Wastewater is a liquid waste ,which consists of animal,

vegetable or chemical matter in water.

Waste water contain pathogens(disease causing
organisms).

It must be treated before it can be used or released

back into the environment.
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To manage the waste

water discharged from
households,
businesses,
and industries so as
to
reduce the threat
of water pollution.
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PRIMARY TREATMENT OF
WASTEWATER
What is Primary Treatment?
Primary Treatment consists in removing large
suspended organic solids, through sedimentation in
settling basins. It is achieved through
Sedimentation tanks.
Imhoff Tanks.
Septic Tanks.

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SEPTIC TANKS
A septic tank is a
key component of the
septic system, a
small-scale sewage
treatment system co
mmon in areas with
no connection to
main sewage pipes
provided by local
governments or
private corporations.
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IMHOFF TANKS
The Imhoff tank, named for
German engineer Karl
Imhoff (18761965), is a
chamber suitable for the
reception and processing of
sewage. It may be used for the
clarification of sewage by
simple settling and
sedimentation, along with
anaerobic digestion of the
extracted sludge.
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PRIMARY TREATMENT
Typical materials that are removed in the primary
process are stated below :
Fats, Oils, And Greases (FOG)
Sand, Gravels And Rocks (Grit)
Larger setteleable solids including
Human waste and Floating materials .
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METHODOLOGY
SCREENING
It consists of passing the sewage through different
types of screens so as to trap and remove the
floating matter.
TYPES OF SCREENS
Coarse Screens: Spacing between the bars in 50mm, also
known as Rocks.
Medium Screens: Spacing between the bars is 6 to 40
mm
Fine Screens: Spacing lies between 1.5 to 3mm in size.

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DISPOSAL OF SCREENINGS
The material separated by screens is called screening.
It contains 85-90 percent moisture and other floating
matter.

HOW IS IT DISPOSED OFF?

BURNING: It is first dried with suns heat by spreading on the
ground or by compressing through hydraulic presses, this
process is also known as Incernation.
Dumping: It happens in low-lying areas or in large water bodies
such as sea, which is suitable only when strong forward currents
do exist.
COMPOSTING: Screens are burned in 1 to 1.5m deep
trenches, and covered with 0.3 to 0.45 m of porous Earth. It
can also be used as manure.
Digestion

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COMMINUTORS
PURPOSE: Comminutors or shredders are patent devices
which break larger sewage solids to 6mm in size.

CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING

Revolving Slotted Drum: Used in the screening of sewage.
Cutters: They shear the collected screenings against a comb,
until they are small enough to pass through 5mm to 10mm slots
of the drum.

ADVANTAGES
Elimination of disposal if screenings.

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IMHOFF TANKS
The Imhoff tank (also known
as Emscherbrunnen or Emscher Tank), which
works similar to a communal septic tank, is a
robust and effective settler that causes a
suspended solids reduction of 50 to 70%, COD
reduction of 25 to 50%, and leads to potentially
good sludge stabilisation depending on the
design and conditions. It is a compact and
efficient system for pre-treatment of municipal
wastewater.
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The Imhoff tank is

designed with three
compartments (see
picture):
1.Upper compartment for
sedimentation
2.Lower section for
sludge digestion
3.Gas vent and scum
section

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Working Principle

Settling of solids occurs in the upper compartment. Sludge falls

through the slot to the bottom of the settling compartment into
the lower tank, where it is digested.

Capacity/Adequacy

Imhoff tanks are used by small communities for primary

treatment of grey- and blackwater.

Performance

Removes 25 to 50% of COD. Pathogen removal is low.

Costs

Construction costs are slightly higher than the costs of a septic

tank.

Self-help Compatibility

Requires expert design, but can be constructed with locally

available material.

O&M

Should be checked for water tightness, scum and sludge levels

regularly. Sludge needs to be dug out every 1 to 5 years and
discharged properly (e.g. in composting or drying bed). Needs to
be vented.

Reliability

Reliable if amply designed and desludging carried out

routinely. Imhoff tanks are resistant against shock loads.

Main strength
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Simple to construct
to operate.
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Name]

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ADVANTAGES:
Solid-liquid separation and sludge stabilisation
are combined in one single unit
Resistant against organic shock loads
Small space requirements
The effluent remains fresh (i.e., not septic)
Low operating costs
Suitable for small settlements and house
clusters
Standardised designs available
Simple operation and maintenance
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DISADVANTAGES
Very high (or deep) infrastructure; depth may be a
problem in case of high groundwater table
Requires expert design and construction
Low reduction of pathogens
Requires desludging
Inefficient treatment option if not regularly desludged
Odour occurs from escaping gases
Effluent, sludge and scum require further treatment
Less simple than septic tank
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