WASTEWATER TREATMENT

ASSIGMENT 1
DUE DATE 13 APRIL 2020
NDAKOLO SECILIA T
201605798
 ASSIGMENT 1

1.Discuss in details the following terms:

a) Grit Removal
Is a process used to remove sand, silts and grit from water. Grit removal is often found in the
headworks of wastewater treatment plant. This process is an accomplished using a tank called
grit chamber which is usually the second unit operation, which is intend to remove grit from
wastewater. Grit removal can also be used to remove sand from river water intakes prior to
processing for potable water, used in industrial applications to remove fine abrasives, as well as
being to remove grit entrained in sludge. Grit removal is very important to protect the various
equipment’s pumps that are there in the treatment in the subsequent unit because you know that
when because up to history is screening the water may be coming in the open channel. Sand in
treatment plants reduce capacity and increase maintenance costs. Also reduces the frequency of
cleaning of the digesters and settling tanks. If this heavy materials and particles are not removed,
the may cause a disturbance or even cause damage in the mechanical equipment’s which will be
operated subquently, the pumps may get faulty, there might be abrasion or abnormal wear and
tear ,that’s why grit removal is important.
b) Settling
Is a process that removes suspended particles from the water to be treated. Is a physical process
that consists to separate particles of higher density than water from the liquid in which they are
found. This particle only settles due to gravity. This process uses a tank called sedimentation
tank or clarifier. A sedimentation tank allows suspended particles to settle out of water or waste
water as it flows slowly through the tank, thereby providing some degree of purification. Settling
occurs in the primary treatment phase and secondary treatment phase, both treatments have only
one sole aim to remove this suspended solid but the only difference is that in secondary treatment
the settling method is mechanical (trickling filters or activated sludge. Allayer of accumulated
solids,sluge forms at the bottom of the tank and is periodically removed. Settling is a very
important because its remove the quality of the water, prevent any water contaminations and
increase the efficiency of purification.
c) Equalization
Equalization is a process of controlling hydraulic velocity, flow rate, through wastewater
treatment plant. The equalization of the flow prevents short term, high volumes of incoming flow
called surges, from forcing solids and organic materials out of treatment process. Flow
equalization also controls the flow through each stage of the treatment system, allowing adequate
time for the physical, biological and chemical processes to take place. This process occurs in a
tank called Equalization tanks and they are 3 types of this tanks, namely Flow type, Intermittent
flow type and Variable inflow type. Equalization tank has benefits such risk of plant failure are
reduced. Provides protection against higher level of toxic loads. Effluents from biological
treatment have better quality and improved thickening.
2. The removal of microbial contaminants in waste water in a treatment plant is done under the
stage called Secondary or Biological Treatment. More specifically the microbial contaminants
are removed by the Activated sludge or Aeration process where sewage containing organic
matters with the microorganisms is aerated (by a mechanical aerator) in an aeration tank. The
reactor contents are referred to as mixed liquor. Under aerobic conditions, the microorganisms
metabolize the soluble and suspended organic matter. The newly formed microorganisms are
agglomerated to form floes, technically referred to as sludge. Which can then be removed. Other
methods used to remove microbial contaminants involved Aerated lagoons and Aerobic
digestion.
3.
BOD COD
Measures biodegradable organics. Measures biodegradable and non-
biodegradable organics.
Uses oxidizing microorganisms Uses a strong chemical agent.
Affected by toxic substances Not affected by toxic substances
Affected by temperature Not affected by temperature
5 days incubation 2hours
Accuracy about 10% Accuracy about 2%.

4.-Desslination process helps remove salts from sea water to make it drinkable.
The multistage flash desalination process:
- Seawater evaporates in flashing chambers, in which the pressure is kept below the feed vapor
pressure. This leads to a flash of seawater, resulting in the production of vapor and the cooling of the
remaining brine.
-An arrangement of flashing stages connected in series, with decreasing pressure, allows the production
of large amounts of vapor which is then re-condensed on the external surface of a tube bundle.
-Condensation heat in the condensing bundle is used for preheating the seawater feed stream, thus
reducing thermal energy requirements for heating the feed to its Top Brine Temperature, the
temperature at which the feed enters the first flashing stage.
-Thus, the only thermal energy input is in the Brine Heater, where pre-heated seawater is further heated
by means of low-pressure steam to its Top Brine Temperature.