MINIMUM AND PEAK FLOWS OF

WASTEWATER
DESIGN FLOW

THE MINIMUM FLOWRATE:

• Important in designing pipes and channels in the
wastewater treatment plant.
• Flow should be designed to prevent suspended solid
from deposition in the piping system.
• The minimum velocity required to keep organic
solids in suspension is 1.0 ft/sec (.3 m/s).
• The minimum velocity required keeping silt and fine
sand in suspension is 2.0 ft/sec (.6 ft/sec).
THE DESIGN FLOWRATE
• Usually assumed to be the average daily flow at the end of the design
period of the system.
• The average daily flow is considered to be the average daily flow for
a continue 12- months period.
• The design flow rate is used in determining:
1. The organic loading to the treatment plant
2. Sizing primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment units
3. Sludge treatment and handling facilities
THE MAXIMUM FLOWRATE
• Is the peak hourly flow rate plus flow rate due to infiltration and
inflow.
• The maximum flow is important in determining:
1. The hydraulic capacity of collection system.
2. The hydraulic capacity of treatment plant.
 Analysis of Wastewater Flowrate Data

• PEAK HOURLY FLOW

The peak sustained hourly flowrate occurring during a 24- hour period
based on annual operating date. Data on peak hourly flows are needed
for the design of collection and interceptor sewers, wastewater-pumping
stations, wastewater flow meters, sedimentation tanks and channels in
the treatment plant.
• MINIMUM DAILY FLOW
The flow rate occurs over a 24-hour period based on annual operating
data. Minimum flow rates are important in the sizing of the conduits
where solids deposition might occur at low flow rates.
 Analysis of Wastewater
Flowrate Data
• AVERAGE DAILY FLOW
Occurring over a 24- hour period based on annual flow rate. The the
average daily flowrate is used in evaluating treatment plant capacity and
in developing flowrate ratios used in design.
• MAXIMUM DAILY FLOW
Calculate on over a 24- hour period based on annual operating data. The
maximum daily flowrate is important particularly in the design of
facilities involving retention time such as equalization basins.
• MINIMUM HOURLY FLOW
The minimum sustained hourly flow rate occurring over
24-hour period based on annual operating data. Data on
the minimum hourly flow rate are needed to determine
possible process effects and for sizing of wastewater
flow-meters, particularly those that pace chemical-feed
systems. At some treatment facilities, such as those using
trickling filters, recirculation of effluent is required to
sustain the process during low-flow period. For
wastewater pumping, minimum flow rates are important
to ensure that the pumping systems have adequate
turndown to match the low flow rates.
 Peaking Factor
 the peaking factor is particularly useful
in estimating the maximum hydraulic
conditions that might occur and have to
be accommodated.
 
Sustained Peaking Factor, PF =
 Peaking Factor
In designing sanitary sewers, two peaking factors are
commonly used:
maximum – flow peaking factor PFmax
PFmax is defined as the ratio of the peak 1 – hour flow to the
average flow rate
minimum – flow peaking factor PFmin
PFmin is defined as the ratio of the peak 1 – hour flow rate
during the week with the lowest average flow rate to the
average flow rate.

• These peaking factors are typically applied to the sum of the

residential and commercial flows.
•  
The peaking factor is calculated as the ratio of discharges for various
conditions.

PFmax =

PFmin = = 0.2
Where:

PF = peaking factors (minimum and maximum)

Qmax = maximum flow rate at the end of the design period (cfs, m 3/s)
Qmin= minimum flow rate at the beginning of the design period (cfs, m 3/s)
Qave = average flow rate (cfs, m3/s)
 
Qmin = PFmin x (Qavg + Qind) + QI/I
Qmax = PFmax x (Qavg + Qind) + QI/I
 
where:
Qavg is the residential plus commercial flow of the
design period
Qind is the industrial flow of the design period
QI/I is the I/I contribution to the sewer flow of the
design period
 
 Table 1. Some Equations to Estimate Peak Flow
Factors:
Method Peaking Factor Formula

Babbit PF =

Harmon PF = 1

Ten – State Standards PF =

Federov PF =

• Note: P = Population
• Q = ADF in L/s
Finding Average and Peak Flowrate of Wastewater
Domestic Wastewater

RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS

Average Flow rate, Qa=(Pd)(A)(q)

Where:
» Population density, Pd and average per capita contribution of
wastewater, q

Ave. Wastewater Flow rate, Qw=(k)(Qa)

Where:
»Qa= average domestic water withdrawal rate
»K= percentage (range 60-85%), approximately 70%
 For peak wastewater, Qp:

Find the peaking factor, fp

• for population, p ≤ 1000: fp =5
• for population, p >1000: fp =15.73p-0.166

where: p=population

Qp = fp (Qw) (m3/day)
 COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS
Unit flow range 42-1500 m3/ha.d
Qp = fp(Qave)

INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER FLOWS

Factors:
– Type and size of industry
– Degree of water reuse
– Onsite wastewater treatment method used, if any
 
Typical Design Value:

For no-wet process-type industries

qi= 50m3/ha.d or 5000 gal/acre.day

Ave. Flow rate, Q=qi.A

Qp = fp(Q) (m3/day)

 
 INFILTRATION/INFLOW
This is the total quantity of water from both infiltration and inflow without
distinguishing the source.

Factors affecting rate and quantity of infiltration/inflow:

• Quality of sewer material

• Workmanship
• Type of soil
• Groundwater condition
• Topography
• Length of pipes and conduits
• Area serves
• Age of sewers
Allowances for new sewers:

For A≤40 has ia=11.4m3/ha.d

For A>40 has ia=33.5 A-2.292 m3/ha.d

Where:
ia=average infiltration rate
A=service area in hectares

Ave. infiltration flow rate, Ia=ia(A)(m3/d)

 
•  
Peak Infiltration Rates, ip=ratio of peak flow to average flow

For old sewers

ip=69.16A-0.155 (m3/ha.d)

For new sewers

When A ≤ 40 has: ip=18.5 (m3/ha.d)

When A ≤ 40 has: ip=54.0A-0.292 (m3/ha.d)
Therefore,
=

Peak infiltration flow, (m3/ha.d)

 
 
Example Problem
• You are required to estimate the peak and minimum
sewage flows for a town having an area of 2500 ha.
The residential area is 60% of the total area, whereas
commercial and industrial are 30% and 10% of the
total area respectively. Of the residential area, 40%
are large lots, 55 small single – family lots and 5%
multistory apartments. The wastewater from the
residential area is estimated to be 800 lpcd. The
sewage from commercial and industrial areas is
estimated to be 25000 L/ha/d and 40000 L/ha/d
respectively. I & I is 1,000 L/ha/d for the entire area.
The densities for the residential areas are given in the table below:

Type of Area Density (persons/ha)

Large lots 5 -7

Small lots, single - family 75

Small lots, two - family 125

Multistorey apartments 2,500

Source: American Concrete Pipe Association (1981)

Residential:

The residential area will be 60% of 2500 ha (total area)

= 1500 ha

Tabulated values for each residential area

Type Area (ha) Density Population Flow (m3 / s)
(persons/ha)
Large lots 0.4(1500) = 600 6 3,600 0.03
Small single 0.55 (1500) = 75 61,875 0.57
family lots 825
Multistorey 0.05 (1500) = 75 2500 187,500 1.74
apartments
Total     252, 975 2.34
Commercial:

• A = 30% of 2500 ha = 750 ha

• Flow from commercial sector = 750 ha ( 25000) =
18,750,000 l/d (1m3 /1000 lit) (1 day/ 86400s)
= 0.22 m3/s
Industrial:
• A = 10% of 2500 ha = 250 ha
• Flow from commercial sector = 250 ha ( 40000) =
10,000,000 l/d (1m3 /1000 lit) (1 day/ 86400s)
= 0. 12 m3/s
• I & I for the entire area is = 1000 l/ha/d (2500ha) =
2,500,000L/d (1m3/1000lit) (1day/86400s)
= 0.03 m3/s

• The total wastewater flow of the town (excluding I

& I) = 2.34 + 0.22 + 0.12 = 2.68 m3/s

• Assuming total population is equal to to residential

population; P = 252,975
Then,
•  
Hence,

• Peak flow = Peak factor x wastewater + I/I =

2.0(2.68) + 0.03 = 5.39 m3/s

• Minimum flow = Peak factor x wastewater + I/I

= 0.48(2.68) + 0.03 = 1.32 m3/s
The
End