Republic of the Philippines

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Gov. Pablo Borbon Campus 2
Batangas City

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND FINE ARTS

Chemical and Food Engineering Department
Alangilan, Batangas City

ChE 421
Separation Processes and
Introduction to Particle Technology

SEDIMENTATION

Llaga, Roed Alejandro G.

Martirez, Andrade M.
Saballero, Jessica D.

ChE-4201

Engr. Rejie C. Magnaye

Instructor

INTRODUCTION
 Sedimentation uses gravitational forces to separate particulate
material from fluid streams. The particles are usually solid, but they can
be small liquid droplets, and the fluid can be either a liquid or a gas.
The particles that settle out from the suspension become sediment, and
in water treatment is known as sludge. When a thick layer of sediment
continues to settle, this is known as consolidation. When consolidation
of sediment, or sludge, is assisted by mechanical means then this is
known as thickening. It is very often used in the food industry for
separating dirt and debris from incoming raw material, crystals from
their mother liquor and dust or product particles from air streams.

SEDIMENTATION
Also known as settling, may be defined as the removal of solid particles from a
suspension by settling under gravity.
Separation of unstable and destabilized suspended solids from a suspension by
the force of gravity
The natural process in which material (such as stones and sand) is carried to the
bottom of a body of water and forms a solid layer. (Merriam-Webster)
The separation of a dilute slurry or suspension by gravity settling into a clear fluid
and a slurry of higher solids content. (Geankoplis,1995)

SEDIMENTATION VS. SETTLING

Sedimentation- The condition whereby the solids are already at the bottom and in the
process of sedimenting. Settling is not yet sedimenting, but the particles are falling
down the water column in response to gravity. Of course, as soon as the solids reach
the bottom, they begin sedimenting. In the physical treatment of water and wastewater,
settling is normally carried out in settling or sedimentation basins.
Settling- a unit operation in which solids are drawn toward a source of attraction. It is
the process by which particulates settle to the bottom of a liquid and form a sediment.
Particles that experience a force, either due to gravity or due to centrifugal motion will
tend to move in a uniform manner in the direction exerted by that force.
PURPOSE AND APPLICATION
Removal of solids from liquid sewage wastes
Settling of crystals from the mother liquor
Separation of liquid-liquid mixture from a solvent-extraction stage in a settler
Settling of solid food particles from a liquid food
Settling of a slurry from soybean leaching process
APPLICATIONS IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT
1. Grit removal
2. Suspended solids removal in primary clarifier
3. Biological flock removal in activated sludge
FACTORS AFFECTING SEDIMENTATION

Particle size
- The size, shape, and type of particles affects the operation of the
sedimentation tank and its settling characteristics.

- All particles tend to have a slight electrical charge.

Water temperature
- When the temperature decreases, the rate of settling becomes slower.
The result is that as the water cools, the detention time in the
sedimentation tanks must increase.

- When the water is colder, the flow in the plant is at its lowest and, in most
cases, the detention time in the plant is increased so the floc has time to
settle out in the sedimentation basins.

Currents
Several types of water currents may occur in the sedimentation basin:
- Density currents caused by the weight of the solids in the tank, the
concentration of solids and temperature of the water in the tank.

- Eddy currents produced by the flow of the water coming into the tank and
leaving the tank.
- The currents can be beneficial in that they promote flocculation of the
particles. However, water currents also tend to distribute the floc unevenly
throughout the tank; as a result, it does not settle out at an even rate.
- Some of the water current problems can be reduced by the proper design
of the tank. Installation of baffles helps prevent currents from short
circuiting the tank.
Baffles are long, flat plates that attach to the side of the tank to prevent swirling &
promote top to bottom fluid movement. They are most commonly used for blending and
solid suspensions because these applications often use vertical, cylindrical tanks that
tend to create swirling patterns, regardless of the type of impeller being used.
PROCESSES OF SEDIMENTATION:

Free Settling

The process when a particle is at a sufficient distance from the walls of the
container and from other particles so that its fall is not affected by them.

Hindered Settling

The process when the particles are crowded, they settle at a lower rate.
SEDIMENTATION BASIN ZONES

Inlet zone
- in which momentum is dissipated and flow is established in a uniform
forward direction.
- inlets should be designed to minimize high flow velocities near the bottom
of the tank.

Settling zone
- where quiescent settling is assumed to occur as the water flows towards
the outlet.
- the largest portion of the sedimentation basin.
- this zone provides the calm area necessary for the suspended particles to
settle.

Outlet zone
- in which the flow converges upwards to the decanting weirs or launders.
- outlet zone or launders should provide a smooth transition from the
sedimentation zone to the outlet from the tank.
- this area of the tank also controls the depth of water in the basin.

Sludge zone
- provides a storage area for the sludge before it is removed for additional
treatment or disposal.
- where settled material collects and is moved towards sludge hoppers for
withdrawal. it is assumed that once a particle reaches the sludge zone it
is effectively removed from the flow.

TYPES OF SEDIMENTATION TANKS

Based on methods of operation

 1. Fill and Draw Type Sedimentation Tank

In case of fill and draw type sedimentation tank,

water from inlet is stored for some time. The
time may be 24 hours. In that time, the
suspended particles are settled at the bottom of the
tank. After 24 hours, the water is discharged
through outlet.

Then settled particle are removed. This removal action requires 6-12 hours. So, one
complete action of sedimentation requires 30-40 hours in case of fill and draw type
sedimentation tank.

2. Continuous Flow Type Sedimentation Tank

In this case, water is not allowed to rest. Flow

always takes place but with a very small velocity.
During this flow, suspended particles are settle at the
bottom of the tank. The flow may be either in horizontal
direction or vertical direction.

3. Horizontal flow type sedimentation tank

These tanks generally in rectangular shape. They have more length twice its width.
Because they need to flow more distance to settle all suspended particles. The
maximum permissible velocity in this case is 0.3m/sec.

4. Vertical flow type sedimentation tank

The vertical flow type sedimentations tanks are generally in circular shape and flow
takes place in vertical direction. Hopper bottom is provided at the bottom of the tank to
dispose the collected sludge.

Types of Sedimentation Tanks based on Shape

1. Circular Tank

Circular sedimentation tanks are preferred for

continuous vertical flow type sedimentation tanks.
In this case influent is sent through central pipe of
the tank and radial flow takes place.

Mechanical sludge scrappers are provided to collect the

sludge and collected sludge is carried through sludge pipe
provided at the bottom. But circular tanks are uneconomical as compared to
rectangular tanks but they have high clarification efficiency.

2. Rectangular Tank
Rectangular sedimentation tanks are mostly
preferred sedimentation tanks and are used
widely. The flow takes place in horizontal
direction that is length wise in rectangular
tanks. Sometimes baffle walls are provided for
rectangular tank to prevent short circuiting.

Maintenance costs are low in case of

rectangular sedimentation tanks. They are
also suitable for large capacity plants.

3. Hopper Bottom Tank

In case of hopper bottom tank, a deflector box is located at the

top which deflects the influent coming from central pipe to
downwards. Sludge is collected at the bottom and it is disposed
through sludge pump.

Types of Sedimentation Tanks based on Location

1. Primary Sedimentation Tank

Primary sedimentation tank is a normal sedimentation tank in which water is stored at

rest for some time and sludge collected at bottom and oily matter collected at top are
removed. After primary sedimentation process the wastewater is discharged into
aerobic filter where activated sludge process take place.

2. Secondary Sedimentation Tank

After activated sludge process the wastewater enters secondary sedimentation tank in
which suspended particles contains microbes are removed and are reflected towards
aerobic filter to maintain high microbe concentration in aerobic filter.

EQUIPMENT FOR SETTLING AND SEDIMENTATION

Simple Gravity Settling Tank
This is the simplest of all separation
equipment. You have a big box, with the inlet and
outlet streams way up at the top, and as the
fluid flows through, the particles fall out. If the box is
long enough, then all the particles should fall out. This brings
us back to the settling velocity; if the flow rate through is too fast for the size of
the box you are using, then not all the particles, if any, are going to settle.

Classification Equipment
 - There are two types of classifiers, for the most part: One, the simple gravity
settling classifier, and the other, which is known as a Spitzkasten gravity
settling chamber.

- Both of these work on essentially the same principle. The slower the settling
velocity, the farther a particle will travel before settling. So, essentially, the
big, heavy particles will fall first, and the small, light particles will fall last.

Simple Classifier
- In the simple classifier, the
design is similar to that of
the straight gravity settling
tank, except that the bottom
half is divided into several
equal partitions.

- What happens is that instead of just falling into a big mess on the bottom
of the tank, the coarse particles get trapped in the first chamber, the
intermediates get trapped in the middle partitions, and the fine particles,
the dust, gets captured in the last section. Then, you can drain the
sections from the bottom and have a segregated sediment.

Spitzkasten Chamber
- A series of conical vessels of
increasing size is set up in the
direction of flow. As the slurry
enters the first vessel, the coarse
particles get trapped, and the
overflow continues on to the
next, where more separation
takes place.
- This particular settling chamber
is unique because you can adjust
the flow rates in between each vessel in order to provide the necessary
degree of separation.

Thickeners
- The slurry is fed into the center
of the tank, several feet below
the surface of the liquid. Around
the top edge is a kind of
overflow outlet that just takes
away the top clear fluid. The
bottom of the sloping tank
contains a continually moving
rake, which scrapes all the
sludge towards the center,
where it is taken away.
 - One thing to keep in mind, when designing one of these thickeners, is that
if you want to have a clear fluid on the top, you have to keep the terminal
velocity of the particles that are settling greater than the force of the fluid
that is being compressed out of the lower zones. Otherwise, the force of
the fluid pushing up would create too much buoyancy, and force the
particles back up, which, if you want a clear top layer, is bad.
REFERENCES
http://www.iwapublishing.com/news/sedimentation-processes
http://www.metalprep.com/images/Sedimentation.pdf
http://hmtl.itb.ac.id/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/SEDIMENTATION.ppt
https://theconstructor.org/environmental-engg/types-of-sedimentation-tank/14711/