Min Depth of Tank Drain Sump Relative to Drain Flowrate 1

[JGoldstein]

Gentlemen:

The drain sump of a tank has to be as small as possible, so that when the tank is completely drained, amount of sludge remained in the sump is minimum. On the other hand, if the drain sump is not deep enough, the suction line of a drain pump will start sucking air before the liquid in tank has dropped down to the top of the sump, and the suction will stop.

How the minimum drain tank depth can be determined to satisfy both conditions - minimum sump depth, but the pump will still drain the tank to the very top of a drain sump?

Thank you.

 

[bimr]

Any design is possible, it gets down to how much you want to spend.

There are special drains available such as those used in sanitary food applications where you can completely drain a vessel.

You may elevate the tank and slope the bottom with a cylindrical shape.

However, you have provided scant information on your application. What is the fluid? What is the volume? What kind of pump are you using. Without this information, one would be guessing at a solution.