DEBREMARKOSUNIVERSITY

COLLEGEOFTECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENTOFHYDRAULICANDWATER
RESOURCESENGINEERING

WATERTREATMENTMINIPROJECT

DESIGNOFDEBREMARKOSUNIVERSITYWASTEWATER
TREATMENTPLANT

BY:ANEMUTEALEMUTER/144/06
ABRAHAMTSEGATER/047/06
MILLALAWGAWTER/2948/04
NETSANETMIGNONETTER/860/06
TESFAYEANTENEHTER/1125/06

MAY,2008E.C

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ABSTRACT
Debremarkosuniversityiscurrentlyfacedwithmanyproblems.One
ofthiscurrentandthemostseriousissueisthewastewatergeneratedby
thecommunitiesoftheuniversity.Whenthiswastewaterisdischarged
intotheenvironment,asuccessionofchangesoccurresinpublichealth
duetotheoccurrenceofpollutioninwaterqualityandalsoaffects
aquaticandotherlife.Thus,toensuretheavailabilityofgood
environmentalcondition,itbecomesimperativetoplanandbuildsuitable
wastewatertreatmentplant,whichwillprovidegoodenvironmental
preventionfortheuniversitycommunitiesandaquaticlife.
Themainpurposeofthewastewatertreatmentplantistomaintain
suchenvironmentswhichdoesn'taffectthepublichealthbychangingor
removingtheobjectionableconstituentspresentinthewastewater.The
mainprocessesinwastewatertreatmentincludespreliminary
treatment,primarytreatmentandsecondarytreatment.Thepreliminary
treatmentsystemismainlyselectedtoremovefloatingmaterialsand
largeinorganicparticulatecontentsofwastewaterthatusuallycause
maintenanceandoperationalproblemsinprimaryandsecondary
treatmentsofwastewater.Intheprimarystage,solidsareallowedtosettle
andremovedfromwastewater.Thesecondarystageusesbiological
processestofurtherpurifywatewater.

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CHAPTERONE
INTRODUCTION
GENERAL
Wastewateri stheusedwatergeneratedbythecommunityduetoitsvarious

activitiesanditcontainsimpuritiesandpollutantsintheformofsolids,liquidsand
gasesortheircombinationinsuchconcentrationthatisharmfulifdisposedtothe
environment.Thecontaminantsinwastewaterincludesuspended
solids,biodegradabledissolvedorganiccompounds,inorganic
solids,nutrients,metalsandpathogenicmicroorganisms.Thesuspendedsolidsin
wastewaterareprimarilyorganicparticlescomposedofbodywastes(faeces),food
wasteandtoiletpaper.Inorganicsolidsinwastewaterincludessurfacesediments
andsoilaswellassaltsandmetals.
Theremovalofsuspendedsolidsisessentialpriortodischargeinordertoavoid
settlementinthereceivingwatercourse.Thedesignofwastewatertreatmentplant
units,ingeneral,meansthedeterminationofthedeterminationofcapacity(volume)
anddimensionsoftreatmenttanks.Wastewatertreatmentplantsaredesignedona
unitoperationconceptinwhichoneoperationisoptimizedtoaccomplishone
task.thechoiceoftreatmentoperationsdependsonthequalityandvariabilityof
wastewaterandtreatmentobjectives.

Wastewatersarenormallytreatedbythecombinationofphysical,chemical
andbiologicaloperations.physicalmethodsoftreatmentincludetheuseoftanks
andotherstructuresdesignedtocontroltheflowofwastewaterandandtopromote
theremovalofcontaminants.Theactionofbacteriaandothermicroorganismsare

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biologicalmethodsoftreatment,whichplayavitalroleintheremovalofpollutants
whichcannotbeeffectivelyachievedbyothermeans.Chemicaltreatmentmethods
enhancetheefficiencyofotherprocessoperationsandprovidespecialized
treatmentasaresultoftheiradditionatvarioustreatmentstages.
SOURCESOFWASTEWATER
Wastewatercanoriginatefromthecombinationofdomestic,industrialand
commercialactivities.Thesourceofwastewaterwilldetermineitsits
characteristicsandhowitmustbetreated.Domesticwastewateristhewastewater
generatedfromhomes,businessesandinstitutionsandcontainspollutantssuch
as,faecalandvegetablematter,greaseandscum,detergents,ragsandsediments.On
theotherhandwastewaterfromindustrialprocessesmayincludetoxic
chemicals,metals,verystrongorganicwastes,radioactivewastes,largeamountsof
sedimentandhightemperaturewastesoracidicwastes.
OBJECTIVESOFTHEPROJECT
Themainobjectiveofthisprojectistomaintainahealthyenvironmentby
treatingproperlythewastewaterbeforetheyfindtheirwayintowaterbodiesor
agriculturallandsandotherpossiblereuse.Theotherobjectiveofthisprojectisthe
following
Toreducethestrengthofwastewater,sothatitmaynotpollutethereceiving
water.
Toreduceitsvolumeingeneral.
Todestroythepathogens
Toenableitssafeandsatisfactorydisposal
Toproducemethanegas

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LOCATIONOFTREATMENTPLANTS
Thewastewatertreatmentplantshouldbelocatednearthetowntowhichthewater
istobesupplie
DESIGNPERIOD
Generally,thedesignperiodofwastewatertreatmentplantisdeterminedby
consideringthefollowingfacts
Fundsavailablefortheconstructionofthetreatmentplant
Usefullifespanofmaterialsthatareusedintheconstructionofwastewater
treatmentplant
Rateofinterestontheloanstakentocompletetheproject
Operationandmaintenancecost
Anticipatedexpansionofthepopulation
Theconsiderationoftheabovefactorsintheselectionofdesignperiodservestwo
purposes.Firstly,itwillnotputonexcessivefinancialburdenontheconstructionof
thewastewatertreatmentplantasitcanbecarriedoutinphases.Ifthedesign
periodisverylong,itwillunnecessarilyincreasethecostofconstructionandthe
capacityofthetreatmentplantwillremainutilizedforalongerperiodoftime.On
theotherhand,ifthedesignperiodisshort,thecapacityoftheplantshallbe
consumedfasterandwillcreateaneedforitsexpansion.Thus,byconsideringthe
abovecases,adesignperiodof30yearsincludingitsconstructionperiodis
adoptedforthisproject.
POPULATIONPROJECTION
Afterthedesignperiodhasbeenfixed,thepopulationoftheprojectareaattheend
ofthedesignperiodhastobedetermined.Incaseofdesigningawastewater

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treatmentplantforanewtown/city,theaveragedailywastewaterflowisnormally
computedonthebasisofaveragedailywaterdemandofthetown/city.This
demandisusuallycalculatedonthebasisoftheprojectedpopulationovertheend
ofthedesignperiod.
Theestimationoffuturepopulationdependsontheconsiderationofallfactors
thatwillgovernthefuturegrowthanddevelopmentsofthetown/cityinthespheres
oftradeandcommerce,industries,education,socioeconomics,etc.Thusfromthe
dataobtainedfromCommunicationCorporationDirectorDirectorateBureauof
DebreMarkosUniversity,thestatisticaldataofstudentsandstaffworkersareas
follows

Table1StudentsStatisticaldatain2008E.C

Firstdegree

Seconddegree

Total

Regular

12410

339

12749

Extension

6696

542

7238

Summer

9052

580

9632

Total

29619

Source:CommunicationCorporationDirectorDirectorateofDMU
Table2:WorkersStatisticaldatain2008E.C

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Male

Female

Total

Academicstaff

999

159

1158

Administrativestaff 677

563

1240

Technicalassistant

65

17

82

Cafeteriaworkers

216

Police

55

Total

2751

SourceCommunicationCorporationDirectorDirectorateofDMU

Since,whenregularstudentsleaveoutfromtheuniversityduringsummerseason,
summerstudentsenterintheplaceofregularstudents.Thus,wedoesntconsider
summerstudentsinourdesign.Therefore,thetotalnumberofpopulationthatlive
inDebreMarkosUniversityintheyear2008E.Cis
12749+7238+2751=22738
Attheendofthedesignperiod(2038E.C),wecantakethetotalpopulationof
22738.Because,wecanconsiderthefactorssuchastheconstructionofnew
campusesandgraduatingstudentsineachyear.Therefore,attheendofthedesign
period,thetotalpopulationofDebreMarkosUniversityistakenas22738.
WASTEWATERFLOWRATES
Itisthetotalquantityofwastewatergenerateddailyandtobetreatedeveryday,the
volumeofwastewaterwilldependonthewaterconsumptionbythepopulationfor

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itsvariousactivitiessuchascooking,bathing,washing,etc.Theaveragedomestic
waterdemandinethiopiaperpersonperdayisbetween5080L/day.Thus,wecan
consideranaveragedomesticwaterdemandof60L/day.Accordingtothe
projectedpopulationandaveragedomesticwaterdemand,thetotalaverage
domesticwaterdemandofDebreMarkosUniversitycommunitiescanbe
calculatedasfollows
Qavg=60L/day*22738=1364280L/day=15.79L/sec
Assume80%oftheaveragewaterdemandattheendofthedesignperiodbecomes
wastewater.Thus,theaveragequantityofwastewateriscalculatedas
Qavg
=0.8*15.79L/sec=12.63L/sec
VARIATIONINFLOWRATES
Wastewaterflowdependsonthequantityofwatertobeusedandastherate
ofwaterconsumptionisnotconstant,therewillbevariationinwastewater
flowalso.Thevariationmaybeseasonalormonthly,dailyandhourly.The
seasonalvariationsareduetoclimaticeffect.Theconsumptionofwateris
moreinwinterthaninsummerandthischangeinconsumptionofwater
directlyaffectsthequantityofwastewater.Thedailyvariationsaredueto
localconditions,involvinghabitsandcustomsofpeople.InEthiopia,the
consumptionofwaterismoreinSunday'sandotherholidaysascomparedto
workingdaysduetoclothwashing,housecleaning,bathing,etc.Hence,the
quantityofwastewaterproducedismoreonSundaysandholidays.Hourly
variationisduetovaryingtherateofwaterconsumptionindifferenthoursof
theday.
MAXIMUMDAILYFLOWRATE

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Thisisthelargestwastewaterflow,whichaccumulatesoveraparticularday.
Itisalsocalleddailypeakflowrateandtheratioofthispeakflowtoaverage
flowrateisknownaspeakfactor.Thepeakfactoristakenbetween1.5and3.
i.e.Peakfactor=maximumflow/averageflow
Forthisproject,wecantakeapeakfactorof2.5.Thus
Qmax/Qavg=2.5
Qmax=Qavg*2.5=2.5*12.63L/sec=31.57L/sec
MINIMUMDAILYFLOWRATE
Thisisthethesmallesttotalwastewaterflowwhichaccumulatesovera
particularday.Theratioofminimumflowtoaverageflowiscalledminimum
factor.Thevalueofminimumfactorisusuallybetween0.1and0.3.
i.e,Minimumfactor=minimumflow/averageflow=0.10.3
Forthisproject,wecanconsideraminimumfactorof0.2.Therefore
Qmin/Qave=0.2
Qmin=0.2*Qavg=0.2*12.63L/sec
Qmin=2.526L/sec
CLIMATEGROUPING
Theclimateofthetheprojectareahasanimpactonthequantitiesofwater
consumptionwhichinturnaffectsthequantityaffectsthequantityofwastewater.
Thosewhoarelivinginhotareaconsumemorewaterandpeoplewholivein
normaltemperateareaconsumelesswater.Inordertoaccountforchangesof
averagewastewaterflowrate,theaveragewastewaterismultipliedbyclimatic
factors.
Table3:ClimaticGrouping

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Group

Meanannual
precipitation

Factor

6000rless

1.1

601900

1.0

900ormore

0.9

DebreMarkosUniversityisgroupedunderwoinadegaclimaticzone.Itis
characterizedbyamonomodalrainfall.Itreceivesrainfallonlyfrommayto
september.Thus,fromtheaboveconsiderationstheprojectarea,DebreMarkos
UniversityfallsundergroupB.Thereforeanadjustmentfactorofof1.0torefine
theaveragewastewaterflowrateisconsidered.
SOCIOECONOMICFACTOR
Socioeconomicactivitieshavearoleindeterminingthedegreeofdevelopmentof
universitieswhichinturndetermineswaterconsumptionandthuswastewaterflow
rate.DebreMarkosUniversityascomparedtootheruniversitieshavenormal
Ethiopianstandardofliving.Table4SocioEconomicGrouping
Group Description

Factor

Townsenjoyinghighlivingstandardsandhighpotentialfor 1.1
development

Townshavingaveryhighpotentialfordevelopmentbut
lowlivingstandardatpresent

1.05

Townsundernormalethiopiancondition

1.0

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Advancedruraltowns

0.9

Intheviewoftheabovefactorsandconsideringtheirdevelopment,Debre
MarkosUniversityisgroupedunderCwithanappropriateadjustmentfactor
of1.0.Thus,toaccountforclimateandsocioeconomicfactor,theaveragedaily
wastewaterflowrateismultipliedbyclimaticandsocioeconomicfactors.
Qavg=12.63*1.0*1.0L/sec=12.63L/sec

CHAPTERTWO
DESIGNOFPRELIMINARYTREATMENTUNITS
Thepreliminarytreatmentsystemisselectedtoremovefloatingmaterialsand
large
inorganicparticulatecontentsofwastewaterthatusuallycausemaintenanceand
operationalproblemsinprimaryandsecondarytreatmentsystems.Themain
structuresdesignedinthepreliminarytreatmentprocessincludesanapproach
channel,screenchamberandgritchamber.
DESIGNOFAPPROACHCHANNEL
Anapproachchannelisusuallyemployedawastewatertreatmentplantisasimple
rectangularopenchannel.Thewastewaterfromtheapproachchannelflowsby
gravitytothesucceedingunitsofthetreatmentplant.Themainfunctionofan
approachchannelistodampentheturbulenceoftheincomingflowtothe
subsequentunitsandtoensuresomewhatasteadyanduniformflow.
Normally,anapproachchannelisdesignedbyusingthefollowingcriteria

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Flowthroughvelocity,Vh0.45m/sec
Lengthofthechannel,L=2m3m
Depthtowidthratio,D:B=1:1.5to1:2
Numberofunits,N=2usually
Designcalculation
Step1:Computethemaximumflowineachchannel.
Qmax=(31.57/2)L/sec=15.785L/sec=0.015785m3/sec
Step2:Computethedimensionsofthechannel
Assumetheflowthroughvelocity,Vh=0.75m/secinthechannel.Thecross
sectionalareaofthechannelis
A=Qmax/Vh=(0.015785m3/sec)/0.75m/sec=0.021m2
Assumethewidthtodepthratio,B:D=1.5:1
Thus,B=1.5D
But,A=B*D=1.5D*D=1.5D2
Thisimplies,0.021m2=1.5D2
Therefore,D=(0.021/1.5)=0.11m
B=1.5D=1.5*0.11m=0.165m
Therefore,providethenetdepth,D=0.11mandwidth,B=0.165m
Thenetcrosssectionalareaprovidedis
A=0.11m*0.165m=0.018m2
Assumingfreeboardis0.3m,thetotaldepthofthechannelis,
D=0.11m+0.3m=0.41m
Assumethelengthofthechannelas2m.Therefore,providea2mlongchannelof
0.165mwidthand0.41mtotaldepth.

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Step3:Checktheflowthroughvelocity,Vh
Sincetheflowinthechannelisundergravity,wecanusetheManning'sequation.
Vh=1/n*R2/3S1/2
Where,n=Manning'scoefficientofroughness=0.013forcementconcreteingood
conditions
R=hydraulicmeanradius=Area/Wettedperimeter=A/P
P=2D+B=2*0.11+0.165=0.385m
R=0.018m2/0.385m=0.047m
Assumetheslopeofthechannel,S=1:100
Vh=(1/0.013)*(0.0472/3)*(1/100)1/2=1.001m/sec.Sotheassumedvelocityof
0.75m/secandslope,S=1in100areacceptable.
Step4:Checkthevelocityatonethirddepthoftheflow.
1/3*D=1/3*0.11m=0.036m
A=D*B=0.036m*0.165m=6.05*103m2
P=2D+B=2*0.036m+0.165m=0.237m
Hydraulicmeanradius=R=A/P=0.00605m2/0.237m=0.025m
VelocityatD/3,Vh=1/n*R2/3*S1/2=1/0.013*(0.025)*(0.01)1/2
Vh=0.657m/sec>0.45m/sec
Hence,theslopeof1in100isacceptable.
Step5:Designsummary
Typeofchannel=Rectangular
Numberofunits=1(with2channels)
Lengthofthechannel,L=2.0m
Widthofthechannel,B=0.165m

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Netdepthofflow,D=0.11m
Depthincludingfreeboard=0.41m
Freeboard=0.3m
Slopeofthechannel,S=1in100

DESIGNOFSCREENCHAMBER
Screensthedeviceswithclearopeningofuniformsizeusedtoremovefloating
materialsandcoarsesolidsfromwastewater.Screeningistheprocessofseparating
largeparticlesoffloatingorsuspendedmatterbyusingscreens.Itisthefirststep
inthetreatmentofwastewater.Theplanviewofthescreenchamberisasfollows.

Fig1:planviewofscreenchamber
Theobjectivestobeachievedinscreeningare
Topreventtheformationofunsightlyscumsinsettlingandaerationtanks.
Toremovelargeobjects,suchasragsandplastics,fromwastewater.

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Topreventcloggingofsprinklernozzlesorthesurfaceoftricklingfilters.
Toprotectpumpingpartsfromdamage.
Topreventformationofsludgebanksorunsightlyfloatingmatterinthe
receivingbodiesofwater.
Screenscanbeclassifiedintocoarse,mediumandfinescreendependingupon
theirsizesofopenings.Butwecanprovideonlycoarseandfinescreen.Thecoarse
screenremoveslargesizeoffloatingmatterssuchasdead
animals,sticks,cloth,paper,etc.Whereas,thefinescreenisusedtoremovematerials
thatmaysignificantlyincreaseoperationandmaintenanceproblemsinthe
downstreamliquidandsolidprocesses,particularlyinsystemswithprimary
treatment.
Forthesuccessfulperformance,thescreensshouldbecleanedperiodically.They
maybecleanedbyhandormechanicallyoperatedrakes.Rakeisacomblike
systemoftoothedbars.Forthisprojectwecanconsiderthescreeniscleaned
manuallybecauseitiseconomical.
Designaspects
Thevelocityofwastewaterflowthroughthescreenshouldnotbetoosmallortoo
large.Smallvelocitiespromotesedimentationoftheorganicmattersinscreen
chambersandmaycausesepticconditionswhentheystartdecomposing.Large
velocitiesforcethescreeningstopassthroughthescreenandthusaffect
efficiently.
Itisimportanttodeterminetheheadlossthroughthescreensduringitsoperation.
Theheadlossthroughthescreenmainlydependson
Thesizeandamountofsolidsinthewastewater.

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Clearopeningsbetweenthebars.
Methodofcleaninganditsfrequency.
Velocityoftheflowthroughthescreen,V.
Besidesheadloss,otherimportantdesignconsiderationsare
Approachvelocityofwastewater,Vh>0.375m/sec
Maximumvelocitythroughthescreen,V=0.30.6m/secforhandcleaning
Sizeofbars=10mmx50mm(50mmsideparalleltotheflow)
Inclinationofbars=30600fromthehorizontal
Clearspacingofbars=2575mmforhandcleaning
Quantityofscreenings=0.00150.015m3/MLforscreensizeof10mmto
25mmrespectively.
Designcalculation
Step1:Computethemaximumflowofwastewaterineachchannel.
Astwochannelsareprovided,themaximumflowofwastewaterineachchannelis,
Qmax=(31.57/2)L/sec=15.785L/sec=0.015785m3/sec
Step2:Computethedimensionsofthescreenchamber.
Providingthedimensionsofthescreenchambersameasthatoftheapproach
channeldetermined,wehave,L=2m,B=0.165mandD=0.11m.Thereforethecross
sectionalareaofthescreenchamberis,
A=B*D=0.165M*0.11M=0.018m2
Step3:Calculatetheapproachorflowthroughvelocity.
Vh=Qmax/A=(0.015785m3/sec)/0.018m2=0.87m/secok!
Step4:Computethenumberofbars,n
Providebarsof10mmx50mmwithclearingof25mm.

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Then,widthofopening(n+1)+widthofbars(n)
0.025(n+1)+0.01n=0.165m
0.035n=0.14
n=0.14/0.035=4
Therefore,provide4barsof10mmx50mmwith25mmclearspacing.
Step5:Checkthetotalwidthofthescreenchamber.
B=0.025(n+1)+0.01n=5*0.025+4*0.01=0.165m
Hence,theprovidedwidthof0.165misacceptable
Therefore,4barsof10mmx50mmwith25mmclearspacingareadjustedinatotal
widthof0.165m.
Step6Drawthecrosssectionalareadetailsofthescreen.

Step7:Computetheflowvelocitythroughthescreenbars,V.
Theeffectivewidthofthechannelduringflowthroughthescreenis,
Be=totalwidthwidthofbars
Be=0.165m(0.01*n)=0.165(0.01*4)=0.125m
Wastewaterdepth,D=0.11M
Therefore,theeffectivecrosssectionalareaofthescreenis,
A=Be*D=0.125m*0.11m=0.01375m2

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Then.thevelocitythroughthescreenbar,Visgivenby,
V=flow/effectivecross
sectional=0.015785/0.01375=1.14m/s
Step8Calculatetheheadlossthroughthebarrack.
hL=0.0729(V2Vh2)
Where,Vh=velocitybeforethescreen=0.87m/sec
V=velocitythroughthescreen=1.14m/sec
hL=0.0729(1.1420.872)=0.039m<0.15mok!
Step9:Calculatethequantityofscreening.
Assumethescreeningproductionas0.0015m3/MLofflowfor25mm
openingand0.015785m3/sofflow.
Quantityofscreeningproduced=0.0015m3/ML*0.013m3/sec
=1.68x106m3/day=1.68x103L/day
Therefore,cleaningcanbedonemanuallyevery2daysforanapproximate
quantityof2*1.6x106m3=3.36x106screeningfromtwochannels.
Step10:Designofperforatedplate.

Providethelengthoftheplateequaltothewidthofthechamber=0.165m
Assumethewidthoftheplateequalto0.3andthedepthofthepocket
equalto0.20mforcollectingscreenings.Thus,thecapacityofthescreening
pocketis,Cs=0.165m*0.3m*0.2m=0.0099m3=0.01m3ok!
Step11:Calculatetheinclinedlengthofthescreenbar.
Inclinedlengthofscreenbar=D/sin45=0.41/sin45=0.58m
Therefore,provideatotallengthof0.58mscreenbar.

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Step12:Computethehorizontallengthofthescreenbar
Horizontalprojectedlength=0.58*cos45=0.41m