Water Research Vol. 9. pp. 347 to 356. Pergamon Press 1975. Printed in Great Britain.

PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIPS FOR PRIMARY

SEDIMENTATION

T. H. Y. TEBBUTTand D. G. CHRISTOULAS*

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham, England, and

Noutsopoulos--Christoulas---Lazaridis~ Athens, Greece

(Received 15 October 1974)

Abstract--Extensive pilot-scale studies on the primary settlement of sewage have been analyzed to
produce a simple mathematical expression relating sedimentation efficiency to hydraulic loading and
influent SS concentration. Comparisons are made with other published performance relationships for
primary sedimentation, lnfluent SS concentrations were shown to be more important in controlling
removal than surface overflow rate and it is concluded that conventional settlement design criteria
are very conservative.

NOMENCLATURE to similar criteria so that the formulation of perfor-

b a constant related to suspended solids concentration mance relationships, which are essential for optimiza-
c a constant related to surface overflow rate tion studies, becomes difficult. Such data as do exist
ct a constant in Escritt's formula cover a wide range of loadings and are almost in-
c2 a constant in Escritt's formula variably a compilation of results from a number of
E removal efficiency for suspended solids
plants treating different wastewaters in units of differ-
E' removal efficiency for suspended solids as a function of
influent suspended solids ent design so that the validity of relationships derived
EB removal efficiency for BOD from these data is questionable. Previous work on pri-
EL removal efficiency for COD mary sedimentation of sewage at Birmingham (March
E0 removal efficiency for suspended solids under quies- and Hamlin, 1966; Tebbutt, 1969) indicated that signifi-
cent conditions
K COD equivalent of suspended solids cant removals of suspended matter from sewage were
Ke COD equivalent of effluent suspended solids possible at much higher loadings than those normally
Ki COD equivalent of influent suspended solids adopted in practice. To provide confirmation of these
L total COD findings extended studies have been carried out on a
L a dissolved COD
pilot-scale facility to enable direct comparison to be
Ld,0~ dissolved COD in absence of suspended solids
L~ total COD of effluent made of sedimentation performance over a wide range
Li total COD of influent of loadings with the same tank and source of sewage.
m a COD coefficient related to influent suspended solids
n a constant related to retention time
q surface overflow rate
S suspended solids concentration THE NATURE OF SEDIMENTATION
S~ effluent suspended solids
The basic concept of the gravitational separation of
Si influent suspended solids
t retention time suspended particles from a fluid is simple and calcula-
x non settleable solids in influent. tion of the settling velocity of spherical discrete par-
ticles under quiescent laminar flow conditions is easy.
Unfortunately such conditions are far removed from
INTRODUCTION those encountered in practice when considering the
process of sedimentation as applied to the primary
As a result of rapidly increasing costs and the need to
clarification of sewage. Sewage contains a considerable
obtain the best return for investment in wastewater
proportion of flocculent particles which do not have
treatment facilities there is now a considerable interest
constant settling characteristics and under continuous
in optimization of treatment plant design. Unfortu-
flow conditions sedimentation tanks are subject to a
nately, muchofthe performance data which are available
variety of disturbances due to hydraulic turbulence,
for the various unit processes relate to plants designed
density currents and wind action. A further complica-
* At the time of the preparation of this paper D. G. Chris- tion in specifying the performance of a sedimentation
toulas was a Honorary Research Fellow in the Depart- tank arises from the normal parameter used to mea-
ment of Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham. sure the suspended matter in sewage the suspended
W.R. 9/4- Is
348 T.H.Y. TEBB/;TTand D. G. CHRISTOULAS
solids (SS) determination which includes particles
down to about I #m in size. These fine particles are
nonsettleable and there is no correlation between total
suspended solids and settleable solids so that for a
given SS content a tank may give quite different remo-
val efflciences on separate occasions because of the
varying content of settleable solids. These factors mean
that sedimentation is not simply a physical process
controlled by hydraulic parameters but a much more
complex process in which the variability of the feed is
probably the most important influence on efficiency
over short time intervals. In a review of the sedi-
mentation process Hamlin and Tebbutt (1973) con-
cluded that there were serious problems in trying to
describe the processes in mathematical terms and that
although increasingly complex models had been devel-
oped none of those so far proposed were wholly satis-
factory.
Analysis of performance data from lull-scale units
operating under known conditions would be most use-
ful in helping to produce more satisfactory models of
the sedimentation process but until such data are col-
lected pilot-scale studies must be employed.
EXISTING PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIPS
Considering the basic theory of sedimentation it
would seem reasonable to try to relate removal effi-
ciency to some hydraulic factor such as retention time
or surface overflow rate. A relationship of this type
based on data published by Water Pollution Control
Federation (1959) has been proposed by Smith (1969),
viz. :
E = 0'82e -°°°ss~ (1)
where E = removal efficiency for SS = (influent SS -
effluent SS)/(influent SS); and q = surface overflow
rate m 3 nY -~day 1.
The data from which this relationship was obtained
were from a large number of different plants with flow
ratescoveringthe range 20-90m 3 m -~day ~ The data
implied that surface overflow rate was the governing
Ihctor in tank performance and that the initial SS con-
centration was not an important factor.
Most other workers have suggested that both hyd-
raulic loading and initial SS concentration can effect
removal efficiency and a number of relationships have
been developed to include these two variables.
Steel (1960) shows a plot relating removal efficiency
to retention time for various initial SS concentrations
from which Fig. 1 has been prepared. A similar graph
has been given by Fair and Geyer 0954) but in neither
case is there any details of the source of the data or of
the range of conditions covered by the data.
Data from a number of full-scale plants was exam-
ined by Escritt (1956) who derived a relationship relat-
ing effluent SS to retention time and feed SS with the
aid of constants depending upon the tank design, the
nature of the suspension and other, unspecified, fac-
tors.
0.80
~
300--400
200-300
0-60 100--200
-- 50--100
w
S mgL ~
0.40
0.20
] t I , [
2 a 6
~etention, h
Fig. 1. Performance curves for sedimentation, after Steel
(1960).
Si
g ........ (21
cl t ~ log Si
where: S,, = effluent SS m g l - 1 ; S i = i n f l u e n t SS
m g l - l : t = retention time h; n = 1/c21og Si; c I = a
constant approximately l.l ; and c 2 = a constant ap-
proximately 10.
No details were given of the range of loadings and
concentrations covered by the data used to develop
equation (21.
The relationship published by CIRIA (1973) was de-
veloped from the analysis of data obtained from a
number of large sewage works in the London area and
which covered retention times of 2-10 h.
E = (0.00043 Si + 0.51)(1 - e -°'Tt) (3)
where the symbols have the same meaning as in equa-
tions (1) and (2). When used in the CIRIA optimizing
model the maximum value of the first bracket in equa-
tion (3) is limited to 0.90 to prevent removal efficiences
in excess of this value which was considered to be a
practical limit.
E X P E R I M E N T A L W O R K AT B I R M I N G H A M U N I V E R S I T Y
A pilot-scale sewage treatment plant has been con-
structed on the campus at Birmingham to permit ex-
perimental study of the performance characteristics of
the various process stages and to investigate the inter-
actions between different processes. The plant is pro-
vided with comminuted domestic sewage abstracted
from a combined sewer and thus is subjected to the
wide variations in strength found in such sewers. Flow
through the plant is however kept constant. The pri-
mary sedimentation stage of the plant comprises a
centre feed circular tank 2.1 m dia with a maximum
water depth of 2-8 rn, the main dimensions of which are
shown in Fig. 2. Feed and effluent samples from the
tank were obtained as 24 h composites of hourly sam-
ples collected by an automatic sampler utilizing twin
peristaltic pumps. Work by Tebbutt (1969) on the same
tank had suggested that in the flow range 23.5-176
m 3 m - 2 day- 1 sedimentation efficiency was virtually
independent of flow rate but it was felt that to develop
performance relationships extended testing would be
Performance relationships for primary sedimentation 349

~ - ~ ~
6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

66666 6 6

0
0
~ r~ CD b~. ~,1 ~ ~"~-

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

4-"

0 o

,..o
[..

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

o
350 T.H.Y. TEBBUTTand D. G. CFIRISTOULAS

[~l Constant head T a b l e 2. S u m m a r } of s e d i m e n t a t i o n results

2.1o0 tank
SS removal
Overflow ratc Average S, efficienc~
(m3m-Zday ~1 (mgl ~) E

25 41 I 0'49
50 402 0.43
100 355 0.36
150 365 0-34

merits there would need to be a lag period between the

, ~/x //~ ~/\ //-,, //x
Fig. 2. Details of pilot-scale settling tank.
necessary. Accordingly the sedimentation tank was
operated for continuous periods of 15-20 weeks at
overflow rates, of 25, 50, 100 and 150 m 3 m -2 day
(corresponding to retention times in this particular
tank of 120, 60, 30 and 20 min respectively). Each daily
composite sample of feed and effluent was analysed for
total and volatile SS, settleable solids and chemical
oxygen demand (COD).
REMOVAL o r S U S P E N D E D SOLIDS
Effect of sur/ace ovo:flow rate
Examination of the SS data for all the runs showed
that just over 752, of the feed SS were in the range 200-
600 mg 1- ~ and most of the analysis of the data has
been restricted to this range as being more representative
of normal sewage variations. When examining the per-
formance of a process like sedimentation dealing with
such a variable influent as crude sewage it is doubtful
whether instantaneous measurements of removal effi-
ciency are meaningful. For instantaneous measure-
collection of influent and effluent samples and the
establishment of such a lag period would be difficult
since many workers have shown that the theoretical
retention time bears little relation to the actual flow-
~\
through time. The effects of density differences and
temperature variations can give significantly different
flow-through times tor the same hydraulic loading
conditions. Accordingly in the preparation of the ex-
perimental programme and in the assessment of the
results 24 h average samples were adopted. Even in
these samples there are wide variations in SS con-
centration from day to day and it must be appreciated
that the use of these averages masks even greater short
term variations.
Table I gives details of the experimental results for
each flow rate within various influent SS ranges and
Table 2 summarises the overall performance within the
influent SS range 200-6(X) mg 1- 2. It will be noted that
the average influent SS for each of the flow rates
appears relatively similar and these overall removal
efficiences have therefore been plotted against overflow
rate in Fig. 3. These data can be considered as repre-
senting the average performance of the pilot.-scale
sedimentation tank operating under constant overflow
rate conditions with a 6ally average influent SS of ap-
proximately 400 mg I t and a range of S~ values 200
600 mgl ~.
As a first step in analysing the perlormance data it
was decided to obtain an efficiency overflow rate rela-
tionship ignoring the effects of influent SS con-

0.60

0.4C

= •

0"40
Ld

I 0"20
.... E=o725e-oo°°70
0.20

i I L 1
0 25 5o I00 150 50 ~00

q m ~ rn ~d q rn 3 m - 2 d-~

Fig. 3. A v e r a g e r e m o v a l of s u s p e n d e d solids in p i l o t - s c a l e
tank. Fig. 4. F i t t i n g of E = Eo c "~ for Steel's d a t a .
 Perf2.rmance relationships for primary sedimentation 351

0-40 Table 3. Values of coefficients in performance relationships

fitted to E = E0 e ~q

E~ritt Relationship Eo c
ILl

I
0"20
~ ;

E=O.ZTe - ° ' 0 ° 2 3 q
-//
i il
50
q m 3 m-2d ~1
Fig. 5. Fitting of E = Eo e -~q for Escritt's expression.
centration. A simple relationship for these conditions
is of the general form.
E = Eo e- ~q
where E0 = removal efficiency for SS under quiescent
conditions; and c = constant.
A least squares fitting of this form to the data in Fig.
3 produces the expression:
E = 0'510e-0"0029q
It should be appreciated that eq,:ation (5) is not
necessarily the best fit to the experimental data but it
was selected as a simple mathematical model for what
is known to be a complex process.
Because of the simplicity of this expression it is of in-
terest to observe how it compares w!ith other perfor-
mance relationships discussed earlier. Equation (4) im-
plies that there is a linear relationship between q and
log E and Figs. 4-6 show Steel's data (Si = 300-400
mg l- 1), Escritt's expression (Si = 40) mg 1-1) and the
CIRIA relationship (S~ = 400 mg l - ! ) plotted in the
q - log E format. Steel's data show an almost perfect
linear relationship over the whole range of overflow
0,60 ~
E=O.75e-Oo~23q
0"60
hi
I 0'40 / ~ ¢ there is a fairly constant non-settleable SS con-
0.20
" ~ ~ Pilot-plant data
Smith
Steel
0.510
0.820
0.725
0.0029
0.0088
0.0047
Escritt 0"770 0.0023
CIRIA 0'750 0.0123
I
tO0 150
rates. The range of data from which Escritt's formula
was obtained is not known but Fig. 5 shows that the
formula gives a reasonably linear relationship over a
range of q of 20-130 m 3 m - 2 day- 1. The CIRIA rela-
tionship was derived from data with overflow rates in
the range 6-33 m 3 m - 2 day- 1 and Fig. 6 shows that
(4) equation (4) is a fairly good approximation to the
CIRIA expression for q values between 10 and I00
m 3 m - 2 day- 1. Smith's relationship [equation ( 1)] is of
course already in the form of equation (4).
Table 3 shows the values of E0 and c obtained by fit-
ting equation (4) to the various performance data.
Clearly there are considerable differences in the values
(5) of Eo and c but this is not unexpected because of the
widely differing sources of the data. The data from the
pilot-plant indicate a relatively high proportion of non
settleable solids since the maximum efficiency permit-
ted by equation (5) is 0.510. The maximum efficiency
permitted by the other relationships is in all cases
higher than that from the pilot plant results but it must
be appreciated that E o does not simply measure the
settleable fraction of the influent as a direct ratio of
settleable to total solids. Other factors such as the SS
concentration, nature of the solids and their size distri-
bution, flocculation and temperature all affect the settle
ability of suspended matter. Unfortunately at the
present time it does not appear possible to include the
effects of these other factors in a general performance
relationship so that universal values of Eo and c are
not likely to be obtainable.
/ /
/ Effect of influent suspended solids
It appears likely that the total SS concentration will
/ ~ CIRIA have an effect on the maximum removal efficiency (Eo)
since flocculation will be more significant at higher SS
levels. It is also possible that higher SS concentrations
contain a greater proportion of settleable solids and
there is some evidence that for sewages in the U.K.
centration of around 150-200 mg 1-1.
In such a situation the SS remaining in the effluent
from a sedimentation tank after a given time can be
expressed in the form

S~ = x + (Si - x ) e - " t (6)

I I where x = non settleable SS in Si; n = a constant.

50 IOC. rSO
Such a relationship agrees well with experimental
q m3 m-2d-I data from settling column studies on sewage reported
Fig. 6. Fitting of E = E o e -cq for CIRI'A expression. by March (1967).
352 T.H.Y. TEI:IBUTTand D. G. CHRISTOULAS

With the exception of Smith's expression which does o.8o /

/
not include a solids concentration factor the other per- ×f

tormance relationships allow for the effect of sus- 0.60

pended solids variations, as an exponential type of
_

relationship in Steel's and Escritt's work and as a linear

dependence in the C1RIA expression. E 0.40
To consider the effect of suspended solids on the 25 m 3 m- 2 d -I

pilowplant performance data equation (4) was written

in a modified form
E = E'e "~ (7)
0.20
,///* h , I i i J I i I
where E' is a function of the influent SS, Si. o 500 I000
S i mg I.-t
There is no theoretical basis for the development of
a function relating E' to Si and the relationship given
in equation (8) is assumed
0.80
E' = E o e hs, (8) /
/
/
where b = a constant. 0.60
Thus it is possible to write an expression for SS
removal efficiency as a function of influent SS and sur- E
face overfow rate, 0.40
E = E o e - [(b/s,i + ~3. (91
This relationship provides a satisfactory description o.2o
for Steel's data for S~ > 100150 mg 1- ~ in the form
4" , ~ ~ 1 ~ I I ,, 1
E = 0"81 e-[14°"s'~÷°o°4v'~] (10) o 500 1000

S, mg t -r
and for Escritt's expression equation (9) gives a satisfac-
tory description in the range S~ = 150-800 mg 1- 1 as
follows
0-60 /
E = 0 ' 7 6 e -[q46,'S3+°'il°23ql. (11)

The pilot plant data has been investigated for the effect
of suspended solids variations in two ways, both by 0.40
double regression analysis. The first analysis was made E /j/(/ I00 m 3 m-2cl -'

on the average data shown in Table 2 which covers a o.2o

limited SS range and produced the following expres-
sion
// I I I J I I J J
E = 0"955 e-[1265'sj+(l'°{12ht]. (I 2j o 500 I000

S i mg L- t
The second analysis was performed on the original
data grouped into the S~ranges 100-300, 200-400, 300-
600, 400-800 and 600-.1200 mg 1- ~ with the following
result 0.60
E = l-138 e [(358/S,l+O.OO16q]. ( I 3) /
/

The grouped data and the curves derived from equa- 0.40
tions (12) and (13) are shown for each rate of flow in
Fig. 7. As would be expected, equation (13) provides a E 150 m 3 m-2d -I
better fit to the data since it was derived directly from o.zo
the points plotted and is somewhat influenced by over-
lapping of the data. The fit provided by equation (12) ~7'/~ , J I , , , ,
is however reasonably satisfactory and this equation o 500 ~000
must be considered more acceptable since it does not Si mg L- t
give an ultimate maximum efficiency in excess of unity
as does equation [13) which is mathematically a some-
- - - Equation 12
what closed representation of the plotted data. In addi-
. . . . Equation t3
tion it is believed that the SS range of 200-600 mg 1
is likely to be more representative of normal sewage.
Figure 8 gives plots of equation (12) for a range of in- Fig. 7. Effect ot influent suspended solids on removal
fluent SS concentrations and illustrates the consider- efficiency.
 Performance relationships for primary sedimentation 353

m 3 m -2 day- 1. As far as can be ascertained the curve

0.60
~ 600
0.40
0.20
I I
50 IO0
q m 3 rn-Zd -I
Fig. 8. Plot of E = 0.955 e-(265/s,+°°°21q) for three initial
values of St over the flow range used experimentally.
able effect of SS concentration on removal effÉciency
and except for very high surface overflow rates, the
relatively small effect of hydraulic loading on effi-
ciency. Figure 9 gives a comparison of equation (12)
with the other performance relationships which have
been discussed, all for 400 mg I-1 influent SS where
appropriate. It is clear that there is a considerable
degree of variation in the predicted efficiences but this
is hardly suprising because of the different sources of
data from which the relationships were obtained, It is,
however, of interest to note that both Escritt's and
Steel's curves indicate significant removals at high
overflow rates as does equation (12). The CIRIA
curve, on the other hand, predicts relatively low effi-
ciences at high overflow rates. The curve derived from
the pilot-plant data differs from the other curves in
two main respects, firstly in the relatively lower maxi-
mum removal efficiency and secondly in the almost flat
shape of the curve below an overflow rate of about 60
given by equation (12) is the only one of the relation-
ships which is based on actual experimental data in the
range plotted in Fig. 9. The relatively low maximum
removal efficiency recorded in the pilot plant studies
is believed to be a property of the particular sewage
400 employed and the nature and concentration of its sus-
pended solids. It could be argued that the pilot-plant
data are unrealistic since they relate to constant hyd-
.200 raulic loadings and not the variable flow experienced
at a full-scale works. In fact, as Fig. 8 shows, the effect
Si mg t -~
of variation in hydraulic loading is relatively small
- - f o r S~ = 400 mg 1 1 the predicted removal efficiences
I
I~0 are 47.0, 44-4, 39.9~o for overflow rates of 25, 50 and
100 m 3 m -2 day- 1 respectively. In an actual tank with
an average overflow rate of say 50 m 3 m - 2 day- 1, for
part of the time the flow would give a lower overflow
rate with some higher removal efficiency and for part
of the time the flow would be higher resulting in a
lower removal efficiency. The resultant removal effi-
ciency is not likely to be greatly different from the effi-
ciency calculated on the basis of the average overflow
rate where the relationship between removal and over-
flow rate is similar to that shown in Fig. 8.
Since the pilot-plant was of close to full-scale depth
and operated with real sewage it is believed that the
results are comparable to those which would be
obtained in an actual plant.
REMOVAL OF ORGANIC SOLIDS
Since a primary sedimentation tank is followed by
further treatment processes in most sewage works it is
of interest to consider how the performance of the sedi-
mentation tank affects other processes. When assessing
the efficiency of primary settlement units emphasis is
usually placed on the removal of total suspended
solids. The removal of organic matter is likely to have

O'BO

0-60

0.4O tion 12

o-2o ~ -CIRIA

, I , J
o I J J Retention, h 2 I
150 tO0 50 25
q m3 m-2d-~ (2.500m deep)
Fig. 9. Comparison of various suspended solids removal relationships with curve derived from equation
II 21 over flow range used experimentally.
354 T.H.Y. TEBBt:T'rand D. G. CHRISTOULAS

Table 4. Influent data influent SS concentration in a linear manner it is poss-

ible to write
Ss interval Average S~ Average L~
(mgl -'l) obs. (mg1-1) (mg1-1) La = Lal m + m S i (16)
100-200 14 153 526 where La~o, = dissolved C O D when Si = 0; and m = a
201-300 34 250 620 coefficient.
301-400 53 351 703
40t-500 39 448 873 From equation (15) Ld,,~ = 411 mg 1-1 and m +
501 600 24 564 905 Ki = 0"894.
601-800 14 687 1091 Equation (14) can be rewritten by substituting equa-
801-1000 7 884 1t42
tion (16) for both influent and effluent conditions, i.e.

more effect on the behaviour of the biological oxi-
dation process which follows so that it is pertinent to
also consider primary settlement as a process which
controls the feed quality to the biological treatment
units. In this context the volatile suspended solids and
the oxygen demand present in the tank effluent are the
important characteristics, Examinations of the exper-
imental data showed a linear relationship between
volatile and total suspended solids. For design pur-
poses the oxygen demand going forward from the pri-
mary settlement units to the biological oxidation stage
is probably the most important single parameter.
The chemical oxygen demand (COD) in a sample is
partly in solution and partly associated with the sus-
pended solids
L=La+ KS
where: L = total C O D m g l - ~ ; La = dissolved C O D
mg 1-1; K = a coefficient; and S = suspended solids
concentration mg 1- a.
Consideration of the influent data from tl~e pilot
plant arranged in groups as shown in Table 4 gives a
set of points, plotted in Fig. 10 which produce a satis-
factory linear relationship,
L~ = 411 + 0"894Si
If it is assumed that the dissolved C O D varies with the
15OO -- x
IOOO --
L
Li - La,,. + On + Ki)Si
Le = Ld(O~ + m S i + K , , S e 117)
In general, K,, = ~b(E) and S,, = (I - E) Si and equa-
tion (17) may be rewritten as
L~ - L,,
. . . . K, - (1 - E)O(E). (18)
Si
Since the experimental data show that Ks does not
vary with S~ the term (L~ - L,,)/(S3 is simply a function
of the SS removal efficiency E. Using the grouped ex-
perimental results in the range S~ = 200-800 mg 1-1
where there is adequate data, (Ls - L~)/(Si) has been
plotted against E in Fig. 11 which indicates K~ ( = ~bE)
is a constant at least in the range of E values 0.26-0.63
and that the results can be expressed as
(14)
Li - L~
- 0-311 + 0.779 E (19)
Si
i.e. K~ = 1'09 and K~ = 0.779.
Equation (15) was based on the whole data and
using the same data range as plotted in Fig. 11 (i.e.
Si = 200-800 mg 1- t) the relationship between influent
C O D and SS becomes
L i = 342 + 1"072 Sv (20)
(15)
This equation can be compared with equation (19)
which gives Ks = 1.09 and the fact that both equations
(19) and (20) give similar values of K~ (1.09 and 1.07)
would suggest that m = 0. This would inply that the
dissolved COD remains constant and does not vary
with suspended solids concentration. It must be
emphasized that this implication is derived from the
pilot-plant data only and its more general application
would require detailed examination of data from other
sources,

~'
/- ~- L,=411+ 0'894 S
If it can be accepted that the average C O D equival-
ent of the effluent suspended solids is not influenced by
/× the removal efficiency it is then possible to compute
/× the effluent COD, viz.:
500 /x
L~.=La+K,,S,,=La+[I -E)K,,S~ (21)
The C O D removal efficiency (E D is then given by

( K ~ - K,,) + K,,E
I i t EL = (-£;,,,,,'fj+,,;+ K, (22)
500 1000 1500
Simg ( J
which gives Ea as a linear function of E.
Fig. 10. Relationship between COD and SS in influent for Using the pilot plant data from which equation (20)
pilot-scale results. was derived, equation (22) has been used to calculate
 Performance relationships for primary sedimentation 3551

L,--L e ×
S, =0.311 + 0 7 7 9 E
0 e©

060

0.40

020 I i I
)20 040 0-60

E= S i - - S e
S,

Fig. 11. Relationship between COD and SS removal efficiencies for pilot-scale results.

Table 5. COD Removal efficiency data since it also suggests a linear dependence of C O D
removal upon SS removal. The CIRIA relationship is
EL
Si interval from however quite different since it involves a marked
(mg 1-1) E EL equation (22) dependence upon SS removal efficiency.
The use of C O D as a measure of organic strength in
200-300 0.260 0.220 0.212 the present investigation was based on the relative
301-400 0-400 0.314 0.302
speed of this determination as compared with the
401-500 0.482 0.376 0.372
501-600 0.530 0.375 0.425 BOD test. Although there is no universal relation
601-800 0.627 0.543 0-500 between C O D and BOD it does not seem likely that
primary sedimentation would significantly affect the
C O D / B O D ratio as does biological treatment for
the C O D removal efficiency which is compared with
example. It is postulated therefore that the C O D remo-
the observed values in Table 5, the maximum error
val efficiency by primary settlement is comparable to
between the two sets of removals being 13%.
the BOD removal in the process.
Published relationships for the removal of
organic matter in primary sedimentation are relatively
CONCLUSION
uncommon and those that are available are based on
B O D data. Full-scale data reported by Water Pollu- Pilot-scale studies on the performance of a primary
tion Control Federation (1959) shows a considerable sedimentation tank have shown that it is possible to
scatter but since they are for relatively constant in- formulate a simple mathematical model to describe the
fluent suspended solids levels (Si = 230 mg 1-1) the average removal of suspended solids in terms of sur-
data have been examined in groups of E values with face overflow rate and influent suspended solids. The
a class interval of 0'10. The resultant average values are effect of influent suspended solids concentration on
shown in Fig. 12 on which is also shown the CIRIA removal efficiency is, because of the effect it has on in-
(1973) relationship for BOD removal (Ea) fluent density and the degree of flocculation, consider-
ably more important than overflow rate in the range
E 8 = 0-86 E 2 - 0-029 E (23)
examined (25-150 m 3 m - 2 day-1). The results suggest
and a plot of equation (22) using the pilot plant coeffi- that conventionally designed tanks are likely to be
cients with Si = 230 mg 1- ~. Over a range of E values considerably underutilized and that significantly
of 0.20-0.65 the Water Pollution Control Federation shorter retention times could be adopted with little
data bears a considerable similarity to the pilot plant loss in removal efficiency. A preliminary model of
C O D removal in primary settlement has also been for-
0"601 mulated but there is need to examine more full-scale
× data before the relationship derived could be consi-
dered to have general application.

Acknowledgement--Financial support for a study of the

optimization ofwastewater processes, of which the work de-
scribed in this paper is a part, was provided by the Science
Research Council.
o.2o / -c,R,A
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