Numerical Modelling of Waste Stabilization Ponds: Where Do We Stand?

Waste stabilization pond (WSP) technology has been an active area of research for the last three decades. In spite of its relative simplicity of design, operation and maintenance, the various processes taking place in WSP have not been entirely quantified. Lately, modelling has served as an important, low-cost tool for a better description and an improved understanding of the system. Although several papers on individual pond models have been published, there is no specific review on different models developed so far. This paper aims at filling this gap. Models are compared by focussing on their key features like the presence and comprehensiveness of a water quality sub-model in terms of aerobic/anoxic and anaerobic carbon removal and nutrient removal; the type of hydraulic sub-model used (0D, 1D, 2D or 3D); the software used for implementation and simulation; and whether or not sensitivity analysis, calibration and validation were done. This paper also recommends future directions of research in this area. In-depth study of the published models reveals a clear evolution over time in the concept of modelling, from just hydraulic empirical models to 3D ones and from simple first-order water quality models to complex ones which describe key biochemical processes as a set of mathematical equations. Due to the inherent complexity, models tend to focus only on specific aspects whilst ignoring or simplifying others. For instance, many models have been developed that either focus solely on hydrodynamics or solely on biochemical processes. Models which integrate both aspects in detail are still rare. Furthermore, it is evident from the review of the different models that calibration and validation with full-scale WSP data is also scarce. Hence, we believe that there is a need for the development of a comprehensive, calibrated model for waste stabilization ponds that can reliably serve as a support tool for the improvement and optimization of pond design and performance.

[1]  D. Birchall,et al.  Computational Fluid Dynamics , 2020, Radial Flow Turbocompressors.

[2]  M. Sperling.  Modelling of coliform removal in 186 facultative and maturation ponds around the world. , 2005 .

[3]  J. Vasel,et al.  Hydrodynamic studies and modelization for aerated lagoons and waste stabilization ponds , 1998 .

[4]  S. Jørgensen,et al.  Modelling Nitrogen Transformation and Removal in Primary Facultative Ponds , 2002 .

[5]  P Reichert,et al.  River Water Quality Model no. 1 (RWQM1): II. Biochemical process equations. , 2001, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[6]  Guenter Langergraber,et al.  CWM1: a general model to describe biokinetic processes in subsurface flow constructed wetlands. , 2009, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[7]  Jurg Keller,et al.  Two dimensional computational fluid dynamic models for waste stabilisation ponds , 1998 .

[8]  C. Polprasert,et al.  A facultative pond model incorporating biofilm activity , 1994 .

[9]  F. Kargı,et al.  A dynamic mathematical model for wastewater stabilization ponds , 2005 .

[10]  Dale E. Seborg,et al.  Application of steady-state and dynamic modeling for the prediction of the BOD of an aerated lagoon at a pulp and paper mill Part II. Nonlinear approaches , 2004 .

[11]  C. T. Ta,et al.  Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic modelling of a facultative lagoon , 2000 .

[12]  Sven Erik Jørgensen,et al.  Modelling diurnal variation of dissolved oxygen in waste stabilization ponds , 2000 .

[13]  S. Heaven,et al.  A computer simulation of the oxygen balance in a cold climate winter storage WSP during the critical spring warm-up period. , 2003, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[14]  R. Wilhelm,et al.  Boundary conditions of flow reactor , 1995 .

[15]  Hamdy Seif,et al.  Study of waste stabilization pond geometry for the wastewater treatment efficiency , 2006 .

[16]  R. Davies‐Colley,et al.  Modelling sunlight disinfection in a high rate pond , 2004 .

[17]  Heinz G. Stefan,et al.  Stratification dynamics in wastewater stabilization ponds , 1995 .

[18]  G J Aldana,et al.  The development and calibration of a physical model to assist in optimising the hydraulic performance and design of maturation ponds. , 2005, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[19]  George Tchobanoglous,et al.  Sludge accumulation, characteristics, and pathogen inactivation in four primary waste stabilization ponds in central Mexico. , 2004, Water research.

[20]  H Jupsin,et al.  Dynamic mathematical model of high rate algal ponds (HRAP). , 2003, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[21]  Norbert Gilbert,et al.  Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) , 2003 .

[22]  Martha Salcudean,et al.  Computational modelling of large aerated lagoon hydraulics. , 2007, Water research.

[23]  Milton Mori,et al.  Application of steady-state and dynamic modeling for the prediction of the BOD of an aerated lagoon , 2004 .

[24]  Weeratunge Malalasekera,et al.  An introduction to computational fluid dynamics - the finite volume method , 2007 .

[25]  C T Ta,et al.  The spatial significance of water quality indicators in waste stabilization ponds--limitations of residence time distribution analysis in predicting treatment efficiency. , 2003, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[26]  V. Nguyen,et al.  Uncertainty modeling of facultative aerated lagoon systems , 1989 .

[27]  J Harrison,et al.  Integration of coliform decay within a CFD (computational fluid dynamic) model of a waste stabilisation pond. , 2003, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[28]  Hikmet Toprak.  Empirical modelling of sedimentation which occurs in anaerobic waste stabilization ponds using a lab-scale semi-continuous reactor , 1994 .

[29]  Paul F. Greenfield,et al.  Computational fluid dynamic modelling of wastewater ponds to improve design , 1995 .

[30]  Denis Dochain,et al.  Dynamical modelling of a waste stabilisation pond , 2003, Bioprocess and biosystems engineering.

[31]  G A Ekama,et al.  Tracking the inorganic suspended solids through biological treatment units of wastewater treatment plants. , 2006, Water research.

[32]  E. Middlebrooks,et al.  Nitrogen removal in aerated lagoons , 1983 .

[33]  J. F. Wehner.  Boundary conditions of flow reactor: J. F. Wehner and R. H. Wilhelm, Chem. Engng Sci.6: 89–93, 1956 , 1995 .

[34]  J. Agunwamba,et al.  Prediction of the dispersion number in waste stabilization ponds , 1992 .

[35]  D D Mara,et al.  CFD (computational fluid dynamics) modelling of baffles for optimizing tropical waste stabilization pond systems. , 2005, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[36]  D D Mara,et al.  Application of CFD modelling to study the hydrodynamics of various anaerobic pond configurations. , 2003, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[37]  H. O. Buhr,et al.  A dynamic model of the high-rate algal-bacterial wastewater treatment pond , 1983 .

[38]  J. Moreno-Clavel,et al.  A mathematical model for waste water stabilization ponds with macrophytes and microphytes , 1996 .

[39]  M. von Sperling.  Modelling of coliform removal in 186 facultative and maturation ponds around the world. , 2005, Water research.

[40]  Jian-feng Peng,et al.  Modeling N transformation and removal in a duckweed pond: Model development and calibration , 2007 .

[41]  W. Gujer,et al.  Activated sludge model No. 3 , 1995 .

[42]  3 D-CFD Modelling of E . coli Removal in Baffled Primary Facultative Ponds : Classical Design Optimization , 2006 .

[43]  Y. Comeau,et al.  A time series model for influent temperature estimation: application to dynamic temperature modelling of an aerated lagoon. , 2008, Water research.

[44]  D G Sweeney,et al.  Profiling and modelling of thermal changes in a large waste stabilisation pond. , 2005, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[45]  Piet N.L. Lens,et al.  3D model for a secondary facultative pond , 2011 .

[46]  Maria D. Moreno.  A tracer study of the hydraulics of facultative stabilization ponds , 1990 .