Abstract
Understanding hydrogen sulfide () emission into sewer air space and the rate of ventilation to the atmosphere is important in preventing/mitigating odor and corrosion problems in sewer systems. This study presents the results of a field monitoring program on the air pressure and levels in a 3-km-long sanitary sewer system in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, which has drop structures in the upstream section and a pump station in the downstream section. Nineteen manholes were monitored, including six drop structures. A positive correlation was found between the sewage flow rate and the observed diurnal patterns of air pressure and concentration. Drop structures were found to have caused significant pressurization in the downstream sewer air space. More than 1 km of the trunk sewer upstream of the pump station was submerged due to the pump station operation. This reduces flow velocity, increases sewage retention time, and potentially enhances the generation of . A unique pressure pattern was found at several locations upstream of the pump station, which was closely related to the sewage level variation in the wet-well as a result of pump operations. The results reveal the ventilation condition in the study sewer system and will be useful for developing sewer odor mitigation measures.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the City of Edmonton, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada, and the China Scholarship Council (CSC). The authors would also like to acknowledge Perry Fedun for technical assistance, and Yiyi Ma, Haoming Yang, Jiafang Wei, Letian Sun, Zhi Yang, Linsey Lawson, and Amy Swanson for their assistance in the fieldwork.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 144 • Issue 3 • March 2018
Copyright
©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 10, 2017
Accepted: Sep 1, 2017
Published online: Jan 16, 2018
Published in print: Mar 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Jun 16, 2018
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Aerospace engineering
- Architectural engineering
- Building systems
- Chemical compounds
- Chemicals
- Chemistry
- Drop structures
- Engineering fundamentals
- Environmental engineering
- Field tests
- HVAC
- Infrastructure
- Lifeline systems
- Odors
- Pollutants
- Pumping stations
- Salts
- Sewers
- Space exploration
- Space stations
- Structural engineering
- Structures (by type)
- Sulfides
- Tests (by type)
- Ventilation
- Water and water resources
- Water management
- Water supply
- Water supply systems
Authors
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