FLOW MODELING IN A SECONDARY SEDIMENTATION TANK TO EVALUATE ITS HYDRAULIC EFFICIENCY

DI BUO M; M RAGGESI; A RODRIGUEZ; GARCIA M

Mecánica Computacional Vol. XL ISSN 2591-3522

AMCA

Lugar: Concordia; Año: 2023; p. 1 - 10

 In this study, the hydrodynamics of a sedimentation tank with a vertical suction shape, 55.4meters in diameter, used in the secondary treatment of wastewater through Conventional Activated Sludge technology, is examined. A problem of sludge resuspension is observed in the inlet zone, possibly due to poor design, excessive flow rates, or filamentous bacteria. To investigate this issue, Computational Fluid Dynamics was employed using the OpenFOAM software and the PIMPLE solver to model non-steady flows with constant density and viscosity, utilizing finite volume methods. The results indicate velocities that exceed the design expectations and a wide range of residence times, which reduces the unit´s efficiency.