Physical Modeling of Hydrodynamic Separators Operating with Underflow

Model studies using geometrically similar 300-mm-diameter and 1,600-mm-diameter hydrodynamic separators operating with an underflow have confirmed earlier results indicating that a combination of Froude and Hazen scale laws should be used when predicting prototype separator performance. A hybrid equation is proposed to scale the model inflow rates. This equation provides a good fit to the observed prototype flow versus efficiency data. The need to scale particles using a Hazen scale for settling velocity and a Froude scale for flows is discussed. Treatment factors are calculated for the different particle sizes used, and these confirm the suitability of the device to remove particles with higher settling velocities while passing organic particles with low settling velocities forward to treatment when the device is configured as a grit separator.