Erosion Of Sewer Sediments Research Articles

Characterization and sources apportionment of overflow pollution in urban separate stormwater systems inappropriately connected with sewage

In recent years, combined sewer overflow (CSO) has been identified as a significant contributor to the deterioration of the urban water environment. It is thought that remolding it to a separate sewer system is a thorough and effective method of controlling the CSO in the appropriate area. However, according to current research, the separate stormwater sewer systems will also have overflow pollution due to functional defects, damaged or inappropriately connected with sewage, which has serious consequences for the separate system's operational efficiencies and the urban water environment. The event mean concentration, first flush effect, source apportionment, and correlation analysis of variables in overflow pollution generated in three residential catchments in Nanning, China, were investigated in this study. The results showed that the event mean concentration values in drainage outlets inappropriately connected with sewage were 2–4 times higher than those in stormwater outlets, especially for NH3–N, TN, and TP. Meanwhile, more than 80% of overflow events at outlets inappropriately connected with sewage had a weak first flush or even a weak dilution effect, with peak pollutant concentrations occurring 40–60 min after the overflow began. Besides, the discharge pollution load was primarily derived from the inside of the sewer. When the rainfall was heavy, the contribution rate of sewer sediment erosion exceeded 60%, which was much higher than the contribution rate of rainfall runoff and sewage. The variability in event mean COD and TSS concentrations was primarily attributed to the antecedent dry period and rainfall intensity. The COD concentration increased from 140.7 to 277.1 mg/L with the increase of antecedent dry period from 3 to 10 days. This study could help guide the implementation of targeted measures to treat overflow pollution in urban residential catchments, as well as the development of strategies to mitigate the effects on receiving water bodies.

Impacts of biological activities on erosion of sewer sediments

Experimental studies were conducted to investigate the influences of biological processes on the erosion behaviour of organic-rich sanitary sewer sediments. The results show that biological activities can make sediments expand and their bulk densities decrease. The experimental results also illustrate that sewer sediment erosion is a very complex process influenced by gravitational consolidation and biostabilisation. Aerobic biological processes can weaken a sediment bed and affect the erosion patterns for sediments rich in volatile solids, whereas the same processes can increase the resistance to erosion of sediments with lower volatile solid contents. Under anaerobic conditions, two sediment layers with different physical properties and erosion-resistance capabilities would form as a result of biological activities. Under low temperature and aerobic conditions, however, gravitational consolidation was identified as the major factor controlling the erosion behaviour of sediments.

Biodegradability of organic matter associated with sewer sediments during first flush

The high pollution load in wastewater at the beginning of a rain event is commonly known to originate from the erosion of sewer sediments due to the increased flow rate under storm weather conditions. It is essential to characterize the biodegradability of organic matter during a storm event in order to quantify the effect it can have further downstream to the receiving water via discharges from Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO). The approach is to characterize the pollutograph during first flush. The pollutograph shows the variation in COD and TSS during a first flush event. These parameters measure the quantity of organic matter present. However these parameters do not indicate detailed information on the biodegradability of the organic matter. Such detailed knowledge can be obtained by dividing the total COD into fractions with different microbial properties. To do so oxygen uptake rate (OUR) measurements on batches of wastewater have shown itself to be a versatile technique. Together with a conceptual understanding of the microbial transformation taking place, OUR measurements lead to the desired fractionation of the COD. OUR results indicated that the highest biodegradability is associated with the initial part of a storm event. The information on physical and biological processes in the sewer can be used to better manage sediment in sewers which can otherwise result in depletion of dissolved oxygen in receiving waters via discharges from CSOs.

Sterols: a tracer of organic matter in combined sewers

The important organic pollution of combined wet weather flows (WWF), its acute impact on receiving waters have been widely demonstrated. The main three possibly origins for this organic pollution are: runoff water (streets and roofs), wastewater and erosion of sewer sediments in combined sewer system. This work, for tracing the origin of organic particles bound in combined sewer system, has been focused on the innovative use of sterols. So, eight sterols have been selected and analysed for each kind of sample. Results are represented in contents of sterols (microg g(-1)) and in sterol profiles (%). The comparison of contents and profiles leads the separation between two groups: runoff water, characterized by the total absence of coprostanol, epicoprostanol and coprostanone, and the group of sewer deposits (gross bed sediment (GBS), organic layer (OL), biofilms) and wastewater. Moreover, sewer deposits and wastewater can be distinguished by their sterol contents and profiles. To evaluate their contribution to WWF a comparison between sterol signatures is done which shows that these effluents have a strong similarity in profiles and in contents of sterols to the organic layer.

Uncertainty assessment of sewer sediment erosion modelling

Urban stormwater quality modelling has become a fundamental issue in the evaluation of the receiving water bodies' quality state. Laboratory study as well as field campaigns have widely demonstrated that combined sewer sediments present cohesive-like properties which increase their resistance to erosion. However, only few models take sewer sediments into account considering their rheological properties. In the present paper different sewer sediment erosion models have been tested and their uncertainties have been assessed. The main goal was to discriminate the algorithms with respect to their robustness and the reduction of uncertainty. In order to accomplish such objective the GLUE methodology has been used. The model has been tested using the quantity-quality data gathered for the Fossolo catchment (Bologna, Italy). Results show a general tendency of sewer sediment erosion models to become overparameterised when trying to fit the complexity of the physical processes thus increasing modelling uncertainty.

Detailed observation and measurement of sewer sediment erosion under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

A greater understanding of the erosion behaviour of sewer sediments is necessary in order to reliably estimate the amount and nature of the sewer sediments released from deposits in sewers and transported either to waste water treatment plants or discharged into the environment. Research has indicated that microbial activity in sediment can influence the physical release of sediment from in-pipe deposits. This paper reports on a series of erosion tests in which sewer sediments from different sewer networks are kept under different environmental conditions and their resistance to erosion is examined. The erosion tests are carried out under aerobic and anaerobic conditions and two temperatures, one representing ambient sewer temperatures and a lower temperature that significantly suppresses bacterial activity.

The erosion of organic solids in combined sewers

Many studies undertaken on urban catchments show, thanks to indirect approaches, that the contribution of eroded sewer sediments to pollution of combined sewer overflows is significant and highly organic. An in situ study of the erosion of sewer sediments has been implemented to validate those results with a direct approach and to observe the processes of erosion. Two experiments have been carried out on a 150 m length of combined sewer in "Le Marais" catchment in Paris, in order to determine the rate of erosion and the nature of the particles eroded by an injection of drinking water in the sewer system. Hydraulic and quality parameters have been measured in situ. Those injections have shown that the rate of erosion is important (maximum rate of 146 g/s) at each stage of the injection, which has been conducted in three stages with a maximum flow of 370 m3/h. The erosion does not only occur locally but happens along the entire length of the section even at low shear stresses (0.5 N/m2). The eroded particles are highly organic (VS = 54-86%) and their loads in volatile solids, COD, BOD5 decrease as the flow increases. So, this work confirms, by direct measurements, that eroded sewer sediments are a significant source of organic matter that contribute to combined sewer overflow.

Origins and characteristics of urban wet weather pollution in combined sewer systems: The experimental urban catchment “Le Marais” in Paris

An experimental urban catchment has been created in the centre of Paris, in order to obtain a description of the pollution of urban wet weather flows at different levels of the combined sewer system, and to estimate the contribution of runoff, waste water and sewer sediments to this pollution. Twenty-two rainfall events were studied from May to October 1996. Dry weather flow was monitored for one week. Roof, street and yard runoff, total flow at the catchment outlet and waste water were analysed for SS, VSS, COD and BODS, on both total and dissolved fraction. Results show an evolution in the characteristics of wet weather flow from up to downstream: concentrations increase from the catchment entry to the outlet, as well as the proportion of particle-bound pollutants and the part of organic matter. A first evaluation of the different sources of pollution establishes that a major part of wet weather flow pollution originates from inside the combined sewer, probably through erosion of sewer sediments.

Origins and characteristics of urban wet weather pollution in combined sewer systems: the experimental urban catchment “Le Marais” in Paris

An experimental urban catchment has been created in the centre of Paris, in order to obtain a description of the pollution of urban wet weather flows at different levels of the combined sewer system, and to estimate the contribution of runoff, waste water and sewer sediments to this pollution. Twenty-two rainfall events were studied from May to October 1996. Dry weather flow was monitored for one week. Roof, street and yard runoff, total flow at the catchment outlet and waste water were analysed for SS, VSS, COD and BOD5, on both total and dissolved fraction. Results show an evolution in the characteristics of wet weather flow from up to downstream: concentrations increase from the catchment entry to the outlet, as well as the proportion of particle-bound pollutants and the part of organic matter. A first evaluation of the different sources of pollution establishes that a major part of wet weather flow pollution originates from inside the combined sewer, probably through erosion of sewer sediments.

A conceptual CSO emission model: SEWSIM

CSO emission is widely considered a significant pollution source to receiving waters in urban areas. The existing deterministic sewer models are not able to predict CSO emission effectively. In this study, a conceptual CSO emission model SEWSIM has been developed using a powerful programming package MATLAB and SIMULINK. A sewer system consisting of an impervious catchment and a sewer network is schematised as two linear dynamic reservoirs. The following physical processes are conceptually modelled: rainfall-runoff; surface solids buildup and washoff; sewer sediment erosion and deposition. The model is suitable for both event-based and continuous simulations. Some simulation results demonstrate that SEWSIM predicts pollution load of CSO emission more effectively than deterministic models.

A conceptual CSO emission model: SEWSIM

CSO emission is widely considered a significant pollution source to receiving waters in urban areas. The existing deterministic sewer models are not able to predict CSO emission effectively. In this study, a conceptual CSO emission model SEWSIM has been developed using a powerful programming package MATLAB and SIMULINK. A sewer system consisting of an impervious catchment and a sewer network is schematised as two linear dynamic reservoirs. The following physical processes are conceptually modelled: rainfall-runoff; surface solids buildup and washoff; sewer sediment erosion and deposition. The model is suitable for both event-based and continuous simulations. Some simulation results demonstrate that SEWSIM predicts pollution load of CSO emission more effectively than deterministic models.

Mechanics of sewer sediment erosion and transport

Knowledge about the behaviour and effects of solids in sewer systems has advanced considerably in the past decade, with new guidance for the control of sewer solids and associated pollutants emergi...

Organic near-bed fluid and particulate transport in combined sewers

Studies in Germany, Belgium, France and Scotland have revealed that there are significant solids transport gradients in the depth of foul and combined sewage flows. Continuous field observations of changes in depths of sediment deposits in combined sewers have also indicated that there is an interaction between the erosion and deposition processes and changes in the mass transport of solids in regions in the overlying flow. A fuller understanding of the interactive phenomena is essential for both sewer sediment management and the minimization of associated pollution from wash-out of solids via CSOs. The paper presents results from the detailed studies in Hildesheim, Germany and those carried out in Dundee, Scotland, investigating the heterogeneity of solids movement with regard to gross solids, erosion of sewer sediments and their interactions with the suspended transport phases and the layer of very dense fluid found to be transported under certain circumstances, near the sediment bed or sewer invert (traditionally called ‘bed-load’).

Organic near-bed fluid and particulate transport in combined sewers

Studies in Germany, Belgium, France and Scotland have revealed that there are significant solids transport gradients in the depth of foul and combined sewage flows. Continuous field observations of changes in depths of sediment deposits in combined sewers have also indicated that there is an interaction between the erosion and deposition processes and changes to the mass transport of solids in regions in the overlying flow. A fuller understanding of the interactive phenomena is essential for both sewer sediment management and the minimization of associated pollution from wash-out of solids via CSOs. The paper presents results from the detailed studies in Hildesheim, Germany and those carried out in Dundee, Scotland, investigating the heterogeneity of solids movement with regard to gross solids, erosion of sewer sediments and their interactions with the suspended transport phases and the layer of very dense fluid found to be transported under certain circumstances, near the sediment bed or sewer invert (traditionally called ‘bed-load’).