CHAPTER FIVE

Effluent Disposal and Natural Purification

Content of the presentation.....

o Dilution in Rivers and Oxygen Sag Curve

o Wastewaters in Lakes and Management of Lake Waters

o Wastewater in Sea Water

o Land Disposal
Introduction
• After conveying the wastewater through sewers, the next step is its disposal, either after
treatment or even before treatment.

• Treated or untreated sewage dumped into streams can upset the ecological stability of the
stream.

• However, through natural processes and bacterial activity, streams can purify themselves.

• High concentration of organic substances encourage the growth of decomposers such as

bacteria and fungi.

• The normal food chain is then established with higher trophic levels.

• The excess wastes upset the system by depleting the dissolved oxygen required by bacteria
for aerobic decomposition of organics.
Introduction

• The study of the sources of disposal is important, because the amount of treatment
required to be given to sewage depends very much upon the source of disposal, its
quality and capacity to tolerate the impurities present in the sewage effluents, without
itself is getting potentially polluted or becoming less useful.

• There are two general methods of disposing of the sewage effluents:

(a) Dilution i.e. disposal in water; and

(b) Effluent Irrigation or Broad Irrigation or Sewage Farming, i.e. disposal on land
Disposal by Dilution and Oxygen Sag Curve

• Disposal by dilution is the process whereby the treated sewage or the effluent from the
sewage treatment plant is discharged into a river stream, or a large body of water, such as
a lake or sea.

• The discharged sewage, in due course of time, is purified by what is known as self
purification process of natural waters.

• The degree and amount of treatment given to raw sewage before disposing it off into the
river-stream in question, will definitely depend not only upon the quality of raw sewage
but also upon the self purification capacity of the river stream and the intended use of its
water
Cont.…
 Conditions Favoring Disposal by Dilution
 When sewage is comparatively fresh (4 to 5 hr old), and free from floating
and settleable solids
 When the diluting water (i.e. the source of disposal) has high dissolved
oxygen (DO) content.
 Where diluting waters are not used for the purpose of navigation or water
supply for at least some reasonable distance on the downstream from the
point of sewage disposal.
 Where the flow currents of the diluting waters are favorable, causing no
deposition, nuisance or destruction of aquatic life.
 When the outfall sewer of the city or the treatment plant is situated near
some natural waters having large volumes.
Cont.…
When sewage is discharged into a natural body of water, the
receiving water gets polluted due to waste products, present in
sewage effluents.
But the conditions do not remain so for ever, because the natural
forces of purification, go on acting upon the pollution elements, and
bring back the water into its original condition.
This automatic purification of polluted water, in due course, is called
the self-purification phenomenon.
Ifthe self-purification is not achieved successfully either due to too
much of pollution discharged into it or due to other causes, the river
water itself will get polluted.
Cont.…
• The various natural forces of purification which help in effecting self-
purification process are summarized below:
The various natural forces of purification which help in effecting self-
purification process are summarized below:
Physical forces are:
◦ Dilution and dispersion
◦ Sedimentation
◦ Sunlight (acts through bio-chemical reactions)
Chemical forces aided by biological forces (called bio chemical forces) are:
◦ Oxidation (Bio)
◦ Reduction
Cont.…
Dilution and Dispersion
• When the putrescible organic matter is discharged into a large volume of water
contained in the river-stream, it gets rapidly dispersed and diluted.
• The action, thus, results in diminishing the concentration of organic matter,
and thus reduces the potential nuisance of sewage.
• When sewage of concentration Cs flows at a rate Qs in to a river stream with
concentration CR flowing at a rate QR, the concentration C of the resulting
mixture is given by:
Cont.…
Sedimentation
• The settleable solids, if present in sewage effluents, will settle down into the
bed of the river, near the outfall of sewage, thus, helping in the self
purification process.
Sun-light
• The evolution of oxygen in river water due to sunlight will help in achieving
self-purification through oxidation
Oxidation
• The oxidation of the organic matter present in sewage effluents will start as
soon as the sewage outfalls into the river water containing dissolved oxygen
• The deficiency of oxygen so created, will be filled up by the atmospheric
oxygen
Cont.…
Reduction
• Reduction occurs due to hydrolysis of organic matter settled at the bottom
either chemically or biologically.
• Anaerobic bacteria will help in splitting the complex organic constituents of
sewage into liquids and gases, and thus paving the way for their ultimate
stabilization by oxidation.
 The various factors on which these natural forces of purification depend are:
(a)Temperature
(b) Turbulence
(c) Hydrograph such as the velocity and surface expanse of the river-stream
(d) Available dissolved oxygen, and the amount and type of organic matter
present
(e) Rate of re-aeration, e
Cont.…
 Zones of Pollution in a River-Stream
A polluted stream undergoing self-purification can be divided into the following
four zones:
1. Zone of degradation
2. Zone of active decomposition
3. Zone of recovery; and
4. Zone of cleaner water
 Cont.…
• The different zones of pollution (i.e. various stages in the self-purification
process) and the physical, chemical and biological indices, characteristics of
each zone, are shown in Figure:
Cont.…
 Indices of Self-Purification
The stage of self-purification process can be determined by the:
◦ physical,
◦ chemical and
◦ biological analysis of the water
Color and turbidity are the physical indices
DO, BOD and suspended solids are the chemical indices which can mark the
stages of purification.
The biological growth present in water can also indicate the stage of
purification process.
Cont.…

 The Oxygen Deficit of a Polluted River-Stream

• The oxygen deficit (D) at any time in a polluted river stream is the difference
between the actual DO content of water at that time and the saturation DO content
(The normal saturation for fresh water varies between 14.6mg/l to 7.6mg/l for
temperature varying between 0°c to 30°c.) at the water temperature; i.e.

Oxygen deficit (D) = Saturation DO – Actual DO

• In order to maintain clean condition in a river system, the oxygen deficit must be
nil, and this can be found out by knowing the rates of de-oxygenation and re-
oxygenation
Cont.…
De-oxygenation Curve: In a polluted stream, the DO content goes on
reducing due to decomposition of volatile organic matter.
• The rate of de-oxygenation depends upon the amount of the organic matter
remaining to be oxidized at the given time (Lt) as well as on the temperature
of reaction.
Cont.…
•Re-oxygenation Curve: In order to counter the balance of the consumption
of DO due to de-oxygenation, atmosphere supplies O2 to water and the
process is called reoxygenation.
•The rate at which the oxygen is supplied by atmosphere to the polluted
water depends upon:-

The depth of receiving water

Condition of flow

Oxygen deficit

Temperature
Cont.…
• Oxygen Deficit Curve: In a running polluted stream exposed to the
atmosphere, oxygenation go hand in hand.
• If de-oxygenation is more rapid than the re-oxygenation, an oxygen deficit
will result
• The amount of resultant oxygen deficit can be obtained by adding de-
oxygenation and re-oxygenation curves
• The resultant curve so obtained is called the oxygen sag curve or the oxygen
deficit curve
• It can also be seen that when the de-oxygenation rate exceeds the re-
oxygenation rate, the oxygen sag curve shows increasing deficit of oxygen
• But when both the rates become equal, the critical point is reached, and
when the rate of de-oxygenation falls below that of reoxygenation, the
oxygen deficit goes on decreasing till becoming zero
Cont.…
• The entire analysis of super-imposing the rates of de-oxygenation and re-
oxygenation have been carried out mathematically, as suggested by Streeter-
Phelps equation; i.e.,

• 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; Do = Initial oxygen deficit of the mix
at the mixing point in mg/l.
Cont.…
• KD = De-oxygenation coefficient for the wastewater,
= BOD rate constant determined in the laboratory,
- varies with temperature as:

• The typical values of KD(20) vary between 0.1 to 0.2, generally taken as 0.1.
• KR = Re-oxygenation coefficient for the stream.
• KR varies with temperature as per the equation:

• Where, KR(T) is the KR value at T°c and KR(20) is the KR value at 20°c.
Cont.…
• Values of Re-oxygenation Coefficient (KR) at 20°c
Cont.…
• The critical time (tc) after which the minimum dissolved oxygen occurs can
be found by:

• The critical or maximum oxygen deficit is given by:

• Values of self-purification constant (f = KR/KD)

 Cont.…
 Using as f, the tc equation becomes: • Substituting the value of tc

• and Dc equation becomes:

• Taking log, we get

Cont.…

L - the BOD of the mixture of sewage and stream,

f (KD and KR) corresponds to the temperature of the mixture of
sewage and stream at the outfall.
The above equations are of practical value:
◦ in predicting the oxygen content at any point along a stream,
◦ in estimating the degree of wastewater treatment required,
◦ or in estimating the amount of dilution necessary in order to
maintain a certain DO in the stream.
Cont.…
1. The sewage of a town is to be discharged into a river stream. The quantity of sewage
produced per day is 8 million liters, and its BOD is 250mg. If the discharge in the river is
200l/s and its BOD is 6mg/l, find out the BOD of the diluted water.
• Given solution
• Qs=8*10^6L/day
• BODs=250mg
• QR=200L/s C = 84.1472mg/l
• BODR=6mg/l
Cont.…
2. A city discharges 1500 litres per second of sewage into a stream whose
minimum rate of flow is 6000 litres per second. The temperature of sewage as
well as water is 20°c. The 5 day BOD at 20°c for sewage is 200mg/l and that of
river water is 1mg/l. The DO content of sewage is zero, and that of the stream
is 90% of the saturation DO (the value of saturation DO at 20°c is found out as
9.17mg/l). If the minimum DO to be maintained in the stream is 4.5 mg/l, find
out the degree of sewage treatment, required. Assume the de-oxygenation
coefficient as 0.1 and re-oxygenation coefficient as 0.3.
Given
Qs = 1500l/s KR = 0.3
QR= 6000l/s KD = 0.1
T = 20°c DO river = 4.5mg/l
BOD5 sewage = 200mg/l BOD5 river = 90% * saturation DO
Cont.…
Solution

The first stage BOD of mixture sewage and stream (L) is given by
Cont.…
• Substitute the values as:
 Disposal of Wastewaters in Lakes and Management of Lake Waters
1. Lake pollutants
• Disposal of wastewaters in confined lakes or reservoirs is much more harmful
than its disposal in flowing streams and rivers.
• Water quality management in lakes in entirely different from that in rivers.
• It is in fact the phosphorous (a nutrient largely contained in industrial as well as
domestic wastewaters), which seriously affects the water quality of lakes; and is
hence considered as the prime lake pollutant.
• The toxic chemicals from industrial wastewaters may also sometimes very
adversely affect some special classes of the lakes.
• A study of the lake systems is essential to understand the role of phosphorous in
lake pollution.
• The study of lakes is called limnology.
Cont.…
2. Stratification in Lakes
• The water of a lake gets stratified during summers and winters
• During summer season, the surface water of a lake gets heated up by
sunlight and warm air.
• This worm water being lighter remains in upper layers near the surface, until
mixed downward by turbulence from winds, waves, boats and other forces.
• Since limited depth from below the water surface, the top layers of water in
the lake become well mixed and aerobic.
• This warmer, well mixed and aerobic depth of water is called epilimnion
zone.
• The lower depth, which remains cooler, poorly mixed and anaerobic, is called
hypolimnion zone.
Cont.…
• There may also exist an intermediate zone or a dividing line, called
thermocline, as shown in Figure a
Cont.…
3 Biological Zones in Lakes

• Lakes have been found to exhibit distinct zones of biological activity, largely
determined by the availability of light and oxygen.

• The most important biological zones are:

i. euphotic zone
ii. littoral zone
iii. benthic zone.
Cont.…
i. Euphotic zone
 The upper layer of lake water through which sunlight can penetrate
 All plant growth occurs in this zone.
 In deep water, algae grow as the most important plants
Cont.…
ii. Littoral zone
 The shallow water near the shore, in which rooted plants grow, is called the
littoral zone.
 The extent of the littoral zone depends on the slope of the lake bottom and the
depth of the euphotic zone.
 The littoral zone cannot extend deeper than the euphotic zone
iii. Benthic zone
 The bottom sediments in a lake comprise what is called the benthic zone.
 As the organisms living in the overlying water die, they settle down to the
bottom, where they are decomposed by the organisms living in the benthic zone.
 Bacteria are always present in this zone.
 The presence of higher life forms, such as worms, insects and crustaceans
however, depends upon the availability of oxygen at the lake bottom
Disposal of Wastewater in Sea Water
 Sea water normally contains 20% less oxygen than that contained in fresh
water of a river stream.
Moreover, sewage solids, when thrown into sea water, chemically react with
the dissolved matter of sea water, resulting in precipitating some of the
sewage solids, giving a milky appearance to sea water and forming sludge
banks
 These sludge banks are undesirable, as they are likely to produce offensive
hydrogen sulphide gas by reacting with the sulphate rich water of the sea
 As pointed out earlier, the oxygen content of sea water is less than that of
fresh water, and also, its re-aeration is slower.
 However, since the sea contains too larger volumes of water, most of these
deficiencies are removed, provided the sewage is taken deep into the sea
and away from the coast line
Cont.…
• Since the specific gravity of sea water is greater than that of sewage, and
temperature of sea water is lower than that of sewage, the lighter and the
warmer sewage will rise up to the surface when thrown into the sea water.
• This will result in spreading of the sewage at the top surface of sea in a thin
film or 'sleek’.
• To prevent the backing up and spreading of sewage on the sea shore, the
sewage should be disposed of only during low tides.
• Large sized tanks may, therefore, be constructed to hold the sewage during
high tides.
• Provision of a large sized sewer, grated with a non-return valve at the end, is
also an alternative to hold the sewage during high tides.
Land Disposal and Treatment
1. Disposal of Sewage Effluents on Land for Irrigation
• In this method, the sewage effluent (treated or diluted) is generally disposed of
by applying it on land.
• The percolating water may either join the water-table, or is collected below by
a system of under drains.
• This method can then be used for irrigating crops.
• This method, in addition to disposing of the sewage, may help in increasing
crop yields (by 33% or so) as the sewage generally contains a lot of fertilizing
minerals and other elements.
• However, the sewage effluent before being used as irrigation water must be
made safe.
• In order to lay down the limiting standards for sewage effluents, and the
degree of treatment required, it is necessary to study as to what happens when
sewage is applied on to the land as irrigation water.
Cont.…
• When raw or partly treated sewage is applied on to the land, a part of it
evaporates, and the remaining portion percolates through the ground soil.
• While percolating through the soil, the suspended particles present in the
sewage are caught in the soil voids. If proper aeration of these voids is
maintained, the organic sewage solids caught in these voids get oxidized by
aerobic process
• The extent of land area required for disposing a certain volume of sewage
effluent can be worked out from the values given in Table
Cont.…
2. Quality Standards for Wastewater Effluents to be discharged on Land for
Irrigation
• These standards are based upon the quality of irrigation water required by
the crops, and thus limit the concentrations of pollutants contained in
sewage or industrial liquid wastes, which may prove harmful to the crops
Cont.…
 Summary of Dilution Method Vs Land Disposal Method for Disposal of
Sewage
• For disposal by dilution, large volumes of natural clean waters (with nil or very
low BOD) are required; whereas, for land disposal, large areas of land,
preferably with sandy soils, are required
• The cost of land, in land disposal method, is generally very high, especially in
cities and urban areas, which are generally situated near rivers or oceans, and
thus suggesting the choice of dilution method. Whereas, in the rural areas,
where the amount of sewage produced is less, land being available at lesser
cost, no easy water source being available, the land disposal method is a better
choice.
• When the cost of land is high in land disposal method, some return may be
available due to sewage farming; but then good management is also required.
Dilution method of disposal, however, when possible, is a simple method, and
does not require too much of management.
Cont.…
• Land disposal method requires either no pre-treatment of sewage or only
preliminary treatment; whereas, dilution method of disposal, generally
requires either full or at least partial treatment.
• Dilution method of sewage disposal requires nil or small head pumping,
because rivers flow through the lowest contours, while land disposal requires
high head pumping, thus making the land disposal method costlier.
• Land disposal method is generally found to be a better choice in hot climatic
areas.
 This is because of the fact that in hot areas, DO contents of natural waters are
reduced, while fish and aquatic life need higher DO concentrations, thus rendering
rivers (particularly those with small dry weather flows) susceptible to too much
pollution and unfit for throwing untreated or less treated sewage.
A lot of pretreatment, if required, will make the dilution method costlier
Cont.…
Quiz #2 (5%)
1. Discuss zone of pollution
2. Enumerate the two general methods adopted for sewage disposal; and
discuss their merits, and demerits
 CHAPTER SIX

Sludge Treatment and Biosolid Management

6.1 Sludge and Its Moisture Content

6.2 Sludge Processing and Disposal Methods

6.3 Dewatering Digested Sludge

6.4 Disposal of Dewatered Sludge

 6.1. Sludge and Its Moisture Content
• The sludge, which is deposited in a primary sedimentation tank, is called raw sludge
• And the sludge which is deposited in a secondary clarifier is called secondary Sludge.
• Raw sludge is odorous, contains highly putrescible organic matter, and is, thus, very
objectionable.
• Secondary sludge is also putrescible, though a little less objectionable.
• The sludge withdrawn from the bottom of the sedimentation basins must, therefore,
be stabilized before its final disposal.
• In addition to its putrescibles, another problem posed by the sludge is its high
moisture content.
• In case of raw sludge, the moisture content is about 95%; in case of secondary
sludge from a trickling filter plant, it is about 96 to 98%; and in case of secondary
sludge from an activated sludge treatment plant, it is about 98% to over 99%.
• It, therefore, follows that if the moisture content of the sludge is reduced, its volume
will go on decreasing.
 6.2 Sludge Processing and Disposal Methods
• The sludge withdrawn from the sedimentation basins contains a lot of
putrescible organic matter, and if disposed of without any treatment, the
organic matter may decompose; producing foul gases and a lot of nuisance,
pollution, and health hazards.
• In order to avoid such pollutions, the sludge is, first of all, stabilized by
decomposing the organic matter under controlled anaerobic conditions, and
then disposed of suitably after drying on drying beds, etc.
• The process of stabilization is called the sludge digestion;
• The tank where the process is carried out is' called the sludge digestion tank.
• In a sludge digestion process, the sludge gets broken into the following three
forms:
• Digested sludge
• Supernatant liquor
• Gases of decomposition
 Cont....
i. Digested sludge
• It is a stable humus like solid matter, tar black in color, and with reduced
moisture content, and, is therefore, having reduced volume (about , times the
undigested sludge volume).
• Moreover, the quality of digested sludge is much better than that of the
undigested sludge, and it is free of pathogenic bacteria which are killed in the
digestion process.
• It may still, however, contain cysts and eggs of bacteria, protozoa and worms.
ii. Supernatant liquor
• It includes the liquefied and finely divided solid matter, and is having high BOD
(about 3000ppm).
 Cont....
iii. Gases of decomposition
• Gases like methane (65 to 70%), carbon dioxide (30%), and traces of other
inert gases like nitrogen, hydrogen sulphide, etc. are evolved.
• They may be collected (particularly the methane which has a high calorific
value) and used as a fuel.
• The sludge gas, having 70% methane, has a fuel value of about 5800 kilo
calorie/cu.m
• The amount of gas produced, on an average, is about 0.9cu. m per kg of
volatile solids reduced in the digestion. The gas produced thus varies with the
sewage produced, and works out to about 14 to 18 liters per capita per day
(usually 17l/c/d).
• The digested sludge is dewatered, dried up, and used as fertilizer; while the
gases produced are also used for fuel or for driving gas engines.
 Cont....
 Stages in the Sludge Digestion Process
• Three distinct stages have been found to occur in the biological action involved
in the natural process of sludge digestion. These stages are:
 Acid fermentation
Acid regression
Alkaline fermentation
 Cont....
i. Acid Fermentation Stage or Acid Production Stage
• In this first stage of sludge digestion, the fresh sewage-sludge begins to be
acted upon by anaerobic and facultative bacteria, called acid formers.
• These organisms solubilize the organic solids through hydrolysis.
• The soluble products are then fermented to volatile acids and organic alcohols
of low molecular weight like propionic acid, acetic acid, etc.
• Gases like methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide are also evolved.
• Intensive acid production makes the sludge highly acidic, and lowers the pH
value to less than 6.
• Highly putrefactive odors are evolved during this stage, which continues for
about 15 days or so (at about 21°c).
• BOD of the sludge increases to some extent, during this stage.
 Cont....
ii. Acid-Regression Stage
• In this intermediate stage, the volatile organic acids and nitrogenous
compounds of the first stage are attacked by the bacteria, so as to form acid
carbonates and ammonia compounds.
• Small amounts of hydrogen sulphide and carbon-dioxide gases are also given
off.
• The decomposed sludge has a very offensive odor, and its pH value rises a
little, and to be about 6.8.
• The decomposed sludge, also, entraps the gases of decomposition, becomes
foamy, and rises to the surface to form scum.
• This stage continues for a period of about 3 months or so (at about 21°c).
• BOD of the sludge remains high even during this stage.
 Cont....
iii. Alkaline Fermentation Stage
• In this final stage of sludge digestion, more resistant materials like proteins and organic
acids are attacked and broken up by anaerobic bacteria, called methane formers, into
simple substances like ammonia, organic acids and gases.
• During this stage, the liquid separates out front the solids, and the digested sludge is
formed.
• This sludge is granular and stable, and does not give offensive odors
• This digested sludge is collected at the bottom of the digestion tank, and is also called
ripened sludge
• Digested sludge is alkaline in nature
• Large volumes of methane gas (having a considerable fuel value) along with small amount
of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, are evolved during this stage.
• The BOD of the sludge also rapidly falls down during this stage.
• It is, thus, seen that several months (about 4 months or so) are required for the complete
process of digestion to take place under natural uncontrolled conditions at about 21°c.
 Cont....
 Factors Affecting Sludge Digestion and their Control
• The important factors which affect the process of sludge digestion, and are,
therefore, controlled in a digestion tank, are:
1. Temperature
2. pH value
3. Seeding with digested sludge
4. Mixing and stirring of the raw sludge with digested sludge.
 Cont....
1. Temperature
• The process of digestion is greatly influenced by temperature;
• Rate of digestion being more at higher temperatures and vice-versa.
• The effect of temperature on digestion period has two distinct zones
A. Zone of Thermophilic Digestion
B. Zone of Mesophilic Digestion
 Cont....
2. pH Value
• It was pointed out earlier that during the digestion process, a lot of volatile organic
acids are formed, as an intermediate step, in the breakdown of organic material.
• These volatile acids are then converted into methane gas by a specialized group of
strictly anaerobic and slow growing bacteria, called methane formers.
• If the methane formers are not operating properly, an accumulation of volatile acids
may occur, causing the pH to drop to a value as low as 5.0, which will (suppress
further bacterial action.
 The acidity increases:
i. with the overdosing of raw sludge
ii. with the over withdrawal of digested sludge
iii. with the sudden admission of industrial wastes
 The remedy in such cases is to add hydrated lime in doses of 2.3 to 4.5kg/1000
persons to the raw sludge.
 Cont....
3. Seeding with the Digested Sludge
• When a sludge digestion tank is first put in operation, it is highly beneficial to
seed it with the digested sludge from another tank.
• Without seeding, it may take a few months to get a tank operating properly.
• Proper seeding will help attain quick balance conditions of reaction.
 Cont....
4. Mixing and Stirring of the Raw Sludge with the Digested Sludge
• Incoming fresh raw sludge should be thoroughly mixed with the digested
sludge, by some effective method of agitation, so as to make a homogenous
mass of raw as well as digested (or partly digested) sludge.
• In this way, the bacterial enzymes present in the digested sludge will get every
opportunity to get mixed with the raw sludge, and to attack it for subsequent
decomposition.
• The mixing of raw and digested sludge achieved by stirring the sludge in the
sludge digestion tank by slow moving mechanical devices;
• or the gases of decomposition may be used to set up agitation by circulating
from bottom to top of the tank and vice versa, by means of a pumping device.
 Cont....
 Sludge Digestion Tank or Digesters
• A typical sludge digestion tank is shown in Figure.
• It consists of a circular RCC tank with hoppered bottom, and having a fixed or
a floating type of roof over its top.
• The raw sludge is pumped into the tank, and when the tank is first put into
operation, it is seeded with the digested sludge from another tank
• A screw pump with an arrangement for circulating the sludge from bottom to
top of the tank or vice versa (by reversing the direction of rotation of the
screw) is commonly used, for stirring the sludge.
• Sometimes, power driven mechanical devices may be used for stirring the
sludge, although these are not very popular, at present.
Cont....
Disposal of Digested Sludge
The digested sludge from the digestion tank contains a lot of water, and is, therefore,
first of all, dewatered or dried up, before further disposal either by burning or
dumping.
1. Dewatering, Drying and Disposal of Sludge by Sludge Drying Beds
 Sludge-drying beds provide the simplest method of dewatering.
 A digested sludge slurry is spread on an open bed of sand and allowed to remain until
dry.
 Drying takes place by a combination of evaporation and gravity drainage through the
sand.
 Sludge drying beds are open beds of land, 45 to 60cm deep, and consisting of about
30 to 45cm thick graded layers of gravel or crushed stone varying in size from 15 cm at
bottom to 1.25cm at top, and overlain by 10 to 15cm thick coarse sand layer.
 Open jointed under-drain pipes (15cm in diameter) @ 5 to 7m c/c spacing are laid
below the grave layer in valleys, as shown in Figure
 Sludge drying beds, at a longitudinal slope of about 1 in 100.
 Cont....
 The beds are about 15 x 30m in plan, and are surrounded by brick walls rising
about 1 meter above the sand surface, as shown.
 The sewage sludge from the digestion tank is brought and spread over the top
of the drying beds to a depth of about 20 to 30cm, through distribution
troughs having openings of about 15 cm x 20 cm at a distances of about 2m or
so.
 A portion of the moisture drains through the bed, while most of it is
evaporated to the atmosphere.
 It usually takes about two weeks to two months, for drying the sludge,
depending on the weather and condition of the bed.
Cont....
 Cont....
2. Mechanical Methods of Dewatering Sludge
 Vacuum filtration process: the sludge is first mixed with a coagulant such as ferric
chloride, and then conveyed to a vacuum filter, consisting of a hollow rotating drum,
covered with a replaceable filter cloth.
• The drum rotates partly submerging into the sludge. The vacuum created by a pump
within the drum draws the moisture from the sludge through the cloth.
• The sludge cake which is formed on the outside of the drum is removed by a scraper,
as the drum rotates.
 High-speed centrifuges are also used for drying of raw or digested sludge, and are
becoming more popular because of small area requirements.
 These methods may remove about 50% moisture.
 Vacuum filtration or centrifugation of raw sludge is often adopted in situation where
sludge is to be disposed of by incineration (i.e. burning).
 These mechanical methods of drying are generally used when the available area is
less than that required for sludge
Disposal of Dewatered Sludge
 Disposal by Dumping into the Sea: The dewatered wet sludge may, sometimes, be
discharged at sea from hopper barges or through outfall sewers.
• This method can, however, be adopted only in case of cities situated on sea shores,
and where the direction of the normal winds are such as to take the discharged
sludge into the sea, away from the shore line.
 Disposal by Burial into the Trenches: In this method, the digested sludge, without
dewatering is run into trenches, which are 0.9m wide x 0.6m deep and rectangular
spaced at 1 to 1.5m apart in parallel rows.
• When the sludge has dried to a firm state, it is covered at top with a thin layer of soil.
• After about a month, the land is ploughed up with powdered lime and planted with
crops.
 Disposal by Incineration: The dewatered wet sludge produced in waste water
treatment plant may also be disposed of by burning, in suitably designed incinerators,
when sufficient space is not available for its burial near the plant site, or the sludge
cannot be dried and used as manure.
End of the Course
Thank you
March 20224