MODULE 2: Waste Water Characteristics, Sampling, Population Equivalent, Preliminary Treatment of waste water, Screens, Grit Chamber, Detritus

Tank, Sedimentation Tank, Biological Treatment (process details and design considerations), Aerobic- activated, sludge process, Trickling Filter-Oxidation Ponds Characteristics of Waste Water The characteristics of waste water can be classified as follows: 1. Physical Characteristics 2. Chemical characteristics 3. Biological characteristics 1. Physical characteristics: the physical characteristics of the waste water are as follows:(1). Specific gravity (2). Colour (3) Odour (4) total solids content-turbidity 1. SPECIFIC GRAVITY:IT IS ALMOST EQUAL TO SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF WATER,THEREFORE NO MODIFICATION OF HYDRAULIC FORMULAE IS NECESSARY. 2. COLOUR:FRESH WASTE WATER/SEWAGE HAS LIGHT BROWN COLOUR. WHEN THE DISSOLVED OR FREE OXYGEN PRESENT IN THE WASTE GETS FINISHED DUE TO AEROBIC DECOMPOSITION ITS COLOUR GETS CHANGED AND BECOMES LIGHT TO MEDIUM GREY. WIT MORE PASSAGE OF TIME COLOUR BECOMES DARK GREY OR BLACK. 3. ODOUR:FRESH WASTE HAS NO ODOUR OR IT HAS MUSTY ODOUR. IF THE WASTE HAS FOUL/OFFENSIVE ODOUR THEN IT CAN CAUSE FOLLOWING RESULTS:-REDUCTION IN THE APETITE, LOWERED WATER CONSUMTION, IMPAIRED RESPIRATION, NAUSEA AND VOMITING, MENTAL PERTURBATION. 4.TEMPERATURE:IT AFFECTS SEWAGE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:I). IT AFFECTS THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF THE BACTERIA. IN THE SEWAGE. II). IT AFFECTS THE SOLUBILITY OF OXYGEN AND OTHER GASES IN SEWAGE. III). AFFECTS VISCOSITY OF THE SEWAGE, DECREASES WITH INCREASES IN TEMPERATURE. IV). LOW TEMPERATURE AFFECTS EFFICIENCY OF SEDIMENTATION. 5. TOTAL SOLIDS CONTENT TURBIDITY:THE SOLIDS PRESENT IN THE SEWAGE MAY BE IN THREE DIFFERENT FORMS:-(1).SUSPENDED SOLIDS (2). COLLOIDAL SOLIDS (3)DISSOLVED SOLIDS.

Suspended solids:- ARE THOSE WHICH ARE HELD IN SUSPENSION IN LIQUID AND FUTHER CLASSIFIED AS SETTLEABLE AND NONSETTLEABLE SOLIDS. SETTLEABLE SOLIDS ARE THOSE WHICH SETTLE OUT IF SEWAGE IS ALLOWED TO REMAIN UNDISTURBED FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT 2 HOURS. NON-SETTLEABLE SOLIDS:-ARE THOSE WHICH DO NOT SETTLE DOWN BY MERE DETENTION BUT STTLED WITH THE HELP OF SPECIAL LABORATORY FILTERS. Colloidal Solids:-ARE FINELY DIVIDED SOLIDS HELD IN SUSPENSION,WHICH CANNOT BE REMOVED BY SETTLING OR FILTERING BUT THEY ARE GENERALLY REMOVED BY BIOLOGICAL OXIDATION OR COAGULATION,FOLLOWED BY SEDIMENTATION. Dissolved Solids:- ARE THOSE WHICH REMAIN DISSOLVED IN SEWAGE JUST AS SALT IN WATER.

2. Chemical Characteristics:THE CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE DEPENDENT UPON THE SUBSTANCES CONTAINED IN THE SEWAGE:THE SIGNIFICANT CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEWAGE ARE:(I) Ph value (ii) CHLORIDE CONTENT (III) NITROGEN CONTENT (IV) PHOSPHOROUS CONTENT (V) FATS,OILS,GREASE CONTENT (VI)SULPHATES (VII)SURFACTANTS (VIII) PHENOLS (IX) PESTICIDES AND AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS (X) TOXIC COMPOUNDS.

(NOTE-THE ABOVE POINTS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN CLASS IN DETAIL AND EXPLAINED). 2. Biological Characteristics:- THE BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS DEPENDS ON THE GROUPS OF ORGANISMS IN SEWAGE. - THE GROUPS OF ORGANISMS FOUND IN SEWAGE ARE AS FOLLOWS:- (1) PROTISTA (2) BACTERIA (3)FUNGI (4) ALGAE (5)PROTOZOA (6)VIRUS

CYCLES OF DECOMPOSITION:DEPENDING UPON THE TYPE OF BACTERIA THE BIOLOGICAL DECOMPOSITION IS CLASSIFIED AS FOLLOWS:1. AEROBIC DECOMPOSITION 2. ANAEROBIC DECOMPOSITION 1. AEROBIC DECOMNPOSITION :- IT IS CAUSED BY BOTH AEROBIC BACTERIA AS WELL AS FACULTATIVE BACTERIA OPERATING AEROBICALLY IN THE PRESCENCE OPF OXYGEN WHICH IS AVAILABLE IN SEWAGE IN THE DISSOLVED FORM. - IN THIS PROCESS ORGANIC MATTER IS BROKEN UP AND OXIDIZED TO FORM STABLE AND NON-OBJECTIONABLE END PRODUCTS SUCH AS CARBON DIOXIDE,NITRATES,SULPHATES,ETC., - SEWAGE TREATMENT UNITS WORKING ON AEROBIC DECOMPOSITION ARE-AERATION TANKS,TRICKLING FILTERS,CONTACT BEDS,OXIDATION PONDS,ETC., 2. ANAEROBIC DECOMPOSITION:- IT IS CAUSED BY BOTH AEROBIC BACTERIA AS WELL AS FACULTATIVE BACTERIA OPERATING ANAEROBICALLY - ANAEROBIC BACTERIA SURVIVE BY EXTRACTING OXYGEN PRESENT IN ORGANIC COMPOUNDS AND MINERAL SUBSTANCES SUCH AS NITRATES,NITRITES,ETC., - THE END PRODUCTS INCLUDE GASES LIKE HYDROGENSULPHIDE,AMMONIA,METHANE,ETC., - SEWAGE TREATMENT METHODS WORKING ON THIS METHOD ARE SEPTIC TANKS,IMHOFF TANK,SLUDGE DIGESTION TANKS,ETC., (NOTE:-DETAILED DISCUSSION AND EXPLANATION ON N-, C-, S-CYCLE, ETC., DONE IN THE CLASS)

PRELIMINARY TREATMENT OF SEWAGE/WASTE WATER:- IT CONSISTS OF REMOVING:- (1)FLOATING MATERIALS LIKE DEAD ANIMALS,WOOD PIECES,TREE BRANCHES,PAPERS,ETC., - (2) HEAVY SETTLEABLE INORGANIC SOLIDS SUCH AS GRIT,SAND,FRAGMENTS OF MASONARY,ETC., - (3)FATS,OILS AND GREASE. - THIS METHOD OF TREATMENT INVOLVES ONLY PHYSICAL UNIT OPERATIONS LIKE-SCREENING,COMMINUTION,GRIT REMOVAL,SKIMMING,FLOATATION,ETC., - VARIOUS EQUIPMENTS USED FOR PHYSICAL UNIT OPERATIONS ARE SCREENS,COMMINUTORS,GRIT CHAMBERS OR DETRITUS TANKS,SKIMMING TANKS,FLOATATION UNITS,ETC., 1. SCREENING:2. COMMINUTION 3. GRIT REMOVALFLOATATION 4. FLOW EQUALISATION (NOTE:- IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AND EXPLAINED IN CLASS EXCEPT EQUIPMENTS USED WHICH ARE EXPLAINED BELOW) 1. SCREENING:- IT IS THE FIRST OPERATION INVOLVED IN SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT. - IT CONSISTS OF PASSAGE OF SEWAGE THROUGH A SCREEN ACTING AS A TRAP AND REMOVES FLOATING MATERIALS PRESENT IN THE SEWAGE WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE CLOG AND DAMAGE PUMPS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT INTERFERE WITH SATISFACTORY OPERATION OF TREATMENT UNITS. - DEPENDING UPON THE SIZE OF THE OPENINGS SCREENS MAY BE CLASSIFIED AS FOLLOWS:- 1.COARSE SCREENS 2. MEDIUM SCREENS 3. FINE SCREENS 2. COMMINUTION:- DEFINED AS THE PROCESS OF CUTTING THE LARGE SIZE SOLIDS PRESENT IN SEWAGE INTO SMALLER PIECES OF MORE OR LESS UNIFORM SIZE ABOUT 6MM. - IT IS CARRIED OUT TO IMPROVE THE DOWNSTREAM OPERATIONS AND PROCESSES AND TO ELIMINATE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE VARIED SIZES OF SOLIDS THAT ARE PRESENT IN SEWAGE. - DEVICES USED TO COMMINUTE ARE CALLED COMMINUTORS.

3. GRIT REMOVAL(GRIT CHAMBERS):-SEWAGE CONTAINS CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF GRIT WHICH CONSISTS OF SAND, GRAVEL, SILT, ASH, CINDERS, CLINKERS, ETC., QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF GRIT DEPENDS UPON THE FOLLOWINGS:- 1. TYPES OF STREET SURFACE ENCOUNTERED - 2. RELATIVE AREAS SERVED - 3. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS - 4. TYPES OF INLETS AND CATCH BASINS - 5. AMOUNT OF STORM WATER DIVERTED FROM COMBINED SEWERS AT OVERFLOW POINTS - 6. SEWER GRADES - 7. CONSTRUCTION AND CONDITION OF SEWER SYSTEM - 8. GROUND AND GROUND WATER CHARACTERISTICS - 9. INDUSTRIAL WASTES - 10. RELATIVE USE OF DUMPING CHUTES OR PAIL DEPOTS - 11. SOCIAL HABITS -