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Grit chamber for 5 MLD

Short answer

Design flow 0.0579 m\u00b3/s, settling velocity0.0359 m\/ s, horizontal velocity 0.2 m\/ s. Cross-sectional area 0.289 m\u00b2, depth 0.5 m, width 0.6 m. Length from v_h H\/ v_s with 25% extra and 30 s min detention is 6.0 m. Chamber: L=6.0 m, B=0.6 m, water depth 0.5 m (total 1.05 m), velocity 0.2 m\/ s; two units.

Design a grit chamber for the following data: Discharge = 5 MLD; Size of the grit particles = 0.2 mm; Sp. gravity of grit particles = 2.65 at temperature 20°C.

Grit: d=0.2d=0.2 mm, G=2.65G=2.65, T=20∘T=20^\circC. k=0.06k=0.06 and f=0.03f=0.03 are assumed (standard values) for the scour check.

Step 1: Design flow

Q=5×1061000×86400=0.0579 m3/sQ = \frac{5\times 10^6}{1000\times 86400} = 0.0579\ \text{m}^3/\text{s}

Step 2: Settling velocity of the grit

Hazen's formula (with temperature correction), dd in mm:

vs=418 (G−1) d2(3T+70100) mm/s=418×(2.65−1)×0.22×3×20+70100=35.86 mm/s=0.0359 m/sv_s = 418\,(G-1)\,d^2\left(\frac{3T+70}{100}\right)\ \text{mm/s} = 418\times (2.65-1)\times 0.2^2\times\frac{3\times 20+70}{100} = 35.86\ \text{mm/s} = 0.0359\ \text{m/s}

Step 3: Horizontal (flow-through) velocity

The velocity must not scour settled grit. Scour (critical) velocity (Camp-Shields):

vc=8kf(G−1) g d=8×0.060.03(2.65−1)×9.81×0.2×10−3=0.228 m/sv_c = \sqrt{\frac{8k}{f}(G-1)\,g\,d} = \sqrt{\frac{8\times 0.06}{0.03}(2.65-1)\times 9.81\times 0.2\times 10^{-3}} = 0.228\ \text{m/s}

Adopt vh=0.20v_h = 0.20 m/s (the scour velocity rounded down; the usual range is 0.2-0.3 m/s). This is high enough to keep the light organic matter moving, so it passes on instead of settling.

Step 4: Cross-section and dimensions

Ac=Qvh=0.05790.20=0.289 m2Adopt depth H=0.5 m⇒B=AcH=0.58 m (adopt 0.6 m)Ltheo=vhHvs=0.20×0.50.0359=2.79 mL=max⁡(1.25 Ltheo, 30 vh)=max⁡(3.49, 6.00)=6.00 m (adopt 6.0 m)\begin{aligned} A_c &= \frac{Q}{v_h} = \frac{0.0579}{0.20} = 0.289\ \text{m}^2\\ \text{Adopt depth } H &= 0.5\ \text{m} \Rightarrow B = \frac{A_c}{H} = 0.58\ \text{m (adopt 0.6 m)}\\ L_{theo} &= \frac{v_h H}{v_s} = \frac{0.20\times 0.5}{0.0359} = 2.79\ \text{m}\\ L &= \max(1.25\,L_{theo},\ 30\,v_h) = \max(3.49,\ 6.00) = 6.00\ \text{m (adopt 6.0 m)} \end{aligned}

(25% is added for inlet and outlet turbulence, and the length is not allowed to give less than 30 s detention.)

Step 5: Checks

Detention time=Lvh=6.00.20=30 s (within 30-90 s)Surface loading=QB L=0.0579×864000.6×6.0=1389 m3/m2/day\begin{aligned} \text{Detention time} &= \frac{L}{v_h} = \frac{6.0}{0.20} = 30\ \text{s}\ (\text{within 30-90 s})\\ \text{Surface loading} &= \frac{Q}{B\,L} = \frac{0.0579\times 86400}{0.6\times 6.0} = 1389\ \text{m}^3/\text{m}^2\text{/day} \end{aligned}

Total depth =H+grit storage 0.25+free board 0.30=1.05= H + \text{grit storage } 0.25 + \text{free board } 0.30 = 1.05 m.

 Plan:   inlet ->[ <-- L = 6.0 m --> ]-> outlet (weir)
                 |  B = 0.6 m          |
 Section: water level ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  H = 0.5 m
          grit storage 0.25 m  ______________

Answer: provide a grit chamber (at least two units in parallel, each for the full flow so that one can be cleaned) of size L×B×H=6.0 m×0.6 m×0.5 mL\times B\times H = 6.0\ \text{m}\times 0.6\ \text{m}\times 0.5\ \text{m} (water depth), total depth about 1.05 m, with flow velocity 0.20 m/s.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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