Temperature Stratification in an Operational Waste-Stabilization Pond
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 6
Abstract
Waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) rely on natural processes to improve water quality. WSPs require less capital or operational resources than traditional treatment and are commonly used in rural communities or for secondary disinfection. Typically, WSPs designs use empirical equations without three-dimensional (3D) circulation, thermal stratification, or varying water levels. In the present study, a 3D numerical model (Delft3D version 4.04) was applied combined with observations of an operational WSP for nine months (May–November 2017). After calibrating light attenuation and eddy viscosity, model results were in agreement with temperature profiles at five locations, with an average root mean square errors of 1.3°C. The results indicate minimal effects from inflows temperatures and vertical temperature differences of up to 8.0°C between the surface and bed, which inhibited vertical mixing. The buoyancy frequency, a measure of density stratification, was inversely proportional to wind speed and was used to determine that the threshold wind speed required for mixing varied seasonally between 1 and . The results from a simulated tracer indicate that empirical methods for estimating hydraulic retention times—the average length of time water remains in a WSP—are inaccurate and varied by an average of 22% from the simulated tracer.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all of the data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the contributions of the Loyalist Township staff for their assistance with sampling, technical background, and site information. Computations were performed with resources provided by the Centre for Advanced Computing (CAC) at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. This work was supported by the Queen’s University Research Leaders Fund, Queen’s Engineering Dean’s Graduate Research Award, NSERC Collaborative Research and Development Grant, NSERC Undergraduate student research award, NSERC Discovery Grants program, and NSERC Canada Research Chairs Program.
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 6 • June 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 10, 2020
Accepted: Dec 31, 2020
Published online: Mar 25, 2021
Published in print: Jun 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Aug 25, 2021
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