Features on Head Loss of Flocculation Tank Installed with Small Mesh Grid

Abstract

Small mesh grid is mostly used as flocculation equipment in present water plant, and its head loss is closely related to flocculation effect. Flocculation tank installed with several grid groups in different mesh sizes were tested with a view to evaluating its head loss characteristics, including the frictional and local head losses. The tests were carried out at pilot scale, using a steel tank as flocculation basin. The grids are made of plastic material and the cross section size of the grid trips is 7 mm in width and 2 mm in height. The results indicate that relative roughness is most associated with frictional resistance coefficient (FRC), whereas Reynolds number was unrelated to that. The ratio of frictional head loss to total head loss of the basin does not vary with the variation of channel velocity, and the ratio is always less than 6% in this case. Local resistance coefficient (LRC) decreases with the increase of mesh size. In order to improve the utilization rate of head loss, the preferred mesh size of the grid should be 30-40 mm. The optimal space between the neighboring grid layers can maximize the utilization of turbulent kinetic energy loss generated by grids.