Oxidation pond

Wastewater Treatment System

Primary treatment Secondary treatment Tertiary treatment

screening Aerobic chlorination

grit chamber filters
skimming tanks aeration tank (ASP )
sedimentation. oxidation ponds

Anaerobic
septic tank
Oxidation pond (stabilisation pond)
• A wastewater stabilization pond is a relatively shallow body of
wastewater contained in an earthen basin which is designed
to treat wastewater.

• They are used to treat a variety of wastewaters, from

domestic wastewater to complex industrial waters

• Ponds can be used alone or in combination with other

treatment processes

• Long detention periods during which time waste get stabilised

by natural forces
• Stabilisation ponds may be classified as aerobic, anaerobic or facultative
ponds

Aerobic ponds

• Decomposition of waste done by aerobic bacteria

• Oxygen demand of bacteria is met by Algal photosynthesis or algal symbiosis

• Depth of pond is usually 0.5m to maintain fully aerobic condition

Anaerobic pond

• stabilisation of waste is done by anaerobic bacteria

• Organic waste is converted to carbon dioxide, methane and

gaseous end products

• Evolution of foul odour and pungent smell

• Depth 2.5 to 4m
facultative ponds
• Upper layers work under aerobic condition

• Anaerobic condition prevail in lower layers

• aerobic zone serves to minimize odour problems

• Depth vary from 1 to 1.5 m

 Construction details

• Earthern pond

• Depth at least 1m to discourage

growth of aquatic weeds

• Length of tank is kept twice its width

• Detention period 2 to 6 weeks

• Better efficiency obtained if ponds

are placed in series

• Organic loading : 90 to 60 kg / hectare /day

• BOD removal is 90 %, coliform removal is 99%

• Average sludge accumulation is 2 to 5 cm per

year
Septic tank
 Septic tank

• A septic tank is a horizontal

flow type of sedimentation
tank , admitting raw sewage
and removing 60 to 70 % of
dissolved matter from it

• Detention time is 12 to 36
hours

• When the sewage enters into

septic tank, it separates into
three distinct layers:
Sludge layer , Clear zone,
Scum layer
• Digestion of settled sludge is by anaerobic
digestion

• Evolution of foul gases , completely covered

tank with a high vent for escape of gases

• Sludge from tank is removed at intervals of

6 to 12 months

• Capacity : sewage flow is assumed as 90 to

150 litres per person per day

volume of tank = per capita rate x

population x detention time

• Septic tanks are usually rectangular tanks

with a length to width ratio of 2 to 3

• Width of tank should not be less than 90 cm

• Depth ranges from 1.2 to 1.8 m

Disposal of effluent of septic tank : Soak pit
• A soak pit is a circular covered pit through which effluent is allowed to
percolate into the surrounding soil

• The soak pit may be either filled with stone aggregate or may be kept
empty
Soak pit filled with stone or brick aggregate
Dispersion trenches
Anaerobic Digester
• Sludge

• Sludge withdrawn from sedimentation tank contain putrescible

organic matter which has to be treated before disposal

• Process of stabilisation is called sludge digestion and the tank

where process is carried out is called sludge digestion tank

• Decomposition of complex organic compounds into simpler

stable compounds by anaerobic bacteria
Sludge digestion tank
• Circular RCC tank with hopper bottom

• Dia of tank : 3 to 12 m

• Depth of tank : 6 m

• Fixed or floating roof

• Raw sludge pumped into tank

• Mixing devices

• Heating to maintain temp.

• Gases of decomposition collected at top

• Digested sludge settles to the hopper

bottom
Stages in sludge digestion process :

Acid production stage :

• Anaerobic and facultative bacteria decompose organic solids into organic acids of low
molecular weight like (propionic acid, acetic acid….. ) and gases ( methane, CO2 ,H2S…)

• Sludge is acidic, pH – 5 to 6

• this stage continues for about 15 days (at 21 degree C)

Acid regression stage :

• organic acids & nitrogenous compounds acid carbonates and ammonia compounds

• Entraps gases , foamy, rises to surface to form scum

• pH is 6.8

• This stage continue for 3 months

Alkaline fermentation stage :

• more resistant substances like proteins amino acids ammonia ,organic acid
,gases

• During this stage liquid separates out of the solids and digested sludge is formed

• This sludge is granular and stable and does not give offensive odour

• Digested sludge is collected at the bottom of the tank ( ripened sludge )

• Sludge is alkaline in nature , pH is 7.5

• This stage continue for 1 month

End products of decomposition

• Digested sludge - stable humus like solid matter, reduced moisture

content and reduced volume, free of pathogenic bacteria

• Supernatant liquor – liquified and finely divided solid matter having high
BOD

• Gas – methane 70% , carbon dioxide 30%, traces of Nitrogen , hydrogen

sulphides ……..
 Two stage digestion
• Two digestion tanks

• Sludge is admitted into the primary digestion tank and kept for 7 to 10 days

• Partly digested sludge and the supernatant liquor are transferred to secondary tank where
they are kept for 15 to 20 days

• Digested sludge and supernatant liquor are removed from secondary tank and disposed off
suitably
Disposal of digested sludge
Sludge drying beds

• Open beds of land 45 to 60 cm deep

consisting of 30 to 45 cm thick gravel
layer overlain by 10 to 15 cm thick sand
layer

• Open joint pipes laid below gravel layer

• Sludge from digestion tank is laid on

top of drying bed to a depth of 20 to 30
cm through distribution troughs

• Drying of sludge takes 2 weeks to 2

months

• Dried sludge is used as manure

Dewatering the sludge : Vacuum filtration

• Sludge mixed with coagulant like ferric

chloride and conveyed to vacuum filter

• Consist of a hollow rotating drum covered

with a replaceable filter cloth

• Drum rotates partly submerging into sludge

• Vacuum created by pump draws the

moisture from the sludge through the cloth

• Sludge cake formed around the drum

removed by scraper
Dewatering : Filter press
• Consist of series of cast iron plates which can be pressed tightly

• Sludge is filled in jute or cotton bags and bags are placed in between the plates

• Pressing of the plate removes water from sludge and sludge cakes are formed

• The whole process takes 45 minutes

Disposal of dewatered sludge

Disposal by dumping into sea

• Sludge discharged at sea from hopper barges or through outfall sewer

Disposal by burial into trenches

• Digested sludge without dewatering is run into trenches 0.9m wide x 0.6m
deep spaced 1.5m apart in parallel row

• When sludge has dried to a firm state ,it is covered with a layer of soil

• Land is ploughed and planted with crops

Disposal by incineration :

Multiple hearth incinerator

• Vertical structure consisting of circular

hearths located one above the other

• vertical shaft rotates and moves the rabble

arms

• In - hearth, out - hearth

• Wet sludge fed from top of furnace by

placing it on top most hearth which passes
downward over successive hearths

• Rising hot air will dry and burn wet sludge

during its downward movement

• Dried ash is collected at the bottom of

furnace

• Temperature in hearth 900 degree C

Fluid bed incinerator
• Furnace consist of cylindrical steel shell

• Furnace has a series of tuyeres which

allow passage of air through the sand
beds

• Depth of sand bed 0.6 m to 2.4 m

• Dewatered sludge introduced over top

of furnace

• operating temp. 800 degree C

• Ash and water vapour escapes from top

of the furnace
 Lagoons for disposal of raw sludge

• Shallow pit formed by excavation

0.6 to 1.2 m deep

• At the bottom a 15 cm thick

layer of ash or clinker is laid

• Drains are laid at the bottom

• 1 to 2 months

• Anaerobic decomposition

• Moisture drained away or

evaporated

• Used as manure