SHOULD WASTE STABILIZATION PONDS BE DESIGNED FOR PERFECT-MIXING OR PLUG-FLOW

The effect of the hydraulic flow pattern on the performance of Waste Stabilization Ponds is analyzed by modelling. The analysis is made on two parameters with different removal constants (Bacteria and BOD) and for the cases of steady hydraulic loading and when hydraulic loading changes on weekends. Plug-flow ponds perform much better than perfect mixed ones for removal of parameters with high removal constants such as bacteria. Plug-flow and perfect-mixed ponds perform very similarly when the removal constant is low as for BOD. Changes in the hydraulic loading regime due to weekend effect do not modify the variability of outflow quality from plug-flow ponds. These changes do affect the variability of outflow quality from perfect mixed ponds only in the case of parameters with high removal constants such as bacteria. Polishing ponds intended for bacterial removal should be designed for plug-flow. Facultative ponds intended for BOD removal may be designed for perfect mixed, partial mixed or plug-flow. Several small ponds with short residence time located in series, or the parcellation of a single big pond with widely spaced baffles, would avoid short circuiting of effluents between inlet and outlet. However, this design does not assure a plug-flow pattern, and it may lead to the formation of dead areas and the reduction of the actual residence time of effluents within the system.