OxidationDitch(OD)DesignConsiderationsExcerptfromSmallTownsandRuralAridAreasWater

SupplyandSanitationProject(ADBTA4853SRI),FinalReport,Annex1UrbanWaterSupplyand
SanitationTechnicalStandardsandOptions,InassociationwithIDPConsultInc.,March2008.

ProcessDesignandPhysicalConsiderations

TheOxidationDitchprocessisaversionoftheactivatedsludgeprocessinwhichthe
wastewaterissubjectedtoanextendedperiodofaeration.Primarysedimentationtanksare
notrequired,butscreeningandgritremovaloftherawwastewatershouldbeincludedto
avoiddifficultieswiththecloggingofpipeworkandpumps.Afinalsedimentationtankis
neededforthemixedliquorthatcomesfromtheaerationditchtoseparateoutthesludge.
Theclarifiedeffluentfromthesedimentationtankisthetreatedeffluentfromtheditch
system.Becauselittlebacterialreductiontakesplaceintheaerationprocess,theeffluent
usuallyrequiredtertiarytreatmentfordisinfectionbeforefinaldisposal.

Theditchisconstructedintheformofanendlesschannelfittedwithmechanical
aerators.Theusualshapeoftheditchisovalinplanwitharectangularshapedcrosssection.
Itisnormaltoconstructtheditchinreinforcedconcrete,butsimpler,lessexpensive
optionscanbeconsideredtosuitlocalconditions.Thestandardwidthofchannelis2.0to
6.0mandtheusualwaterdepthis1.0to3.0m.Itiscommontoprovidetwochannelsto
allowmaintenancetobecarriedout,butthevolumeoftheanticipated2030flowsfromthe
proposedseweredareasintheProjectTownsdonotwarranttwinchannels.Itisintendedto
providetherequiredretentionvolumeinasingleditchchannel.

Theaeratorsprovidethenecessaryoxygenfortreatment,mixtheactivatedsludge
withtheincomingrawwastewater,andimpartaflowvelocitytothemixedliquor.Theflow
velocityissufficienttoretainthesolidsinsuspensionintheditch.Theusualtypeofaerators
arebrushrotorsfittedonahorizontalaxis.

Thefinalsedimentationtankisnormallyacircular,radialflowtankconstructedin
reinforcedconcrete.Thetankisfittedwithrotatingscraperstoguidethesettledsludgeintoa
centralhopperforremovalfromthetankbyhydrostatichead.Partofthesludgethatis
withdrawnfromthesedimentationtankisreturnedtotheaerationditchasactivatedsludge,
whiletheexcesssludgedisposedof.

Theextendedlengthofaerationintheditchprovideseffectiveoxidationoftheorganic
matterandresultsinastablesludgethatneedsnofurthertreatment.Itcanbedischarged
directlytodryingbedsforairdryingwithoutfearofnuisance.However,itisnormaltothicken
thesludgeinathickeningtankbeforedischargingittodryingbeds.Thethickeningprocess
reducesthevolumeofthesludgethathastobedriedand,hence,reducestheareaofdrying
bedsthatareneeded.

DesignParameters

Thedesignparametersthatareusedforthedesignofanaerationditchsystemare
usuallygivenasarangeofvalues.Theactualvalueoftheparameterthatisusedfordesign
isdependentuponlocalconditionsandonthequalityoftreatmentthatisrequired.Ranges
ofcommonvaluesforthemostrelevantdesignparametersareshownonthefollowingtable.

ParameterUnitRange

SludgeLoading(F:M)Factor kgBOD/kgMLSS0.050.15
MLSSmg/l 2,0005,000
RecycleRatio 0.751.50
RetentionatADWF Hours2448
BODRemoval% 9095
SludgeAgeDays 1220
Sludgeproduction kgDS/kgBOD/d0.70.8
OxygenRequirement kgO2/kgBOD/d1.82.2

TreatmentEfficiency

Anoxidationditchsystemcouldprovideaneffluentthatcanreliablycomplywith
almostallofthelimitsintheproposedrevisedNationalEnvironmentalRegulations.The
mostsignificantexceptionisthefecalcoliform(FC)standard.Becauseconventional
treatmentplantsarenotdesignedforthereductionorremovalofmicroorganisms,the
efficiencyoftheremovaloffecalcoliformsinanoxidationditchsystemisverypoor.

InordertocomplywiththeFCcriteriaintheproposedCEARegulations,theeffluent
fromanoxidationditchwouldneedtobegiventertiarytreatmentintheformofdisinfection.
Disinfectionistheprocessofthereductionofpathogensofconcerntohumansandanimals
toacceptablelevelsofrisksoftransmissionofdiseases.Thedisinfectionmethodsthatare
generallyconsideredforuseconsistofchemicalmethods(chlorine,chlorinedioxideand
ozone),physicalmethods(UVirradiationandmembranemicrofiltration),andbiological
methods(ponds).

Inrelationtospecificdisinfectionmethodsanumberofconclusionshavebeen
reachedthroughresearchstudies.Briefly,theeffectivenessofchlorinefortheinactivationof
viruses,helminthsandprotozoaislowerthanforbacteriaanddependstoalargeextenton
havingtheappropriateconditions,viz.optimumpH,adequatechlorinecontacttime,andlow
levelsofammoniaandsuspendedsolids.Ultravioletirradiationiseffectivefordisinfectionof
bacteriaandviruses,buthasyettobefullyassessedforinactivationofprotozoaand
helminths.Maturationpondswith34pondsinseries,givinganoverallretentiontimeofat
leasttwentydays,willnotentirelyeradicatefecalcoliforms,butwillreducetheirnumbersto
acceptablelevels.Pondswillalsoreducehelmintheggsandprotozoalcyststoundetectable
levels.

Wherethereisinsufficientlandavailablefortheconstructionofmaturationponds,the
mostcommonlyuseddisinfectionmethodischlorination.