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Calcimator

Sludge Volume Calculator

Estimate sludge production from water treatment including turbidity removal and chemical addition. Size lagoons and estimate disposal costs.

Inputs

MGD
NTU
mg/L

Results

Daily Solids Production

1,864 lbs/day

Daily Sludge Volume

22.4K gallons/day

Sludge as % of Plant Flow0.45%
Total Solids Produced44.7 mg/L
Estimated Raw TSS30 mg/L
Coagulant-Derived Solids13.2 mg/L
Thickened Volume (3%)7,450 gpd
Dewatered Cake (20%)5.5 yd³/day
Lagoon Size (180-day)1.54 acres
Annual Disposal Cost$17,009.00
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Plant Flow Rate (MGD) and Raw Water Turbidity (NTU) from source water monitoring.
  2. Input Coagulant Dose (mg/L) from your current treatment practice or jar test results.
  3. Select Coagulant Type (alum, ferric chloride, PACl) — each produces a different sludge mass per mg/L dosed.
  4. Enter Sludge Solids Content (%) — thickened sludge is typically 2-5% solids before dewatering.
  5. Review Daily Solids Production (lbs/day) and Daily Sludge Volume (K gallons/day) to size lagoons or mechanical dewatering equipment.
  6. Check Sludge as % of Plant Flow to verify recovery and disposal volumes are consistent with permit conditions.

How the result changes with Plant Flow Rate

Plant Flow RateDaily Solids ProductionDaily Sludge Volume
207,456 lbs/day89.4K gallons/day
7026,096 lbs/day312.9K gallons/day
13048,464 lbs/day581.1K gallons/day
18067,104 lbs/day804.6K gallons/day

What each input means

Plant Flow Rate
Average daily water treatment flow.
Raw Water Turbidity
Average raw water turbidity.
Coagulant Dose
Average coagulant dose applied.
Coagulant Type
1 = Alum, 2 = Ferric Chloride, 3 = Ferric Sulfate.
Sludge Solids Content
Solids concentration of settled sludge. Basin underflow: 0.5-2%, thickened: 2-5%, dewatered: 15-25%.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Plant Flow Rate = 5, Raw Water Turbidity = 20, Coagulant Dose = 30, Coagulant Type = 1 = 5 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Daily Solids Production
    Daily Solids Production
    1864 = 1864
  3. Calculate Daily Sludge Volume
    Daily Sludge Volume
    22.4 = 22.4
  4. Calculate Sludge as % of Plant Flow
    Sludge as % of Plant Flow
    0.45 = 0.45
  5. Calculate Total Solids Produced
    Total Solids Produced
    44.7 = 44.7

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