Calculations used in daily operations of

a typical Wastewater Treatment Plant

The calculations provided in this booklet are tools, much like the equipment utilized, that will enable the
operator to manage and run a wastewater treatment facility as efficiently and smoothly as possible.
Operating a treatment facility can be challenging, yet very rewarding. These plants are designed using
parameters that take into account various hydraulic and organic loadings, and with equipment that will
allow for efficient operation. However, running the equipment alone is not enough to ensure a smooth
operation. The operator must use the calculations provided to operate the plant in an effective manner.
While the operator can choose which calculations to use, it is imperative that the facility is run following
operational guidelines.
We hope you find this guide helpful.

Contents
Areas & Volumes 2
Raw Influent Calculations
Plant Influent Loadings 2
Clarifier Capacity Calculations
Surface Loading Rate - Rectangular Clarifier 3
Surface Loading Rate - Circular Clarifier 3
Detention Time 4
Weir Overflow Rate 4
Activated Sludge Calculations
Sludge Age 5
Solids Retention Time ( SRT) 6
F/ M Ratio 7
MLSS Concentration in Pounds 7
Solids to be Wasted 7
Waste Sludge Pumping Rate 8
Typical WWTP Operational Parameters 8
Metal Salt Addition for Phosphorus Removal 9

l
 Calculations Used in the Daily Operation
of a Wastewater Treatment Facility
Several basic equations are used in calculations to determine things such as Weir Overflow Rate, Detention
Time, SRT, etc. The formulas for area and volume appear below, along with examples.

AREA
Area Formula Example
Rectangle (Length) x (Width ) (35' L) x (12' W) = 420 sq. ft.
Circle (0.785 ) x (Dia. sq.) (0.785) x ( 55') x ( 55’) = 2,375 sq. ft.

VOLUME
Volume Formula Example
Rectangle LxWxH 80'L x 25'W x 10"H = 20,000 cu. ft.
Cylinder ( 0.785) x (Dia. sq.) x (H) (0.785) x (55') x (55') x (25') = 59,366 cu. ft.

Raw Influent Calculations

Plant Influent Loadings
Determines the influent loadings of pounds ( BOD, TSS, etc.) to a wastewater treatment facility.

Plant Influent Loadings :

mg/I x mgd x 8.34 = Ibs./ day

Example (using TSS):

Plant Conditions:
TSS Influent = 135 mg /I
Influent flow = 1.5 mgd

To determine pounds into the plant, use the following calculation:

mg /I x mgd x 8.34 = Ibs/day
Example: 135 mg/I x 1.5 mgd x 8.34 = 1,688.85 lbs.

This reflects the pounds of TSS into the plant on that particular day.

2
 Clarifier Capacity Calculations
Surface Loading Rate - RECTANGULAR Clarifier
Gallons of wastewater applied to each square foot of the clarifier area. This affects the settleable solids and
BOD removal efficiency in the sedimentation process.

Surface Loading Rate (RECTANGULAR CLARIFIER):

gpd
sq. ft. of clarifier

Example:
Clarifier:
Length = 75 feet
Width = 12 feet
Influent flow = 1.2 mgd (1,200,000 gpd)

The square footage of the clarifier is L x W:

75 x 12 = 900 sq. ft.

To determine the Surface Loading Rate of a rectangular clarifier, use

the following calculation:
gpd
sq. ft. of clarifier
Example: 1,200,000 gpd = 1,333 gpd/sq. ft.
900 sq. ft.

Clarifier Capacity Calculations

Surface Loading Rate - CIRCULAR Clarifier
Gallons of wastewater applied to each square foot of the clarifier area . This affects the settleable solids and
BOD removal efficiency in the sedimentation process.

Surface Loading Rate (CIRCULAR CLARIFIER) :

gpd
sq. ft. of clarifier

Example:
Clarifier :
Diameter = 60 feet
Influent flow = 2,200,000 gpd

The square footage of the clarifier is .785 x Dia. sq.

.785 x 60' x 60' = 2,826 sq. ft.
To determine the Surface Loading Rate of a circular clarifier, use the
following calculation:
gpd
sq. ft. of clarifier
Example: 2,200,000 gpd = 778.48 gpd/sq. ft.
2,826 sq. ft.

3
 Clarifier Capacity Calculations
Detention Time
Period of time that a particle remains in a tank .

Detention Time:
tank volume x 24 hours
Influent flow

Example ( rectangular clarifier):

Clarifier:
Length = 75 feet
Width = 30 feet
Depth = 10 feet
Influent flow = 2,850,000 gpd

The volume of the clarifier is L x W x H x 7.48

70 ' x 25' x 10' x 7.48 = 130,900 gals.

To determine the Detention Time of a rectangular clarifier, use the

following calculation:
tank volume x 24 hours
Influent flow
Example: 130,900 gals x 24 = 1.10 hours
2,850,000

Clarifier Capacity Calculations

Weir Overflow Rate
Volume of water flowing over foot length of weir per day.

Weir Overflow Rate:

gpd flow
Total feet of weir

Example:
Plant Conditions :
Weir length = 100 feet
Flow rate = 1,500,000 gpd

To determine the Weir Overflow Rate, use the following calculation:

gpd flow
Total feet of weir
Example: 1,500,000 gpd = 15,000 gpd/ft.
100 feet of weir

4
 Activated Sludge Calculations
Sludge Age
Average time a particle of suspended solids remains in the activated sludge system. Sludge age is used to
maintain the proper amount of activated sludge in the aeration system.
To determine sludge age, you must calculate both the daily amount of suspended solids and the total amount
of solids in the aerator.
Sludge Age:
Total lbs, of MLSS in aerator
Daily lbs. of MLSS in aerator

Sludge Age - Plants with Primary Clarifier

Example:
Suspended solids of primary effluent = 110 mg/I
Influent flow = 2.5 mgd
Aeration tank volume = .5 mg
MLSS concentration = 2,200 mg/I
The plant influent loading = mg/I x mgd x 8.34
Example:
110 x 2.5 x 8.34 = 2,293.5 lbs. daily of SS (lbs of MLSS in aerator )
2,200 x .5 x 8.34 = 9,174 lbs. total of MLSS in aerator

With these calculations, you can determine Slude Age:

Total lbs, of MLSS in aerator = Days Sludge Age
Daily lbs. of MLSS in aerator
Example:
9,174 lbs, total of MLSS in aerator = 4 Days Sludge Age
2,293.5 lbs. daily of MLSS in aerator

Sludge Age - Plants without Primary Clarifier

Example:
Influent suspended solids = 250 mg/I
Influent flow = 2.5 mgd
Aeration tank volume = .5 mg
MLSS concentration = 2,200 mg/I
The plant influent loading = mg/I x mgd x 8.34
Example:
250 x 2.5 x 8.34 = 5,213 lbs. daily of SS (lbs of MLSS in aerator )
2,200 x .5 x 8.34 = 9,174 lbs. total of MLSS in aerator
With these calculations, you can determine Slude Age:
Total lbs, of MLSS in aerator = Days Sludge Age
Daily lbs. of MLSS in aerator
Example:
9,174 lbs, total of MLSS in aerator = 1.76 Days Sludge Age
5 ,213 lbs. daily of MLSS in aerator

5
 Activated Sludge Calculations
Solids Retention Time (SRT)
Average time a given unit of cell mass stays in the activated sludge system. SRT is based on solids leaving the
Activated Sludge process, and includes solids in the clarifiers. Also called MCRT (Mean Cell Residence Time ).

Solids Retention Time (SRT):

SRT days = Ibs./day of SS in system
Ibs./day of SS leaving system

Factors in determining SRT:

1. Solids leaving the system ( wasted)
2. Solids leaving the system (SS in the final effluent )
3. Solids in the system (aeration basins and clarifiers)

Example:
Tank volumes: Aeration volume = 1.6 mg
Final Clarifer volume = .10 mg
SS Concentration: Final effluent = 20 mg/I
Waste sludge SS = 7,250 mg/I
Aeration Tank MLSS = 2,500 mg/I
Flows: Influent flow = 4.3 mgd
Waste sludge flow = 0.08 mgd (24-hour period)

Using these figures, calculate the amount

of suspended solids leaving the system:
Example:
(7, 250 mg/I waste sludge) x (.08 waste sludge flow) x (8.34 lbs.)
+ (20 mg/I SS final effluent) x (4.3 MGD influent flow) x (8.34 lbs.)
= 4,837.2 lbs. SS + 717.2 lbs. SS = 5,554.4 lbs. SS leaving system

For this example, the volume of the aeration tank and clarifier equals
1.7 mg.

Pounds of Aeration Tank MLSS =

Aeration Tank mg/I MLSS x mg x 8.34
Example:
2,500 mg/I MLSS x 1.7 mg volume x 8.34 lbs. = 35,445 lbs. MLSS

Solids Retention Time (SRT):

SRT days = Ibs./day of SS in system
Ibs./day of SS leaving system

Example:
35 ,445 lbs. MLSS = 6.38 SRT
5,554.4 lbs. SS leaving system

6
 Activated Sludge Calculations
F/M Ratio
Ratio of food ( biochemical oxygen demand ) entering the aeration tank to microorganisms in the tank .

F/M Ratio:
Ibs./BOD
lbs. MLSS

Example:
lbs. of BOD entering plant daily = 4,340 lbs.
lbs. of MLSS in aerator = 8,201 lbs.

lbs. BOD or 4,340 lbs, of BOD entering plant daily = .53 F/M
lbs. MLSS 8,201 lbs. of MLSS in aerator

MLSS Concentration in Pounds

Pounds of MLSS in the aeration system.

MLSS Concentration:
MLSS (mg/I) x volume of aeration tank x 8.34

Example:
MLSS in aeration tank = 2,500 mg/I
Aeration system volume = 1.4 mg

MLSS (mg/I) x volume of aeration tank x 8.34

2,500 mg/I x 1.4 x 8.34 = 29,190 lbs. of MLSS

Solids to be Wasted
Solids ( measured in pounds) to be wasted over a set period of time ( typically daily).

Solids to be Wasted:
Current inventory
- Desired inventory to achieve peak performance
= Pounds to be wasted

After calculating the MLSS Concentration ( see above), use the

following formula to determine the pounds of solids to be wasted.

Example:
Peak performance = 22,000 pounds of MLSS in aeration system
Current inventory = 25,000 pounds of MLSS in aeration system

25,000 pounds (current inventory )

- 22,000 pounds (desired inventory)
= 3,000 pounds to be wasted

7
 Activated Sludge Calculations
Waste Sludge Pumping Rate
Rate at which to pump the sludge to be wasted from the system. Normally expressed in gallons per minute ( gpm ).

Example:
Plant Conditions:
lbs. of MLSS to be wasted = 1,400 lbs.
MLSS concentration = 5 ,900 mg/I
lbs, to be wasted = flow rate (mgd)
MLSS concentration x 8.34
Example:
1,400 lbs, to be wasted = .0284 mgd wasting rate
5 ,900 mg/I x 8.34
Convert million gallons per day to gallons per day:
mgd wasting rate x 1 , 000,000 = gpd wasting rate
Example: .0284 x 1,000,000 = 28,400 gpd
Convert gallons per day to gallons per minute ( over 8 hours):
gpd wasting rate
480 minutes (8 hours)
Example: 28,400 gpd = 59.166 gpm
480 minutes

Typical WWTP Operational Parameters

Process BOD Loading, lb MLSS , mgil F:M ratio, lb Sludge Aeration RAS BOD
BOD/ day per
1,000 ft. 3
BOD/ day per
lb MLSS
Age, days period,
hr
.
Rates % Removal
Efficiency
%
Conventional -
20 40 1.000-3.000 -
0.2 0.5 -
5 15 -
40 7.5 -
20 40 -
80 90
Step Aeration 40-60 1,500 -3,500 0.2 -0.5 5 - 15 4.0 - 7.0 30 - 50 80 - 90
Extended Aeralion 10 - 20 2,000 - 6,000 0.05 - 0.2 > 20 20 - 30 50 - 100 85 - 95
High - purity oxygen > 120 4 ,000 - 3,000 0.6 - 1.5 3 - 10 1.0 - 3.0 30 - 50 80 - 90

8
 Metal Salt Addition for Phosphorus Removal
Using metal salt chemical data, theoretically calculate the amount of chemical salt solution to add in
gallons per day to remove phosphorus.

* Values that need to be entered are shown in the gray boxes.

Step 1. Determine the amount of influent phosphorus to remove.

Influent flow in MGD Influent P (mg/I) Ibs/gallon lbs of P to remove

2 X 8 X 8.34 133

Step 2. Determine the pounds of metal salt in a gallon of solution knowing the specific gravity.

Specific gravity Ibs/gal lbs metal salt/gal

1.4 X 8.34 11.7

Chemical Specific Gravity

Alum 1.33
Ferric Chloride 1.441
Ferrous Chloride 1.23
Ferrous Sulfate 1.185

Step 3. Determine the pounds of actual metal in a gallon of metal salt solution with certain percentage
metal content (provided by chemical supplier ).
lbs metal salt/gal % metal lbs metal/gal metal salt solution
11.7 X 12.5 = 1.5

Step 4. Look up removal ratio for the metal salt being used.

Chemical Removal Ratio

Alum 0.87 to1
Ferric Chloride 1.8 to 1
Ferrous Chloride 2.7 to 1
Ferrous Sulfate 2.7 to 1

Step 5. Determine the pounds of metal needed to remove the incoming pounds of phosphorus.

Removal ratio Influent lbs of P lbs of metal to add

1.8 X 133 = 240

Step 6. Determine the gallons of metal salt solution with a certain percentage metal content to thus add.

lbs of metal to add lbs of metal/gal gal/day of metal salt solution to add
240 -r 1.5 = 165
This estimate may be different than
the value obtained from a calculator
due to rounding differences.