Upgrading of waste stabilization pond to baffled reactor for domestic wastewater treatment

Abstract

This chapter provides a comparison of the performance of three baffled reactors used for waste stabilization pond (WSP) upgrading scheme in Malaysia. Three laboratory-scaled baffled reactors were constructed with the liquid volume of 90, 40, and 90 liters, respectively. The different types of operating conditions were applied to each reactor, which was aerobic for reactor A, anaerobic for reactor B, and anoxic for reactor C. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) was monitored with variation in hydraulic retention time (HRT) from 1 to 5 days on plug-flow system. Tracer study was also conducted to observe the flow regime using lithium chloride. In reactor A, 89% of COD was removed at HRT of 2.5 days, and 75% COD removed for 1 day HRT. In reactor B, 50% of COD was removed at 2.5 days HRT and 25% of one day HRT. In reactor C, 91% COD was removed at HRT of two days and 76% at HRT of 1 day. WSP is one of the treatment systems, which is widely used to serve urban population ranging from 5,000 to 450,000 in Malaysia. The effluent quality required by the authority can be achieved by the rehabilitation and upgradation of the scheme of WSP.