• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.288-294
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• 2005

This study was conducted to evaluate the grit removal efficiency of tornado block-type vortex grit separator. Vortex grit separator was manufactured for this study, and it was characterized by the impeller and tornado block installed in separator. Impeller was installed to increase water velocity in the separator and tornado block was installed to increase the grit lifting efficiency. Pilot study was also conducted in A sewage treatment plant (STP) in Gyeonggi province from November 2003 to May 2004 (64 days). Major findings are as follows. 1. Impeller was proven to increase water velocity in the grit separator, especially in low flow rate. This influence will increase separation ratio of organics from grits, preventing those organics from sedimentation. 2. Sand (with 0.2~0.3mm size) removal efficiency was over 98 % and 96 %, at the flow rate of $500m^3/day$ and $750m^3/day$ under the condition that impeller rotation velocity kept at 15 rpm. Originally that grit separator was designed to have the capacity of $500m^3/day$. $750m^3/day$ was tried to investigate the performance of this type of grit separator under overload condition. Stable grit removal was still available to the extent of 150% of designed capacity. 3. It took less than 3 minutes for the grit separator to completely lift out 3 kgs of 0.2-0.3 mm sized, settled sand at the bottom to 2,060 mm high above water surface. But it showed the tendency to spend a little more time on lifting the grit as the grit size and the vertical height of the lift increased. 4. During experimental duration in A STP, it was found that the average amount of inlet grit was about 981 g/day (160~1,685 g/day) under $500m^3/day$ of operation condition, but it varied so severely during the experimental duration. After classification of discharged grit according to its size, grit with 0.3-0.42 mm size was found as largest part of output.