Hydraulic & Organic Loading
Sizing checks used to confirm clarifiers, filters, and basins aren't overloaded.
Surface Overflow Rate (SOR)
Flow divided by clarifier surface area, a key settling performance check.
Organic Loading Rate
BOD applied per unit volume or media area, used to size trickling filters and basins.
Peak Flow Factors
Wet-weather and diurnal peaking factors used to confirm hydraulic capacity margins.
Return Activated Sludge (RAS) Rate
The recycle rate that keeps enough biomass in the aeration basin.
Weir Loading Rate
Flow per linear foot of effluent weir, a check against solids being pulled over the weir by excess velocity.
Filter Loading Rate (Hydraulic)
Flow applied per unit filter area, used to size and check granular and cloth media filters.
Solids Loading Rate (Clarifier)
Mass of solids applied per unit clarifier area per day, a check independent of hydraulic (flow-based) loading.
Detention Time vs. Loading
The relationship between how long water stays in a basin and how much load it can absorb before performance degrades.
Population Equivalent Loading
Expressing industrial or unusual loads in terms of an equivalent number of residential users, for capacity planning.
Equalization Basin Sizing
Storage volume needed to dampen peak flow or load spikes down to a manageable, steady rate.
The industry's most useful newsletter, straight from the plant floor.
One email. No fluff. New lessons, equipment breakdowns, and process control notes, delivered when there's something worth reading.