SLUDGE PUMPING

PROBLEM 15: A sludge pump operates 30 mins/hour. It delivers 19 gal/min of sludge. Laboratory tests
shows that the sludge is 3% of solids and 60% of volatile matter. How many pounds of volatile matter are
transferred from the settling tank to the digester in lb/day?
Pump time : 30 min/hour
Pump Rate : 19 gal/min
% Solids : 3%
% Volatile Matter : 60%
Volume of Solids = Pump Rate x Pump Time x % Solids x % Volatile Matter
= (19 gal/min) x (30 min/hour) x 0.03 x 0.60

= 19 x 30 x 24 x 8.34 x 0.03 x 0.60

= 2053. 6416 lb/day

Sludge Pumping (% Total Solids)
PROBLEM 16: A settling tank sludge sample is tested for solids. The sample and dish weigh 82.93 g. The
dish weighs 31.90 g. After drying, the dish with dry solids now weighs 32.5. What is the percent total solids
(%TS) of the sample?
Sample weight = (Wt. of sample and dish) Wt. of dish
= 82.93 g 31.90 g
= 51.03 g
Dry Solids Weight = (Wt. of dish with dry solids) Wt. of dish
= 32.5 g 31.90 g
= 0.6 g

% Total solids = 100

0.6
= 100
51.03

= 1.1758%
BOD AND SUSPENDED SOLIDS REMOVAL
PROBLEM 17: If 115 mg/L suspended solids are removed by a primary clarifier, how many pounds per day
of suspended solids are removed when the flow is 5.17 MGD?
SS Removed = Suspended solids x Flow rate

= 115 x 5.17 x 8.34

= 4,958.547 lb/day
DETERMINING THE POND AREA IN ACRES
PROBLEM 18: A stabilization pond has a volume of 47.35 ac-ft. What is the detention time in days when
the flow is 0.21 MGD?

Influent flow = 0.21 x 3.069

= 0.64449 ac-ft/day
()
Detention time =
( )

47.35
= 0.64449 /

= 73.4689 days
TOTAL FLOW IN TRICKLING FILTERS
PROBLEM 19: The trickling filter is currently operating with a recirculation rate of 2.2. What is the total flow
applied to the filter when the influent flow rate is 4.82 MGD?
Total Flow in MGD = Influent flow x (Recirculation Rate + 1.0)
= 4.82 MGD x (2.2 + 1.0)
= 15.424 MGD
HYDRAULIC LOADING RATE
PROBLEM 20: A trickling filter 75 ft. in diameter is operated with a primary effluent of 0.561 MGD and a
recirculated effluent flow rate of 0.648 MGD. Calculate the hydraulic loading rate on the filter in gpd/sq. ft.
Q with Recirculation = Primary Effluent + Recirculated Effluent Flow Rate
= 0.561 MGD + 0.648 MGD
= 1.209 MGD
= 1,209,000 gpd
2
Media Top Surface = ( 4 )

752
= ( )
4

= 4,417.864669 ft2

Hydraulic Loading Rate =

1,209,000
Hydraulic Loading Rate = 4,417.864669 2

= 273.6616 gpd/ ft2

ORGANIC LOADING RATE
PROBLEM 21: A trickling filter 75 ft. in diameter, receives a primary effluent flow rate of 0.561 MGD.
Calculate the organic loading rate in units of pounds of BOD applied per day per 1,000 ft 3 of media volume.
The primary effluent BOD concentration is 70 mg/L. The media depth is 10 ft.
BOD Applied per day = Primary effluent flow rate x BOD Concentration

= 0.561 x 70 x 8.34

= 327.5118 BOD Applied/Day

2
Surface Area = ( 4 )

752
= ( )
4

= 4,417.864669 ft2
Media Volume = Surface Area x Depth
= 4,417.864669 ft2 x 10 ft.
= 44,178.64669 ft3

Organic Loading Rate =
327.5118 lb x 1000 lb BOD/day
= x
44,178.64669 ft3 1000 ft3

= 7.4134 BOD/d/1000 ft3