A Presentation on Stabilization Ponds

Definition

It is a shallow basin used to treat raw water by natural processes Where rate of waste oxidation is slower

Three categories

Anaerobic ponds removes BOD by sedimentation, sludge is then digested in bottom layer Facultative ponds bacteria degrade waste ,uses O2 and generates CO2, algae use CO2 and generate O2 Maturation ponds Disinfection is used

Arrangement

Anaerobic pond

Sedimentation pond High waste water loading depletes all O2 Solids settles to pond Anaerobic digestion of sludge occurs in pond bottom

Anaerobic digestion process

Hydrolysis - Complex organics (proteins and fats broken down to simpler compounds by various bacteria Acidogenesis (Fermentation) Fatty acids and alcohols oxidized ,amino acids and carbohydrates fermented ,forms volatile fatty acids and hydrogen

Anaerobic digestion process

Acteogenesis conversion of complex fatty acids to acetic acid Methnogenesis - conversion of acetic acid to methane and CO2 and CO2 ,H2 to methane

Process

When temperature rises above 15 degree centigrade digestion generates enough biomass which causes pond surface to bubble biogas (70% CH4 and 30% CO2) Digested solids accumulate cleanout in 1 to 3 years

Pond Characteristics

Hydraulic detention time is short 1 day Depth 2 to 5 m (usually 3m) Design is highly empirical based on volumetric load (gm BOD/m3/day)
/ha/day

for e.g. 100 gm BOD/m3.day to 3 m deep pond=3000kg

For air temp. (Degree centigrade)

10 20 25

Loading

100 300 350

(gm BOD/m3/day)

Role of pH

pH= 7.5 (S HS-) Below pH 7- H2S forms and causes odor Below ph 6.2 conditions are toxic

Facultative ponds

Much lower aerial loading rates- 100 to 400 Kg/ha/day (vs. 3000+ for anaerobic ponds of BOD) Pond water is aerobic and supports and supports very high density algal population Beneath water is an anaerobic bottom layer (sludge) in which sludge is digested

Algae generate O2 by photosynthesis during the day ,which is useful for oxidation of waste by bacteria

It may operate as a primary pond (with no anaerobic pond for pretreatment) or secondary ponds (after anaerobic ponds) Performance depends upon 1)time(diurnal ) 2)vertical space

Vertical variations

Algae requires light but depth of photic zone (light penetration) may be limited in pond with heavy algae growth and turbid water Light penetrates about 30 cm(1 foot) Pond algae tend to be motile species which swim to optimum level Non-motile species requires wind mixing to circulate through photic zone Wind mixes O2 from photic zone to pond depth


In tropics , ponds go through diurnal stratification pattern Morning wind mixing ,uniform temperature through depth Mid-day- warming of surface water, onset of stratification, thermocline forms (hot water above ,cold water below and no mixing) Late afternoon or evening-top layer cools, mixing occurs during wind mixing

..

Motile algae optimum depth-not very upper water (too hot) ,not too deep (very dark)-30 to 50cm below surface Ponds have oxypause (depth at which DO goes to zero), moves up and own during day Besides generating O2,bacteria consume CO2 to the point that depleted CO2 alters carbonate equilibrium. This raises pH and kills fecal bacteria

Diurnal pattern

Leads to diurnal treatment performance Rise in DO ,pH during day Decrease in coliform Rise in BOD,TSS and chlorophyll-a BOD is high but it is algae and not organic waste-chlorophyll-a=500 to 1000 micro gm /l

Effect on H (Depth)

H <1 m- emergent plants grow ,foster mosquito growth H > 1.8 m- oxypause is too shallow relative to overall depth (pond is more anaerobic than aerobic) Optimal H=1.5 m (1m<H<1.8m) Deep ponds are better where evaporation is high (to reduce surface area) or weather is cold (to retain heat)

Maturation ponds

Used to remove pathogenic bacteria and viruses(99.9997%)- e-Coli removal of 6 log units using three maturation ponds in series in brazil

Mechanism

Solar disinfection using UV light Raising pH

Design

1 m deep Total detention time of the order of 10 days

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