Self Purification of Stream

When the wastewater or the effluent is discharged into a

natural stream, the organic matter is converted into
ammonia, nitrates, sulphates, carbon dioxide etc. by
bacteria.
In this process of oxidation, the dissolved oxygen content
of natural water is utilized. Due to this, deficiency of
dissolved oxygen is created.
As the excess organic matter is stabilized, the normal cycle
will be in a process known as Self-purification wherein the
dissolved oxygen is replenished by its reaeration by
atmospheric oxygen of wind.
Actions During Self-purification:
Dilution:
When wastewater is discharged into the receiving water,
dilution takes place due to which the concentration of
organic matter is reduced and the potential nuisance of
sewage is also reduced.
When the dilution ratio is quite high, high available DO,
higher rate of organic decomposition, reduce pollution
effects.
Actions During Self-purification:
Dispersion due to Currents:
The currents, (as rapids, whirlpools, waterfalls and
turbulent flow) readily disperse the wastewater in the
stream, preventing local accumulation of pollutants.
High velocity accelerates reaeration
reduces the concentration of pollutants.
reduces the time of recovery, though length of stream affected
by the wastewater is increased.
Actions During Self-purification:
Sedimentation:
If the stream velocity is lesser than the scour velocity of
particles, sedimentation will take place, which will have
two effects.
The suspended solids, which contribute largely the oxygen
demand, will be removed by settling and hence water quality
of the downstream is improved.
Due to settled solids, Anaerobic decomposition may take
place.
Actions During Self-purification
Temperature:
At low temperature, the
activities of bacteria is low and
hence rate of decomposition
will also be slow, though DO
will be more because of
increased solubility of oxygen
in water.
At high temperatures, the self-
purification takes lesser time,
though the quantity of DO will
be less.

Actions During Self-purification:
Sunlight:
Sunlight helps photosynthesis of certain aquatic plants
to absorb carbon dioxide and give out oxygen, thus
accelerating self-purification.
Sunlight acts as a disinfectant.
Zones of Pollution in Stream
Decomposition
Zone
water is rendered
dark and turbid,
high BOD exists
Septic Zone
grayish and
darker than the
previous zone
The dissolved
oxygen content
reaches a
minimum
Recovery Zone
most of the
stabilized
organic matter
settles as sludge,
BOD falls and
DO content rises
above 90% value
Cleaner Water
Water becomes
clearer.
DO rises to the
saturation level,
BOD drops to
the lowest value.
Zone of Clean Water (Zone 1)
Zone of Degradation/ Decomposition (Zone 2)
Zone of Active Decomposition/ Septic (Zone 3)
Zone of Recovery (Zone 4)
Zone of Cleaner Water (Zone 5)
Minimum D = critical
dissolved oxygen = D
c
Dynamics of Oxygen Transfer
Rate of decomposition (deoxygenation)
Linearly proportional to BOD level
BOD falls exponentially with time

Rate of oxygen dissolution (reaeration)
Linearly proportional to the oxygen
deficit: DO
sat
DO
actual
DO falls when
decomposition rate > dissolution rate

DO rises when
decomposition rate < dissolution rate
Reaeration
D
i
s
s
o
l
v
e
d

O
x
y
g
e
n

(
m
g
/
L
)

Dissolved O
2
(DO) vs. Time
10
8
6
4
2
0
DO IN
time
Flow Diagram
Inflow
Storing System
O
2
/time vs. Time 10
8
6
4
2
0
DO
time

Mg/L
time
aeration Sat Actual
DO
(in) = k *(DO DO )
T
A

A
DO
Saturation

DO
Saturation

DO
Actual

=
The closer the DO
Actual
is from the DO
Saturation

the slower the rate at which O
2
enters the water
D
i
s
s
o
l
v
e
d

O
x
y
g
e
n

(
m
g
/
L
)

Dissolved O
2
(DO) vs. Time
10
8
6
4
2
0
DO OUT
time
Flow Diagram
Outflow
Depleting System
DO /time vs. Time 10
8
6
4
2
0
DO
time

Mg/L
time
decomposition FOOD
DO
(out) = k *(BOD )
T
A
A
DO
Actual

The less food the organisms have, the slower the
rate at which they consume Food + O
2

Deoxygenation
D
i
s
s
o
l
v
e
d

O
x
y
g
e
n

(
m
g
/
L
)

Dissolved O
2
(DO) vs. Time
10
8
6
4
2
0
DO OUT
time
Flow Diagram
Outflow
Depleting System
DO /time vs. Time 10
8
6
4
2
0
DO
time

Mg/L
time
DO IN
time
DO
Saturation

Deoxygenation + Reaeration
Inflow Inflow
Inflow Outflow
Storing System
Steady-State System
DO
Saturation
DO
Actual

DO OUT
time
DO IN
time
More Oxygen Sag Curves
Effect of temperature:
sag deepens and shortens
may cause a portion of river to have
unhealthy DO levels
Effect of BOD Level:
sag becomes more severe
longer distance (or time) at
unhealthy DO levels
More Oxygen Sag Curves
without treatment
with treatment
18
Why We Do All of This
To determine how much waste can safely be put in a river

Process
Determine minimum acceptable DO
Calculate waste load that keeps critical DO above the minimum

If discharged waste is above acceptable limits:
More treatment needed
Discharger may add dissolved oxygen to wastewater

Cautions
Be sure to make calculations for worst conditions
Remember to consider all dischargers

Streeter-Phelps Model
Assumptions of the Model
stream is an ideal plug flow reactor


steady-state flow exists in stream.
BOD and DO reaction due to disposed organics
only.
The only reactions of interest are BOD exertion
and transfer of oxygen from air to water across
air-water interface
Limitations
Steady state
Streams aren't steady state. Flows, velocities, geometries, and
temperatures all vary with time. Dividing the stream into
smaller reaches reduces this limitation, but steady state
conditions are still assumed inside each reach. To the extent
that the reach is not steady state, inaccuracies will be
introduced.
Plug flow
Streams aren't really plug flow. The geometries of natural
streams are not regular -- there are wide spots, pools, narrow
chutes, sand bars, rocks -- so the flow doesn't move as a plug.
Limitations
Algae
The model doesn't include algae which are a very
important source of oxygen. Note that the effects of
algae are very dependent on sunlight, which changes
through the day. Modeling algae accurately would
require a nonsteady-state model.

Limitations
Benthic organisms
The model assumes that all the oxygen demand is from
suspended organisms (i.e., bacteria living in the water column
like they were in the BOD bottle). In fact, most natural
bacteria live attached to surfaces in "biofilms" -- slimy
coatings on rocks or soil particles. So a significant portion of
the BOD is due to bottom-dwelling (benthic) organisms. The
effect of benthic demand is especially strong if much of the
organic material is in the form of particles that settle out.
Benthic effects are not included in the model either.
23
Account for DO gain/loss processes


Qr, Lr, Tr Qa, La, Ta
Qw, Lw, Tw
Reaeration Decay
Rate of
Oxygen
accumulated
Rate of
Oxygen
In
Rate of
Oxygen
Out
Rate of
Oxygen
Generated
= - +
Oxygen is introduced into the stream by reaeration
There is no oxygen leaving the stream since we have assumed it is
unsaturated
Dissolved oxygen may be produced in water by algae during
Photosynthesis, but is a swift stream the algae dont have time to
grow and there is no oxygen produced in this way.
Oxygen may be used by microorganisms respiration. This is called
deaeration or deoxygenation
So the new mass balance is





Rate of Oxygen
accumulated
Rate of Oxygen
In
Rate of Oxygen
Out
Rate of Oxygen
Generated
= - +
Rate of Oxygen
accumulated
Rate of Oxygen
In
Rate of Oxygen
consumed
0
= - +
oxygen deficit = D = DO
S
DO
DO
S
= oxygen saturation concentration, a function of temperature of the water,
atmospheric oxygen concentration, and water chemistry



The rate of consumption of DO coincide with rate of BOD degradation



Rate of deaeration = -k
d
L (first order)
k
d
= deaeration constant, function of type of waste, temperature, etc. Units, day
-1

Rate of reaeration = k
r
D (first order)
k
r
= reaeration constant based on characteristics of the stream and the weather
dt
BOD d
t d
D d
t d
DO d ) (
) (
) (
) (
) (
= =
) (
) (
) (
) (
t d
D d
t d
DO d
=
D k L k
t d
D d
r d =
) (
) (
Rate of Oxygen
accumulated
Rate of Oxygen In
(Reaeration)
Rate of Oxygen consumed
(Deaeration)
= -
t k
a
t k t k
d r
a d
r r d
e D e e
k k
L k
D

+

= ) (
Substituting and integrating yields the following equations
0 = =

D k e L k
dt
dD
r
t k
a d
d
t k
a
r
d
c
d
e L
k
k
D

=

=
a d
d r a
d
r
d r
c
L k
k k D
k
k
k k
t
) (
1 ln
1
The time and distance of critical point can be determined by differentiating
above equation with time and setting it equal to zero
q
H
V
k k
d
+ =
Rate Constants
K
d
= Rate constant at 20
o
c, 1/day
V = Average stream velocity, m/s
H = Average depth, m
q= Bed activity Coefficient
At t
0
c
u = 1.056
20
20
) (

=
t
d dt
k k u
| | ( )
2
3
2
1
) 20 (
2
1
025 . 1 9 . 3
H
v
k
T
r

=
K
r
= Rate constant at 20
o
c, 1/day
V = Average stream velocity, m/s
H = Average depth, m