not be cost efficient
beyond this point. Skimmers with long residence times require baffles to attempt to
distribute the flow and eliminate short circuiting. Tracer studies have shown that skimmer
tanks, even those with carefully designed spreaders and baffles, exhibit poor flow behavior
and short circuiting. This is probably due to density and temperature differences, deposition
of solids, corrosion of spreaders, etc.
FEASIBLE SEPARATOR SIZE:
The separator used will be API gravity –based oil-water separator. The concept of this model
is based on the difference of mass density between oil and water, based on Stokes's Law
(WEF, 2008). This means that the separator, of a feasible size, must meet the minimum
required resident time for an oil contained in a stream of mixture to rise and float on the
surface of water. Therefore, sizing the separator properly to ensure sufficient separation
time is the key factor for a successful oil removal system.
The project conducts the feasible separator sizing calculation using Stokes’ Law (WEF,
2008). This law is the major scientific theory behind API gravity separator. Many references
(Kirby and Mohr.) mentions that this principal simplifies the overall process and often
under-sizing might occur. Therefore incorporating enhanced components is recommended.
To calculate the size of an empty-vessel gravity separator, it is first necessary to calculate by
the use of Stokes’ Law the rising velocity of the oil droplets. The size of the separator is then
calculated by considering the path of a droplet entering at the bottom of one end of the
separator and exiting from the other end of the separator.
Defining oil rising velocity:
Stokes’ Law (Equation 1) defines the rising velocity of oil droplet from the bottom of a
separator to the surface of water. From this equation, the most important variables are the
viscosity of the continuous liquid, specific gravity difference between the continuous liquid,
and the oil droplet size. After these are known, the rising velocity and therefore the size of
separator required may be calculated.
𝜐v=2(𝜌w−𝜌o) 𝑔𝑅2 /9 𝜇 Eq.1
𝜐h=15 𝜐v or 𝜐h =0.015 (m/s) Eq.2
Where:
𝜐v [𝑚/𝑠]: oil droplet rising velocity
𝜐h [𝑚/𝑠]: oil droplet rising velocity
[𝑚 𝑠2]: gravitational acceleration
𝜌o [𝑘𝑔/𝑚3]: mass density of oil
𝜌w [𝑘𝑔/𝑚3]: mass density of water
𝜇 [𝑁𝑠/𝑚2]: dynamic viscosity
𝑅 [m]: the radius of oil droplet
According to API, horizontal velocity υh is recommended to be 15 times of vertical velocity
or 0.01524 (m/s) whichever the smallest one to maintain a laminar flow condition.
Determining a corresponded-feasible separator size
𝜐v=Qd /Ah Eq.3
𝜐h=Qd /Ac Eq.4
Where 𝑄d [𝑚3/𝑠]: designed flow rate
𝐴h [𝑚2]: Minimum separator horizontal area
𝐴c [𝑚2]: Minimum separator cross-sectional area
Equation 3 and 4 show that for a given flow rate, the calculated oil rising and horizontal
velocity determine the minimum required horizontal and cross-sectional area of a separator.
A list of parameters and values used in the design calculation are given below.
 Temperature :10 ℃
 Gravitational acceleration, g: 9.81 m/s2
 Mass density of water, ρw : 1000 kg/m3
 Mass density of oil, ρo : 900 kg/m3
 Dynamic viscosity, μ: 0.00131 N/m2‧s
 Designed flow rate, Qd: 25 GPM 0.00158 m3/s
 Maximum allowable horizontal velocity, υh : 0.01524 m/s
Separator
 Length / Width (L/W >=5): 5
 Depth / Width (d/W = 0.3~ 0.5): 0.4
The physical properties of water are obtained from literatures with the assumption that the
designed wastewater has a temperature of 10⁰C (the estimated lowest temperature possible
in the workshop during winter time). The value of oil density is the average of common
transformer oil, hydraulic oil and engine oil. The length to width ratio is set to be 5 (a
minimum value according to API) in the design; the ratio of depth to width is set to be 0.4
(must between 0.3 to 0.5 according to API). The capacity of this designed separator is
assumed to treat 25 gallon per minute (GPM) or 5.7 m3/h of mixture. By incorporating the
values into equation 1 to 4, the minimum required separator size (eq. length, width, depth)
allowing sufficient separation time can be obtained .
The design calculation considers oil droplet size between 20 microns and 150 micron
because: 1) oil size smaller than 20 microns is generally produced under pressure which is
not our case;
2) the case site of the project involves the use of detergent breaking down free oil (larger
than 150 microns) into smaller droplets.
In summary: for a wastewater flow rate of 25 GPM, a separator with a dimension of
5.14*1.03*0.41 (Length*Width*Depth) provides sufficient resident time for oil size
larger than 60 microns to rise to the surface of water before reaching the separator
outlet for wastewater.
 Dispersed Oil Droplet Size (diameter from 20-150 microns)
Table: Minimum required separator sizes for the separation of oil droplet from 20 to
150 microns.
Diameter of 150 100 80 60 40 20
oil droplet,
D [μm]
Radius of oil 0.000075 0.000050 0.000040 0.000030 0.000020 0.000010
droplet,
R[m]
Oil vertical 0.001863 0.000828 0.000530 0.000298 0.000132 0.000033
rising
velocity,
υv[m/s]
Oil 0.027942 0.012419 0.007948 0.004471 0.001987 0.000497
horizontal
velocity,
υh(max.
0.015)
Allowed υh 0.015 0.012419 0.007948 0.004471 0.001987 0.000497

Minimal 0.85 1.91 2.98 5.29 11.91 47.63

separator
horizontal
area,Ah [m2]
Minimal 0.11 0.13 0.20 0.35 0.79 3.18
separator
crossing
area,Av [m2]
Separator 2.06 3.09 3.86 5.14 7.72 15.43
Minimal
Length,L
[m]
Separator 0.41 0.62 0.77 1.03 1.54 3.09
Minimal
Width,W[m]
Separator 0.16 0.25 0.31 0.41 0.62 1.23
Minimal
Depth,d [m]
Separator 0.14 0.47 0.92 2.18 7.35 58.80
Minimal
Vol, V(m3)

To use the above data, we calculate the size (volume) of droplet using the density data of oil.
RESULT AND CONCLUSION:
 PHYSICAL MODIFICATION OF SEPARATOR
Based on the previously mentioned calculations, the design of the new system can be divided
into two components:
1. physical enhancements
2. chemical enhancements.
In the physical redesign, it will include a bigger separation tank to meet the requirement
dimensions, a baffle to regulate the contaminants location, a flow valve to regulate the
influent rate, coalescent media to help the coagulation of emulsified oil particles, aeration
device to decrease the oil density, create turbulence, and to increase oxygen content for
bacterial growth, and finally the addition of two oil skimmers.
 SIZE
As a safety measure, the design will incorporate for a higher capacity (eq. maximum
wastewater inflow rate allowable) and more efficiency of oil removal (eq. separating smaller
oil droplet) resulted in a larger separator size. The dimension of the separator, in this project,
is designed to be 6*1*0.75 m3 (for a capacity ≤ 25 GPM; oil size ≥ 60 microns; temperature ≥
10⁰C) to minimize construction cost and required space in the workshop.

REFERENCES:
1. API. 1969. Manual of disposal of refinery wastes, Chapter 13: Biological treatment,
Volume of liquid wastes
2. Brentwood Industries. S. 2001. Oil/water separators - Design & applications. Reading
PA. Water Technology Group
3. Warren L. Mcabe, Julian C. Smith, Peter Hariott Y. 2009. Unit Operations of Chemical
Engineering , 7th edi, pp 137-139.