The feasibility of flocculation in a storage sedimentation basin

Abstract

For the Flemish situation, storage sedimentation basins are one of the best ‘end-of-pipe’ solutions to reduce the impact of combined sewer overflows on the receiving waters. In some cases, when the spilled pollution load is too high, the settling efficiency of the basin has to be improved. Adding coagulants could be a reasonable alternative for building larger basins. To estimate the effect of enhancing the settling by flocculation, a floc growth and break-up model is worked out and is implemented in the numerical model Phoenics. The evolution of the floc dimensions and the sedimentation behaviour of the particles in the basin is calculated for different inflow rates and initial settling velocity profiles. Finally, the efficiency increase by mixing (creating a higher velocity gradient) in the agitation chamber or by adding coagulants in the trunk sewer upstream of the basin is also investigated.