12/5/2020

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering

BOD Degradation &

Streeter Phelps Model
DO Sag Curve

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen
BOD Degradation and Streeter Phelps Model

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen
BOD Degradation and Streeter Phelps Model

• Oxygen to breakdown waste

• Indirect measure of how much waste
• Issue: Impact on aquatic life
• DO Sag: down(?) and up again(?)
• Reoxygenation: transfer O2 from O2 in the
air and the O2 in the water

Biodegradable Organics_BOD

• the BOD of a diluted sample is calculated by

BOD = (DOI – DOF)/P

Where DOI and DOF are the initial and final dissolved-oxygen concentrations
(mg/L) and P is the decimal fraction of the sample in the 300-mL bottle.

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Biodegradable Organics_BOD
The rate at which organics are utilized by microorganisms is assumed to be a
first-order reaction; that is, the rate at which organics utilized is proportional to
the amount available. Mathematically, this can be expressed as follows:

dLt/dt = - kLt

Where Lt (mg/L) is the oxygen equivalent of the organics at time t, and k (d -1) is a
reaction constant.

Lt = Lo e-kt

Lo represents the total oxygen equivalent of the organics at time 0, while Lt

represents the amount remaining at time t, and decays exponentially with time.
Note: L0 is the oxygen equivalent of the total mass of organics.

Biodegradable Organics_BOD

• the amount of oxygen used in the consumption of the organics BODt

The difference between the value Lo and Lt is the oxygen equivalent consumed,
or the BOD exerted, Yt.
= Lo – Lt
= Lo(1 – e-kt)

BOD exerted
And BOD, mg/L of O2
Oxygen equivalent

Lo – Lt = yt

yt

L remaining
Ltt

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Biodegradable Organics_BOD

The value of k determines the speed of the BOD reaction without influencing the
magnitude of the ultimate BOD. Numerical values of k range from about 0.1 to
0.5 d-1 depending on the nature of the organic molecules. Simple compounds
such as sugars and starches are easily utilized by the microorganisms and have a
high k rate, while complex molecules such as phenols are difficult to assimilate
and have low k values.

k
Tap water < 0.1
Lo
surface water 0.1-0.23
k3 > k2
weak municipal wastewater 0.35
BOD, mg/L of O2

k2 > k1
strong municipal wastewater 0.40
treated effluent 0.12-0.23
k1

Time, days

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

Depletion of Dissolved Oxygen: In a river

Oxygen re-enters the water through the air

• A slow process
• If DO levels fall too low, aquatic life can be harmed

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

• (DO) Deficit: How far below the (DO) saturation

• Measure the distance where the Deficit (at a certain point)
• The Deficit is getting smaller: O2 reenters the water, but it is
a slow process; much a longer curve than how much the
bacteria to cause DO to drop.

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

• Using the model to see how far the Deficit: with which the
level will harm the aquatic life.
• Fish kill, etc. and methane start to produce; DO low
enough start anaerobically

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

River DO/BOD ModelIng

When added to river, microbes consume waste

according to first-order kinetics
kc = deoxygenation rate constant (oxygen consumption)
kr=reoxygenation rate constant (oxygen replenishment)

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

• The resupply will depend on the difference Saturation &

Actual.
• The actual depends on how quickly it is being used
• The further away from Saturation line, the more quickly
is resupplying
• When D is small; the slower the resupply

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

Oxygen Balance

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

Oxygen Balance

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

Re/De Oxygenation Rates

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

Streeter-Phelps: Oxygen Deficit as a Function of Time

Combines oxygen consumption and reoxygenation to describe deficit
as a function of time

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

DO: Worst Case Scenario

DO is the lowest?

When reaeration rate just

begin to be greater than
deaeration rate

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Characteristics of the oxygen sag curve

Equilibrium concentration Cs

Dc
Dt

Cumulative oxygen addition;

Dissolved oxygen, mg/L

Slope of line = rR
Ct

Cc

Cumulative oxygen depletion;

Slope of line = rD

t td
Time, days

Characteristics of the oxygen sag curve

Equilibrium concentration Cs
Dissolved oxygen, mg/L

Dc
Dt

Cumulative oxygen addition;

Ct Slope of line = rR

Cc

Cumulative oxygen depletion;

Slope of line = rD
t td
Time, days
The Oxygen deficit, and therefore the oxygen concentration, at
any point in time after the discharge

D = k1 Lo /(k2 – k1) x ( e-k1t – e-k2t) + Doe-k2t

The most important point on the oxygen sag curve is ofen the point of
lowest concentration because this point represents the maximum impact
on the dissolved oxygen due to wastewater discharge (CRITICAL DEFICIT).
Dc = k1 /k2 Lo e-k1tc

Critical oxygen level in the stream and the position at which it occurs can be determined by
involving tc (the time of travel to the point of critical deficit (D c)
tc = 1 /(k2 – k1) x ln {k2/k1(1 – Do [(k2-k1)/k1.Lo] }

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen
Streeter-Phelps Example
1) How far downstream (km) is the lowest DO?
2) What is the DO at that point

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

1) Tmix
2) DOsat
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
DOmix
BODmix
Initial D
tc
Dc
?

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen
Streeter-Phelps Example
1) How far downstream (km) is the lowest DO?
2) What is the DO at that point

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen
Streeter-Phelps Example
1) How far downstream (km) is the lowest DO?
2) What is the DO at that point

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

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EnvE EnviroSeries
Environmental Engineering LectureWQM
Dissolved Oxygen

Applying the BOD sag curve

A municipal wastewater-treatment plant discharges secondary effluent to
a surface stream. The worst conditions are known to occur in the summer
months when stream flow is low and water temperature is high. Under
these conditions, measurements are made in the laboratory and in the field
to determine the characteristics of the wastewater and stream flows.

The wastewater is found to have a minimum flow rate of 15,000 m3/day, a

BOD5 of 40 mg/L, a DO concentration of 2 mg/L, and a temperature of 25
C. the stream (upstream from the point of wastewater discharge) is found
to have a minimum flow rate of 0.5 m3/s, a BOD5 of 3 mg/L, a DO
concentration of 8 mg/L, and a temperature of 22 C. complete mixing of
the wastewater and stream is almost instantaneous, and the velocity of the
mixture is 0.2 m/s. from the flow regime, the reaeration constant is
estimated to be 0.4 day-1 for 20 C conditions.
Sketch the DO profile a 100-km reach of the stream below the discharge.

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Determine characteristics of wastewater-stream mixture.

Qw = 15,000 m3/d = 0.17 m3/s
Qmix = 0.17 + 0.5 = 0.67 m3/s

BODmix ,y mix = (ysQs + ywQw)/(Qs + Qw)

= (3.0 x 0.5 + 40 x 0.17)/(0.67) = 12.4 mg/L

Convert to ultimate BOD (assume k1 = 0.23 for mixture)

Yu = Lo = y/(1 – e-k1t) = 12.4/(1 – e-0.23 x5) = 18.2 mg/L

Dissolved oxygen:
DO mix = (8.0 x 0.5 + 2.0 x 0.17)/(0.67) = 6.5 mg/L

Temperature:
Tmix = (22 x 0.5 + 25 x 0.17)/(0.67) = 22.8o C

Correct reaction constants for temperature.

BOD reaction rate: k 22.8 = k20 (1.04722.8-20) = 0.23 x 1.14 = 0.26 d-1 = k1
Stream reaeration rate: k 22.8 = k20 (1.01622.8-20) = 0.4x 1.05 = 0.42 d-1= k2

Determine initial oxygen deficit Do.

at T = 22.8, the equilibrium concentration of oxygen in fresh water is 8.7; therefore
Do = 8.7 – 6.5 = 2.2 mg/L

Determine the critical deficit and its location.

tc: tc = 1 /(k2 – k1) x ln {k2/k1(1 – Do [(k2-k1)/(k1.Lo)] }
= 1 /(0.42 – 0.26) x ln {0.42/0.26(1 – 2.2 [(0.42-0.26)/(0.26x18.2)] } = 2.5 day

Dc: Dc = k1 /k2 Lo e-k1tc = 0.26 /0.42 x 18.2 e-0.26x2.5 = 5.9 mg/L

This condition will occur at a distance of

X = 0.2 m/s x 86,400 s/d x 2.5 d = 43.2 km downstream from point of discharge

Determine the deficit at points 20, 75, and 100 km fro the point of discharge.
u = 0.2 m/s = 17.3 km/d
t= x km/ u km d-1  t20 = 20/17.3 = 1.16 day
t75 = 75/17.3 = 4.3 day
t100 = 100/17.3 = 5.8 day

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The deficits at these times are:

D20 = (k1 Lo) /(k2 – k1) x ( e-k1t – e-k2t) + Do e-k2t

= (0.26 x 18.2) /(0.42 – 0.26) x ( e-0.26x1.16 – e-0.42x1.16) + 2.2 e-0.42x1.16
= 5.1 mg/L
D75 = 5.2 mg/L
D100 = 4.1 mg/L

The DO concentrations at each point are found to be:

C20 = 8.7 – 5.1 = 3.4 mg/L
C43.2 = 2.8 mg/L
C75 = 3.5 mg/L
C100 = 4.1 mg/L

Equilibrium concentration Cs
8.7
Dissolved oxygen, mg/L

6.5

tc 50
t 25 75 100
Time, days

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Both the position and magnitude of the critical deficit are related to the system
variables (k1, k2, L0, D0, and u).
The time of travel to the critical deficit is influenced more strongly by the values of k1
and k2, while the magnitude of the deficit is most affected by the Lo value.
Not only do heavier loads result in greater deficits, but they extend the influence of the
waste farther downstream.
Heavy loads of organics may result in the development of anaerobic conditions. Under
these conditions, oxygen is transferred in at a high rate but is used up by
facultative organisms that may also be utilizing the organic material produced by
anaerobic metabolism.
In a deep stream, true anaerobic organisms may flourish near the bottom. Only after
the strength of the waste has been sufficiently reduced will aerobic conditions be
restored.
Since anaerobic metabolism is a slow process recovery of an overloaded stream will be
slow and the oxygen sag will extend far downstream.

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WQM in Rivers
The town of X discharges 17,360 m3/day of treated wastewater
into the Creek A. The treated wastewater has a BOD5 of 12 mg/L
and a BOD decay constant, k, of 0,12 day-1 at 20 C. Creek A has a
flow rate of 0.43 m3/s and an ultimate BOD, Lo, of 5.0 mg/L. The
DO of the river is 6.5 mg/L and the DO of the wastewater is 1.0
mg/L. Compute the DO and initial ultimate BOD, Lo, after mixing.

• Qw. DO after mixing, DOmix?

• BODt=Lo (1-e^(-kt))

• Lo  BOD after mixing, La

WQM in Rivers
A stream containing no biochemical oxygen demand (this is a
hypothetical situation and rarely occurs) has a DO of 5.0 mg/L and
a flow rate, Q, of 8.70 m3/s. The temperature of the stream is 18
C. The average velocity in the stream is 0.174 m/s. The average
depth, H, of the stream is 5 m. Determine the reaeration
coefficient, kr, and the rate of reaeration.

• kr = 3.9 u^(1/2)/h^(3/2)  kr-20,

• kr-18?
kr=kr20 (1,024)^(T-20)

• D (Oxygen deficit)?
• Rate of reaeration = kr(D) = kr(DOs-DO)

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WQM in Rivers
Determine the deoxygenation rate constant for the reach of Creek
A below thewastewater outfall (discharge pipe). The average speed,
u, of the stream flow in the creek is 0.03 m/s. The depth, h, is5.0 m
and bed-activity coefficient,n, is 0.35. What is the rate of
deoxygenation, in units of mg/L-day?
(BODu after mixing: 12 mg/L); stream temperature is 20 C)

• kd= k + u/h. η (20C)

• kd= deoxygenation rate; k: BOD rate constant; u: velocity (m/s); h: river
depth (m); η: bed activity: 0.1 (stagnant/deep water)-0.6 (rapidly flowing)
• kd? (20 C) kd-10?

• Lt=12 mg/L  rate of deoxygenation=kd Lt

A city of 200,000 peopledisposes of 1.05m3/s of treated sewage that still has a

BODu of 28 mg/L and 1.8 mg/L of DO into a river. Upstream from the outfall, the
river has aflow rate of 7.08 m3/s and a velocity of 0.37 m/s. At this point,the BODu
and DO in the river are 3.6 and 7.6 mg/L, respectively. The saturation value of DO
(at the temperature of the river) is 8.5 mg/L. The deoxygenation coefficient, kd, is
0.61/day, and the reaeration coefficient, kr, is 0.76/day. Assume complete mixing
and that the velocity in the river is the same upstream and downstream of the
outfall.

1. What is the oxygen deficit and the BODu just downstream from the
outfall(just after mixing, before any reaction can occur?
2. What is the DO 16 km downstream?
3. Calculate the critical time and distance
4. What is the minimum DO?

•1. DOmix?  initial deficit, Da (ok!)

•La,mix?  BOD after mixing, La (ok!)
•2. Time for 16 km (v: 0,37 m/s)  t (ok!)
• Dt= (kd La/(kr-kd)) ((e^(-kd t) – e^(-kr t)) + Da (e^(kr t))
• Dt (ok!)  DO (ok!)

WQM in Rivers

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A city of 200,000 peopledisposes of 1.05m3/s of treated sewage that still has a

BODu of 28 mg/L and 1.8 mg/L of DO into a river. Upstream from the outfall, the
river has aflow rate of 7.08 m3/s and a velocity of 0.37 m/s. At this point,the BODu
and DO in the river are 3.6 and 7.6 mg/L, respectively. The saturation value of DO
(at the temperature of the river) is 8.5 mg/L. The deoxygenation coefficient, kd, is
0.61/day, and the reaeration coefficient, kr, is 0.76/day. Assume complete mixing
and that the velocity in the river is the same upstream and downstream of the
outfall.

1. What is the oxygen deficit and the BODu just downstream from the
outfall(just after mixing, before any reaction can occur?
2. What is the DO 16 km downstream?
3. Calculate the critical time and distance
4. What is the minimum DO?

•3. Critical time, tc:

•tc= 1/(kr-kd) (ln(kr/kd(1-Da(kr-kd)/kd La))
• tc (1.07 days) & velocity (0,37 m/s)  critical distance
•4. Critical deficit, Dt using tc

WQM in Rivers

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