Pronunciation: [ɪmhˈɒf tˈaŋk] (IPA) 
The Imhoff tank is a type of wastewater treatment tank. The word "Imhoff" is pronounced /ˈɪmhɒf/. The first syllable "im" is pronounced with a short "i" sound and the "m" is followed by a silent "h". The second syllable "hoff" is pronounced with a short "o" sound and the "ff" is pronounced as a single sound. The Imhoff tank was invented by German engineer Karl Imhoff in 1906 and is still used in some parts of the world today.
An Imhoff tank is a type of cylindrical, underground, and self-cleaning sewage treatment tank specifically designed for the primary treatment of wastewater. It comes equipped with two chambers – an upper sedimentation chamber and a lower anaerobic digestion chamber.
The sedimentation chamber is responsible for the initial settling of solid waste materials and heavy particles present in the wastewater. Gravity forces the heavier solid substances to settle at the bottom of the chamber, forming a thick sludge layer, while the relatively cleaner liquid passes through to the digestion chamber.
At the bottom of the sedimentation chamber, there is a sludge hopper with an inclined floor that allows the settled sludge to flow into the lower chamber. The digestion chamber, on the other hand, contains anaerobic bacteria that break down the organic matter present in the sludge, converting it into gases like methane and carbon dioxide. These gases are then released through a vent in the tank.
The Imhoff tank is designed in such a way that it utilizes gravity to promote the settling and separation of solid waste. This ensures that the wastewater undergoes a rudimentary treatment process before it leaves the tank. It is commonly used in smaller-scale wastewater treatment systems, such as residential and small commercial establishments, to remove solid particles and reduce the organic content of the wastewater before it is discharged into the environment or sent for further treatment.
The word "Imhoff tank" is named after its inventor, Karl Imhoff. Karl Imhoff was a German engineer who designed the Imhoff tank in the early 20th century. The tank was developed as a solution for primary sewage treatment and was first introduced in 1906. The Imhoff tank is a two-stage sedimentation tank that separates solids from liquid wastewater. It was designed to improve the efficiency of the sedimentation process by combining both primary and secondary treatment in a single unit. The tank gained recognition for its effectiveness and simplicity in removing solids from wastewater, which led to its widespread use in sewage treatment systems around the world. As a result, the tank became commonly known as the "Imhoff tank" to honor its inventor.
