Water and Wastewater Treatment

Dr. Paul Chadik

Environmental Engineering Sciences

Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment
 General Suggestions

• The test is long. The best preparation the night before

you take the exam is to get plenty of sleep and eat well.

• Pay attention to units

• Get familiar with the FE Handbook

Most Important Fundamental Concepts

• Mean Residence time (Hydraulic detention time)

V _
θ= =t
Q

Loading – a quantity per unit area or volume

• •
Q M M
A V A
 Example

• A raw water source flows into a circular tank where it is

treated. The required hydraulic residence time is 1 hour,
and the flow rate in is 100 gal/min. If the tank has a
maximum height of 10 ft, what is the required diameter.
 Example

• A typical primary clarifier is needed to remove 64% of

the suspended solids of the treated water. If the flow
rate is 1.0 cfs, what is the necessary surface area of the
clarifier?
 Example

• Determine the minimum acreage needed to handle an

inflow loading of 2750 lb BOD/day given the following
design constraints: BOD max loading rate of 35 lb
BOD/day/acre, and 0.2 lb BOD per 1000 ft3 with a
maximum depth of 6 feet.
 Ideal Reactors - PFR

Et F

V/Q t V/Q t

for the PFR all fluid elements spend time = V/Q in the reactor
Ideal Reactors - CFSTR

In - Out + Transformation = Accumulation

Reactor Design - Performance
Reactor Design - Performance
 Example

• In a potable water disinfection treatment system,

chlorine decay is described by first order kinetics with a
rate constant of 0.15 min-1. An ideal CMFR reactor is
used, with a hydraulic residence time of 30 minutes.
What is the effluent concentration if the initial
concentration is 5 mg/L?

• What if a PFR was used?

 Mixing Intensity
Root Mean Velocity Gradient (G)

1
P  2
G=  G
 Vµ 

G = Root mean velocity gradient

P = Water power
γ = specific weight of water
V = Volume HL = head loss in mixing zone
µ = Dynamic viscosity t = time in mixing zone

P = G2 µ V Use consistent units

G should have units of s-1
Remember to include efficiency
 Power Equation for paddles
(based on drag)
Often used for flocculator paddles Cd A ρ v 3
P=
2
where:
P = power dissipated
Cd = coefficient of drag; 1.8 for flat plates
A = area of paddles
ρ = density of water
v = velocity of the paddles relative to water; usually 0.5 – 0.75 of
the paddle velocity

Remember there are 2π radians per revolution

 Rushton Equation
For Turbulent Mixing

P = K t ρn D3 5

P = Water power
k = coefficient
ρ = Density
n = Rotational speed (rev/time)
D = Diameter of the impeller
 Example

• An impeller is used in a rapid mix water treatment system.

If the turbine has 6 curved blades and operates at a
rotational speed of 100 rpm, how much power is needed
to run the turbine? The diameter of the impeller is 0.2 m
and water density is 1.0 g/cc.
 Settling Equations
General Spherical

CD = 24/Re (Laminar; Re ≤ 1.0)

= 24/Re + 3/(Re)1/2 + 0.34 (Transitional)
= 0.4 (Turbulent; Re ≥ 104)

Where,
g= gravitational constant
ρp and ρf = density of particle and fluid respectively
d = diameter of sphere
CD = spherical drag coefficient
µ = bulk viscosity of liquid = absolute viscosity
Vt = terminal settling velocity
 Stoke’s Law

Stoke’s Law: Re < 1

vdρ g ( ρs − ρ ) d2
Re = < 1 ⇒ vt =
µ 18µ
 Sedimentation Theory

the overflow rate (surface loading rate) is vo

h h A s V /t o Q
vo = = = =
to to As As As
particles with vt > vo will be captured (removed)
particles with vt < vo will be partially removed
depending on the depth that they enter the basin.
The fraction of these particles removed is vt/vo
 Sedimentation Design

Q
overflow rate vo =
As

Q
horizontal vH =
Ac
velocity

V
Mean residence θ=
time Q

Q
Weir overflow rate Weir overflow rate (WOR) =
weir length
 Example

• Find the required area of a clarifier that will completely

remove a particle that has a terminal settling velocity of
1.4 cm/min from a flow of 10 mgd.
 Softening
Softening Reactions (hardness removal)

Ca2 + + CO32− → CaCO3(s)

Mg2 + + 2OH− → Mg(OH)2(s)

Practical Limitations
CaCO3 = 30 mg/L as CaCO3
Mg(OH)2 = 10 mg/L as CaCO3

Mg2+ hardness less than 40 mg/L as

CaCO3 is often not treated
 Ion Bar Diagram

Remember: 50 mg CaCO3/meq.
 Softening Equations

Lime Softening Caustic Soda Softening

excess lime treatment to remove Mg: add 1.25 meq/L of

lime in excess of the stoichiometric requirement
The By-Pass Problem

Cin

QF

Q
Q(1-F)
CL Ceff

Q F Cin + Q (1 − F ) CL = Q C eff
 Filtration Equations
Effective Size = d10
Uniformity Coefficient = d60/d10
dx = diameter of particle class for which x% of sample is less than (meters or
feet)

Head Loss through Clean Bed

Rose Equation
Monosized Media Multisized Media

Carmen-Kozenzy Equation
Monosized Media Multisized Media
 Filtration Terms
Hf = head loss through the clean bed (m of H2O)
L = depth of filter media (m)
η = porosity of bed = void volume/total volume
Vs = filtration rate = empty bed approach velocity = Q/Aplan (m/s)
g = gravitational acceleration (m/s2)
dij, dp, d = diameter of filter media particles; arithmetic average of adjacent
screen openings (m); i = filter media (sand, anthracite, garnet); j = filter
media particle size
Xij = mass fraction of media retained between adjacent sieves
ƒ’ij = friction factors for each media fraction
CD = drag coefficient as defined in settling velocity equations
 Bed Expansion
Monosized Multisized

Where,

Lfb = depth of fluidized filter media (m)

VB = backwash velocity (m/s), Q/Aplan
Vt = terminal settling velocity
ηfb = porosity of fluidized bed
L0 = initial bed depth
η0 = initial bed porosity
 Example
• In backwashing a filter, a particle has a
terminal settling velocity of 100 mm/s. Find
the backwash water velocity in gpd/ft2
required to expand the bed to a porosity of
0.75.
 Packed Tower Analysis
•
Q C0 V Ye
mass balance over whole PTA with Y0=0
•
V ( Ye − Y0 ) = Q ( C 0 − C e )

Ye = Q • ( C0 − Ce )
V

if equilibrium is attained Henry’s Law can be

applied.
Qw
then: H' =
QA
•
Q Ce V Y0 H’ is a dimensionless Henry’s
constant Y
H' = e
Co
 Stripper Packing Height = Z
Z = HTU x NTU

NTU = number of transfer units

H = Henry’s Law Constant
H’ = H/RT = dimensionless Henry’s Law Constant
T = temperature in units consistent with R
R = universal gas constant, atm•m3/(kmol•K)
RS = stripping factor H’(QA/Qw)
Cin = concentration in the influent water (kmol/m3)
Cout = concentration in the effluent water (kmol/m3)
Q
HTU = Height of transfer units = L/(MwKLa) HTU =
L = liquid molar loading rate [kmol/(s•m2)]
A KLa
Mw = molar density of water 55.6 kmol/m3 = 3.47 lbmol/ft3
KLa = overall transfer rate constant (s -1)
Activated Carbon Adsorption

Freundlich Isotherm

where,
x = mass of solute adsorbed
m = mass of adsorbent
X = mass ratio of the solid phase – mass adsorbed solute per mass of
adsorbent
Ce = equilibrium concentration of solute, mass/volume
K, n = experimental constants

Linearized Form

For linear isotherm, n=1

Langmuir Isotherm

Where,

a = mass of adsorbed solute required to saturate completely a unit

mass of adsorbent
K = experimental constant

Linearized Form
Depth of Sorption Zone

VZ = VT – VB
ZS = depth of sorption zone
Z = total carbon depth
VT = total volume treated at exhaustion (C = 0.95C0)
VB = total volume at breakthrough (C = Cα = 0.05C0)
C0 = concentration of contaminant influent
 Example

• Determine the depth of the adsorption zone in

an activated carbon column with a total carbon
depth of 10 ft, if the volume throughput at
breakthrough is 50 MG and the volume
throughput at exhaustion is 65 MG.
 GAC Terminology
Q
Empty Bed Contact time (EBCT)

Vcarbon L
EBCT = =
Q Q
L A
GAC
Carbon usage Rate (CUR)
MGAC V ρ EBCT ρb
CUR = = GAC b =
Vwater Q tb tb

Bed Volumes (BV)

Vwater
BV =
VGAC
Reverse Osmosis

Osmotic Pressure of Solutions of Electrolytes

Where,
π = osmotic pressure, Pa
φ = osmotic coefficient
v = number of ions formed from one molecule of electrolyte
n = number of moles of electrolyte
Vol = specific volume of solvent, m3/kmol
R = universal gas constant, Pa•m3/(kmol•K)
T = absolute temperature, K
 Membrane Processes
Recovery and Rejection

QF, CF Qp, Cp J = Wp (∆P − ∆π)

Feed permeate
Ji = K p ∆C
Qc, Cc
concentrate
J = water flux
∆P = trans-membrane pressure
Ji = solute flux
∆C = trans-membrane concentration
Wp = water mass transfer coefficient
∆π = trans-membrane osmotic pressure
Kp = solute mass transfer coefficient

Qp Cp
Recovery (r) = Rejection (R) = 1 −
QF CF
Disinfection
CT Tables
sludge age
solids in the aeration tank
mean cell residence θc =
time solids wasted or lost per day
solids retention time
V X
θc =
Qe X e + Q w X w
1
= YU − k d = Y
( So − Se )
− kd = Y
Q ( So − Se )
− kd
θc θX V X

given :Y, kd, Q, So, Se, X, and θc the volume (V) can be determined
given: Y, kd, Q, So, Se, V, and θc the MLVSS (X) can be determined
 Example

• Find the required volume of an activated sludge

tank operating under the following parameters:
Yield coefficient = 0.5
Decay coefficient = 0.05 d-1
Influent BOD = 200 mg/L
Flow rate = 10 mgd
Mean cell residence time = 12 d
MLVSS = 2000 mg/L
BOD removal efficiency = 85%
Biotower (Trickling Filter)
Fixed –Film Equation without Recycle

Fixed – Film Equation with Recycle

Where,
Se = effuent BOD5 (mg/L)
S0 = influent BOD5 (mg/L)
R = recycle ratio = QR/Q0
QR = recycle flow rate,

D = depth of biotower media (m)

q = hydraulic loading (m3/m2•min) = (Q0 + RQ0)/Aplan (with recycle)
k = treatability constant (min -1); function of wastewater and medium
range 0.01 – 0.1
kT = k20(1.035)T-20
n = coefficient relating to media characteristics; modular plastic, n = 0.5
 Sludge (Biosolids) Equations

M = sludge production rate (dry weight basis)

Sludge volume index (SVI)

Aerobic Digestion - Tank Volume

Where,

Vol = volume of aerobic digester (ft3)

Qi = influent average flow rate to digester (ft3/d)
Xi = influent suspended solids (mg/L)
F = fraction of the influent BOD5 consisting of raw primary sludge
(expressed as a decimal)
Si = influent BOD5 (mg/L)
Xd = digester suspended solids (mg/L)
Kd = reaction-rate constant (d -1)
Pv = volatile fraction of digester suspended solids (expressed as a
decimal)
θc = solids residence time (sludge age) (d)
Anaerobic Digestion
Standard Rate

Reactor Volume = (Vol1 + Vol2)*tr/2 + Vol2ts

High Rate

First Stage
Reactor Volume = Vol1tr
Second Stage
Reactor Volume = (Vol1 + Vol2)*tr/2 + Vol2ts

Where,
Vol1 = raw sludge input (volume/day)
Vol2 = digested sludge accumulation (volume/day)
tr = time to react in a high-rate digester = time to react and thicken in a
standard-rate digester
tt = time to thicken in a high-rate digester
ts = storage time
Facultative Pond

BOD loading

Mass (lb/day) = Flow (MGD) x Concentration (mg/L)x 8.34(lb/Mgal)/(mg/L)

Total System ≤ 35 pounds BOD5/acre-day
Minimum = 3 ponds
Depth = 3-8 ft
Minimum t = 90-120 days