Sedimentation Tank Calculator
A 30 m × 10 m tank treating 10,000 m³/day has a surface overflow rate of 33.3333 m³/(m²·day) and a detention time of 2.5 hours.
33.3333333333333 m³/(m²·day)
Full answer, then cut to fewer decimals (not rounded):
- 33.3333333333333 m³/(m²·day)
- 33.333333333333 m³/(m²·day)
- 33.33333333333 m³/(m²·day)
- 33.3333333333 m³/(m²·day)
- 33.333333333 m³/(m²·day)
- 33.33333333 m³/(m²·day)
- 33.3333333 m³/(m²·day)
- 33.333333 m³/(m²·day)
- 33.33333 m³/(m²·day)
- 33.3333 m³/(m²·day)
- 33.333 m³/(m²·day)
- 33.33 m³/(m²·day)
- 33.3 m³/(m²·day)
- Detention time V/Q
- 2.52 h
- Horizontal velocity Q/(WH)
- 3.306878307 mm/s
- Overflow rate as a velocity v₀
- 0.3858024691 mm/s
- Removal of particles with vₛ (ideal tank) vₛ/v₀
- 77.76 %
Step-by-step solution
- SOR = Q ÷ (LW) = 10000 ÷ 300 = 33.33333333 m³/(m²·day)
- t_d = LWH ÷ Q = 2.52 h
- Ideal settling: removal = vₛ ÷ v₀ = 0.3 ÷ 0.3858024691 (capped at 100 %)
Sedimentation Tank Formula
SOR = Q / (L W), t_d = L W H / Q
removal of a particle = vₛ/v₀ (capped at 100 %) with v₀ = SOR
Worked Example
A 30 m × 10 m × 3.5 m tank treating 10,000 m³/day:
- SOR = Q ÷ (LW) = 10000 ÷ 300 = 33.33333333 m³/(m²·day)
- t_d = LWH ÷ Q = 2.52 h
- Ideal settling: removal = vₛ ÷ v₀ = 0.3 ÷ 0.3858024691 (capped at 100 %)
Horizontal velocity Q/(WH): 3.306878307 mm/s · Overflow rate as a velocity v₀: 0.3858024691 mm/s · Removal of particles with vₛ (ideal tank) vₛ/v₀: 77.76 %
GATE tip
Overflow rate, not depth, controls removal in an ideal tank. Deeper tanks add detention time and sludge storage but do not remove more discrete particles.
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Frequently asked questions
What are typical design values?
Primary clarifiers: about 30–50 m³/(m²·day) and 1.5–2.5 h; plain sedimentation for water: 12–18 m³/(m²·day); coagulated water about 20–40.
Why does horizontal velocity matter?
Too fast and settled sludge is scoured back into suspension; it is usually kept below about 0.3 m/min.
Sources
- The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition (SI Brochure), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures .
Last reviewed: . Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.
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Scientific Converters. (2026, October 15). Sedimentation Tank Calculator. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://scientificconverters.com/calculators/sedimentation-tank-calculator/
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Scientific Converters, "Sedimentation Tank Calculator," scientificconverters.com. Accessed: Oct. 25, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://scientificconverters.com/calculators/sedimentation-tank-calculator/