A Rational Approach To Septic Tank Design
A Rational Approach To Septic Tank Design
A Rational Approach To Septic Tank Design
Abstract
A new approach to the design of septic tanks was developed based on a number of critical
parameters, namely: residual detention time, minimum residual detention time, resid-
ual depth and minimum residual depth. This method involved first specifying a desired
desludging interval. This interval was then substituted in a septage accumulation model
to obtain the volume of sludge accumulated in this time interval. Using a minimum de-
tention time of 24 hours and a desired minimum residual depth, the plan area of the
tank was then determined and hence, the depth of sludge volume. The total depth of the
tank was obtained as the sum of the sludge depth, residual depth and depth of reserve
space. The length and width of the tank were also obtained from the plan area by using
a length to width ratio (L/W) ranging between 2 to 4 or any other range depending on
land configuration. Design charts and a Microsoft Excel based design programme were
produced to aid the design of septic tanks. A predetermined desludging interval ensures
septic tanks are efficient and durable.
Keywords: septic tank, desludging, sewage, design, sludge
management and public health that merits more residual detention time, θre days and a minimum
than casual sizing. Every septic tank is unique residual depth per capita hre (m), the following
and must be designed to maintain minimum con- relationship holds.
ditions. In this regard, [9] noted that the key to
Qθre
effective sewage treatment is proper design, in- hre = (1)
stallation, periodic maintenance and responsible A
operation. The most critical parameter in septic For the sake of economy, it is necessary to choose
tank design and operation is the detention time. plan dimensions that will yield the minimum plan
At any point in time, the detention time must be perimeter for a given plan area. This will ensure
sufficient to allow solid particles to settle, other- that the minimum amount of materials is used
wise, its performance will be impaired. for construction. Tank perimeter, P is given as:
P = 2w + 2l (2)
2. Development of Design Approach
2A
P = + 2l (3)
The design approach developed in this study is l
based on critical parameters viz: residual depth For minimum perimeter, we differentiate with re-
which depends on the residual detention time, spect to l and equate to zero.
sludge depth which determines desludging inter-
val and reserve space which helps accommodate dP 2A
=2− 2 =0 (4)
intermittent overloading and malfunctioning. dl l
Hence l = w for the most economic plan area.
2.1. Residual depth This implies that the most economic plan should
As sludge accumulates in the septic tank, the be a square. However, researchers have been ad-
depth of the tank decreases. In the design of sep- vocating for tanks with narrow plan for higher ef-
tic tank, it is necessary to specify a minimum ficiency, hence three classes of plan specifications
residual depth and a minimum residual detention will be included in the evolving design approach.
time in order to maintain the efficiency of the The cases are: l = w for economy; and l = 2w
tank above a threshold limit. These conditions and l = 3w for laminar conditions [10]. Adopting
should be the prevailing conditions at desludg- a minimum detention time of 24 hours (1 day) at
ing. Considering a septic tank of plan area A, desludging:
receiving wastewater at the rate of Q m3 /s per Q
capita which is required to maintain a minimum Case 1 (l = w) : hre = (5)
l2
Figure 1: Chart for determining volume of sludge for a chosen desludging interval.
Figure 2: Residual Depth per Occupant (hre ) versus Number of Occupants.
Figure 3: Tank dimensions and residual depth Figure 4:
Tank dimensions and residual depth
for simple house connection, pour flush (Q = for simple house connection, pour flush (Q =
0.064m3 /capita/day) and L = 2w. 0.064m3 /capita/day) and L = 3w.
Figure 5: Tank dimensions and residual depth
for simple house connection, pour flush (Q =
0.064m3 /capita/day) and L = w.
Figure 9: Tank dimensions and residual depth for
Figure 11: Tank dimensions and residual depth for
Nigerian average, urban areas without pipe borne wa- Nigerian average, urban areas without pipe borne wa-
ter (Q = 0.03) and L = 2w. ter (Q = 0.03) and L = w.
Figure 14: Tank dimensions and residual depth for
basic water requirement (Q = 0.04) and L = w.
Figure 12: Tank dimensions and residual depth for
basic water requirement (Q = 0.04) and L = 2w. determine the volume of sludge that will accumu-
late in that period of time. The depth of sludge
in the tank at this time is then obtained by di-
viding the volume of accumulated sludge with the
plan area obtained as described above. The to-
tal depth of tank is obtained as the sum of sludge
depth, the residual depth and the depth of the re-
serve space. The reserve space should correspond
to a volume of 24 hours detention time. Finally a
ratio of length to width is chosen and hence, the
length and the width can be determined. The
length should always be longer than the width to
provide for quiescent conditions.
3.3. Solution using Excel code The method developed in this study is based
This is the simplest and most straightforward on specifying a desired desludging interval, a
of the three approaches. The only values re- minimum residual detention time and a resid-
quired to be entered are wastewater flow Q ual depth. This approach ensures that the septic
Figure 16: Determination of tank dimensions using charts.
tank is desludged when it no longer has enough Project. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville,
detention time for efficient performance. Every AR., 2005.
septic tank is unique and therefore should be de- 4. Rahman, M., Shahidullah, A. H. M. and Ali,
signed taking cognisance of the number of users, A. An Evaluation of septic tank performance.
desired desludging interval and expected wastew- 25th WEDC Conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
ater flow which is a function of water availabil- 1999.
ity. Users should always know when to expect 5. P. W. D. Information Book, Sanitary Structures,
to desludge their tanks. This should be an in- Lagos, Nigeria. 1943, pp 19–22.
trinsic aspect of the design. Septic tanks should 6. Agunwamba, J. C. Waste Engineering and Man-
have enough initial volume for long term stor- agement Tool. Immaculate Publications Ltd.,
age of sludge to avoid frequent desludging. Tanks Enugu, 2001.
with small initial volumes soon get silted up with
7. Crites, R. W. and Tchobanoglous, G. Small and
sludge thus requiring frequent desludging. Peo- Decentralized Wastewater Management Systems.
ple should not wait for their septic tanks to be McGraw-Hill, New York, (1998).
overflowing with sludge before desludging as this
8. Winneberger, J. H. T. The Septic Tank. In Sep-
reduces the life span of the whole system and also
tic Tank Systems, a Consultant’s Toolkit. Vol-
reduces the efficiency of the drain field or soak pit. ume II. Butterworth, Boston, 1984.
9. Poe, K. F. Antibacterial products in septic sys-
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