Sensitivity analysis on the pollutant trapping efficiencies of a novel sewerage overflow screening device

A novel 'Comb Separator' was developed and tested with the aim of improving sewer solids capture efficiency and reducing blockages on the screen. Experimental results were compared against the industry standard 'Hydro-Jet (TM)' screen. Analysing the parameter sensitivity of a hydraulic screen is a standard practice to get better understanding of the device performance. In order to understand the uncertainties of the Comb Separator's input parameters, it is necessary to undertake sensitivity analysis; this will assist in making informed decisions regarding the use of this device. Such analysis will validate the device's performance in urban sewerage overflow scenarios. The methodology includes multiple linear regression and sampling using the standard Latin hypercube sampling technique to perform sensitivity analysis on different experimental parameters, such as flowrate, effective comb spacing, device runtime, weir opening and comb layers. The input parameters 'weir opening' and 'comb layers' have an insignificant influence on capture efficiency; hence, they were omitted from further analysis. Among the input parameters, 'effective spacing' was the most influential, followed by 'inflow' and 'runtime'. These analyses provide better insights about the sensitivities of the parameters for practical application. This will assist device managers and operators to make informed decisions.