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Determining the Optimum Position and Size of Lamella Packet in an Industrial Wastewater Sedimentation Tank: A Computational Fluid Dynamics Study

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Abstract

A full-scale three-dimensional CFD study is done to determine the optimum position and size of lamella packet for an industrial wastewater sedimentation tank. The Euler–Lagrange method is adopted for this study by utilising the discrete phase model (DPM). Validation of the model is done by comparing the settling efficiency obtained from this study with that of the experimental settling efficiency from a published paper. A huge amount of wall-clock time for the study is saved without compromising on the final result by performing preliminary 2-D simulations before the actual 3-D study. Out of the three positions studied, namely inlet-biased, outlet-biased, and centre-biased, the outlet-biased position is found to be the most effective in improving the settling efficiency of the sedimentation tank. It is also observed that the settling efficiency increases with an increase in the number of inclined plates, but, only up to a certain extent after which there is a rapid fall in the settling efficiency. The total settling efficiency is found to be highest when only 39 inclined plates are installed with an outlet-biased position. Short-circuiting between inlet and outlet is found to be the most prominent problem deterring the complete filling up of the sedimentation tank with inclined plates.

Article Highlights

• The first study about the optimum position of inclined plates.

• A comprehensive study on the optimum number of inclined plates using the discrete phase model.

• Key findings especially about the paradox of ‘increase in settling efficiency with increase in the settleable area due to addition of incline plates’.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Code availability

Not applicable.

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Funding

This research work was funded by the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, Government of India (Grant no. CRG/2020/001341). A fellowship to the first author from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India, is also acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Manipur, Imphal, India

    Kirpa Hirom & Thiyam Tamphasana Devi

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  1. Kirpa Hirom
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  2. Thiyam Tamphasana Devi
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Contributions

Both authors contributed immensely to the study. Kirpa Hirom came up with the idea for the study and performed the simulations under the supervision of Thiyam Tamphasana Devi. The results are then discussed by both the authors extensively, and the manuscript is drafted by the first author. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Kirpa Hirom.

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Hirom, K., Devi, T.T. Determining the Optimum Position and Size of Lamella Packet in an Industrial Wastewater Sedimentation Tank: A Computational Fluid Dynamics Study. Water Air Soil Pollut 233, 261 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-022-05742-2

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