Presentation on Oxidation Ponds

Oxidation Ponds
What are Oxidation Ponds ?
Oxidation Ponds are large earthen basins in which waste water is treated by natural processes involving bacteria and in many instances algae. These are shallow basins used to treat raw water

Rate of waste oxidation is slower in Oxidation Ponds

Types Of Oxidation ponds

Aerobic Ponds
Anaerobic Ponds

Facultative Ponds
Maturation or Tertiary Ponds

Aerobic Ponds
The aerobic pond are large in dimension & shallow pond that used for wastewater treatment by natural process involving both algae and bacteria.

Algae New Algae O2 Organic Bacteria

Solar Energy CO2, NH3, PO4, H2O New Bacteria

Bacteria

Design Considerations
Parameter Depth in mts. Retention time (day) 0.15 - 0.5 2-6 Value

BODu loading (lb/acre-day)

BODu removal (%) Algae concentration (mg/l) Re-circulation ratio

100-200
80-90 100-200 0.2-2.0

Effluent suspended solids concentration (mg/l)

150-350

Anaerobic Ponds
Anaerobic Ponds requires no Dissolved Oxygen for microbial activity as the organisms use O2 from compounds such as NO3, SO4 as their hydrogen acceptors and give end product such as methane, carbon dioxide etc. These ponds are basically Sedimentation ponds High waste water loading which depletes all O2 Solids settles in pond basin Anaerobic digestion of sludge occurs in pond bottom

Large Organic Loading

O2 Req > O2 Supply

how anaerobic conditions occurs in oxidation ponds?

Enhanced H2S- Formation

Increase In Turbidity Reduced Light Penetration Reduced Photosynthesis Reduced O2 Formation Anaerobic Conditions

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 Acteogenesis conversion of complex fatty acids to acetic acid Methnogenesis - conversion of acetic acid to methane and CO2 and CO2 ,H2S to methane

Process
When temperature rises above 15o C 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)

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

Role of pH
Below pH 7.0 then H2S forms and causes odor Below ph 6.2 then conditions became toxic

ADVANTAGES
Gives energy whereas aerobic requires energy. Very high concentration can be treated efficiently whereas not possible in aerobic ponds.

LIMITATIONS
Standard BOD cannot be maintained under anaerobic process as suspended solid increased. Organic matter convert to CO2, CH4 which is difficult to separate from bacteria.

Facultative Ponds
These are neither fully aerobic nor fully anaerobic. They are often about 1 to 2 m in depth and favor algal growth along with the growth of aerobic, anaerobic and facultative microorganisms. Such ponds are aerobic during day time. In the remaining hours the pond bottom may turn anaerobic. Top Pond water is aerobic and supports very high density algal population Bottom water is an anaerobic condition in which sludge is digested Algae generate O2 by photosynthesis during the day ,which is useful for oxidation of waste by bacteria Bacteria degrade waste, uses O2 and generates CO2, algae use CO2 and generate O2

Wind
Sunlight

CO2

alga e O2 Aerobic Bacteria Organic acids & Compounds of C, N, P, S Biomass

(CO2, NO2, PO4, SO4)

Biomass

Facultative Zone

Anaerobic Bacteria Sludge Blanket Impermeable lining

Anaerobi c Zone

Aerobic Zone

Maturation / Tertiary Ponds

These are similar to aerobic ponds but are very lightly loaded with organic wastes. Generally used for upgrading effluents from conventional secondary treatment processes. The principal purpose is to achieve reduction in fecal colliform count and remove nitrogen and phosphorus. Used to remove pathogenic bacteria and viruses (99.9997%) e-Coli removal Solar disinfection using UV light 1 m deep Total detention time of the order of 10 days Disinfection may be used, if required

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