MEKLLE UNIVERSITY

ETHIOPIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY-MEKELLE

[EiT-M]
SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

SEWAGE TREATMENT (CENG-4173)

Chapter -5
Sewage effluent disposal technique
BY G/WAHID
12/25/2023

1
 Sewage effluent disposal technique
There are two general methods of disposing of the sewage effluents:
1. Dilution (disposal in water bodies)
2. Disposal on land ( Sewage Farming)

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 1. Dilution (disposal in water bodies)
Conditions Favoring Disposal by Dilution
◦ When sewage is comparatively fresh (4 to 5 hr old), and Free from floating and
settleable solids
◦ When the receiving water body has high dissolved oxygen (DO)
◦ When water bodies are not used for the purpose of navigation or water supply or
for at least reasonable distance on the downstream from the point of sewage
disposal
◦ When the flow currents of the diluting waters are favorable, causing no
deposition, or destruction of aquatic life. It means that swift forward currents are
helpful, as they easily carry away the sewage to the points of unlimited dilution.
On the other hand, slow back currents tend to cause sedimentation, resulting in
large sludge deposits.
◦ When treatment plant is situated near some natural waters having large volumes

BY G/WAHID 12/25/2023 3
 Cont’d
When sewage is discharged into a natural body of water, the water gets
polluted due to waste products, present in sewage effluents. But the
conditions do not remain for ever, because the natural forces of purification,
such as dilution, sedimentation, oxidation-reduction in sun-light, etc., acting
upon the pollution elements, and bring back the water into its original
condition. This automatic purification of polluted water is called the self
purification

The equation is applicable to concentrations of different impurities, such as,

DO, BOD, SS, and other characteristic contents of sewage

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Zones of Pollution in a River-Stream
There are four zones of pollution in a river stream
1. Zone of degradation: This zone is characterized by water
becoming dark and turbid with formation of sludge deposits
at the bottom.
2. Zone of active decomposition (Septic Zone): This is
characterized by heavy pollution by water becoming grayish
and darker than in the previous zone.
3. Zone of recovery: In this zone the river stream tries to recover
from its degraded condition to its former appearance.
4. Clear water zone: In this zone, the natural stream condition is
restored, the DO (dissolved oxygen) is higher than the BOD
(biochemical oxygen demand)1.
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 Oxygen Sag Curve
The amount of resultant oxygen deficit can be obtained by algebraically by
adding the de-oxygenation and re-oxygenation curves. The resultant curve so
obtained is called the oxygen sag curve or the oxygen deficit curve.

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 Cont’d
The rates of de-oxygenation and re-oxygenation can be determined mathematically with the
following equation
𝑲𝑫 ∗𝑳
𝑫𝒕 = ∗ 𝟏𝟎−𝑲𝑹 ∗𝒕 + 𝑫𝟎 ∗ 𝟏𝟎−𝑲𝑹 ∗𝒕 … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . (𝟏)
𝑲𝑹 −𝑲𝑫

Where, Dt = the DO deficit in mg/l after t days.

◦ L = Ultimate first stage BOD of the mix at the point of waste discharge
◦ D0 = Initial oxygen deficit of the mix at the mixing point in mg/l.
◦ KD = De-oxygenation coefficient for the wastewater typical values of KD(20) vary
between 0.1 to 0.2, generally taken as 0.1.
◦ KR = Re-oxygenation coefficient for the stream. It can be determined by the field tests by
using equation:

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 cont’d
The critical time (tc) after which the minimum dissolved oxygen
occurs can be found by differentiating Eq. (1) and equating it to zero;
which on solving gives

• The constant. is sometimes represented by f, called self-purification

constant, the critical time (tc) becomes

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 Cont’d
The critical oxygen deficiency Dc becomes

• Substituting the value of tc

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 Example-1
A city discharges 100 m3/sec of sewage into a river, which is fully
saturated with oxygen and flowing at the rate of 1500 m3/sec its
velocity is 0.1m/sec The 5-days BOD of sewage at the given
temperature is 280mg/l. Find when and where the critical DO deficit
will occur in the downstream portion of the river, and what is its
amount? Assume coefficient of purification of the stream (f) as 4.0
and coefficient of de-oxygenation (KD as 0.1)
Solution
◦ The initial DO of river = Saturation DO at the given temp. = 9.2
mg/l (say)
◦ DO of mix at t = 0 i.e., at start

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Cont’d
 Cont’d

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Chapter-6
SLUDGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL
12/25/2023

BY G/WAHID 14
 Sludge and its Moisture Content

RAW SLUDGE
◦ Deposited in a primary sedimentation tank
◦ Odorous and contains highly putrescible matter – very objectionable.
◦ Moisture content 95%
SECONDARY SLUDGE
◦ Deposited in a secondary clarifier.
◦ contains putrescible matter, but less objectionable compared to raw sludge.
◦ Moisture content 96% - 98% (trickling filter) and 98% - 99% (activated sludge
plant)

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Characteristic of sludge
PHYSICAL
Includes moisture, density, color, texture, fluidity
and plasticity etc.
CHEMICAL
Includes organic matter, volatile solids, Nitrogen,
phosphate, fats etc

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Main objectives
Digestion of organic matter by Common methods.
Destruction of pathogenic organisms.
Safe and aesthetically acceptable disposal of sludge.
By product of methane is used as fuel & and helps in controlling
temperature and also generates power.

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Sludge Treatment
Thickening
Digestion
Dewatering
Disposal
 Sludge thickening
The main purpose is to reduce the volume of sludge
There are two types of thickening (Gravity and mechanical )
1. Gravity thickening
◦ Used for primary and tricking filter solids
◦ Without chemical flocculants loading rate: 30-60 kg/m2 per day

2. Mechanical thickening
◦ Used for activated sludge solids

◦ With chemical flocculants dissolved air flotation, gravity belt thickeners, and centrifuge

thickening loading rate: 10-20 kg/m2 per day (dissolved air flotation), 400-1000 L/m

(gravity belt thickeners), 1500-2300 L/m (centrifuge thickening)

The concentration of pathogens increased during this process

Gravity belt thickener
Digestion
To stabilize organic matter and destroy pathogens
Aerobic digestion and anaerobic digestion
Aerobic digestion
◦ Sludge is agitated with air/oxygen
◦ loading rate (maximum): 640 g/m2 per day
◦ Temperature and retention time: 68 oF for 40 days or 58 oF for 60 days
◦ Solids and BOD reduction: 30-50 %
 Aerobic digestion

◦ Sludge is agitated with air/oxygen

◦ loading rate (maximum): 640 g/m2/day
◦ Temperature and retention time: 68 oF for 40 days or 58 oF for 60
days
◦ Solids and BOD reduction: 30-50 %

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Anaerobic digestion
Sludge is treated in the absence of air
Operation conditions (optimum)
◦ Temperature: 85-99 oF (98 oF)
◦ pH: 6.7-7.4 (7.0-7.1)
◦ Alkalinity: 2000-3500 mg/L
◦ Solid loading: 0.02-0.05 lb/ft3/day
◦ Retention time: 30-90 days
Treatment outcome
◦ Solid reduction: 50-70 %
◦ Significant reduction of most pathogens
◦ Gas production: methane and carbon dioxide
Dewatering
To concentrate sludge by removing water
Pressure filtration, centrifugation, and screw press
Pressure filtration (belt filter press and plate-and-
frame filter)
◦ Usually with polymer flocculation
◦ Loading rate: 40-60 gpm/m (hydraulic) and 500-1000
lb/m/h (solid)
◦ Feed solid: 1-6 %
◦ Cake solids: 15-30 %
Belt filter press
Disposal
Land application
Landfill
Incineration
Ocean dumping
 Thank you

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