TEST 2

ANSWER SCHEME

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
(BFC 32403)

SEMESTER II SESSION 2013/2014

7 MAY 2014
 TEST 2 BFC 32403 ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Q1. (a) State the purpose of disinfection process.

(2 marks)

(b) Briefly explain how alum works in the coagulation process.

(3 marks)

(c) The Parit Raja Water Treatment Plant has an existing horizontal-flow sedimentation
tank with an overflow rate of 0.90 cm/s to remove particles that has settling
velocities of 3.2 mm/s. Calculate the percentage of removal should be expected for
each particle in an ideal sedimentation tank.
(2 marks)

(d) If a 1.5 m3/s flow water treatment plant uses 10 sedimentation basins with an
overflow rate of 15 m3/d.m2, what should be the surface area (m2) of each tank?
(3 marks)

Q2. (a) Differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic digestion of wastewater.

(4 marks)

(b) Determine the average biomass concentration in a conventional activated sludge

reactor under the following conditions;

Flow = 18,300 m3/d

Influent BOD = 180 mg/L
Effluent BOD = 10 mg/L
Cell yield coefficient = 0.8 mgVSS/mgBOD removed
Endogenous decay coefficient = 0.04/day
Tank volume = 6200 m3
Mean cell resident time = 8 days

θ c ( Y ) ( S o−S e )
Given; X =
θ ( 1+k d θc )
(6 marks)

Q3. (a) List TWO (2) functions of screening process in wastewater treatment.
(2 marks)

(b) Briefly explain ONE (1) role of microbial in wastewater and ONE (1) factor that
influence microbial growth.
(2 marks)

(c) Two primary settling tanks are 29 m in diameter with a 2.1 m side water depth.
Single effluent weirs are located on the peripheries of the tank. Assume that the weir
length is equal to circumference of both tanks. For an average design flow of 32,000
m3/d and peak flow of 58000 m3/d. Calculate:
(i) Overflow rate
(ii) Detention time
(iii) Weir loading
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 TEST 2 BFC 32403 ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

(6 marks)
ANSWER SCHEME

Q1. (a) State the purpose of disinfection process.

(2 marks)
To reduce harmful pathogens (disease –producing microorganism) to an acceptable
level.

(b) Briefly explain how alum works in the coagulation process.

(3 marks)

Al2(SO4)314H2O  2Al3++ 3SO42-+ 14H2O

2Al3+ + colloids  neutralize surface charge
2Al3+ + 6HCO3- 2Al(OH)3(s) + 6CO2
If insufficient bicarbonate is available:
Al2(SO4)314H2O 2Al(OH)3(s) + 3H2SO4-+ 14H2O
Optimum pH: 5.5 to 6.5
Operating pH: 5 to 8

Or:
Neutralize  Destabilize  Flocculate

(c) The Parit Raja Water Treatment Plant has an existing horizontal-flow sedimentation
tank with an overflow rate of 0.90 cm/s to remove particles that has settling
velocities of 3.2 mm/s. Calculate the percentage of removal should be expected for
each particle in an ideal sedimentation tank.
(2 marks)

Given: Vp = 3.2 mm/s; Vo = 0.90 cm/s

Solution:
3 .2 mm /s
V p= =0 .32 cm/s
10 mm/cm (1 mark)
0 .32
x100 %=35 .6 %
% Removal= 0. 90 (1 mark)

(di) If a 1.5 m3/s flow water treatment plant uses 10 sedimentation basins with an
overflow rate of 15 m3/d.m2, what should be the surface area (m2) of each tank?
(3 marks)

Given: Q= 1.5 m3/s, 10 sedimentation basins, Vo = 15 m3/d.m2

Solution:
a) Convert flow rate to same units

Q=(1. 5 m3 /s)(86400 s/d )=129 , 600 m3 /d (1 mark)

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 TEST 2 BFC 32403 ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

3
129 ,600 m /d
=12 , 960 m3 /day . tan k
10 tan ks (1 mark)

12 , 960 m3 /d
As= 3 2
=864 m 2
15 m /d . m (1 mark)

Q2. (a) Differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic digestion of wastewater.

(4 marks)

Aerobic Digestion
– Occurs in the presence of oxygen
– Organic material oxidized aerobically by microbes resulting in large production of
new cells generating sludge (dead and living cells)
– Aerobic digestion is only suitable for low strength wastewater (ie < 500 mg/l
BOD).
(2 marks)

Anaeerobic Digestion (AnD)

– Occurs in the absence of oxygen. This process is also called fermentation
– It is a two step process;
» First, complex organic compounds are fermented to low-molecular weight
volatile fatty acids (VFA)
» Secondly, the organic acids are convened to methane (CH4)
– AnD yields CO2, CH4 and H2O as major end products
(2 marks)

(b) Determine the average biomass concentration in a conventional activated sludge

reactor under the following conditions;

Flow = 18,300 m3/d

Influent BOD = 180 mg/L
Effluent BOD = 10 mg/L
Cell yield coefficient = 0.8 mgVSS/mgBOD removed
Endogenous decay coefficient = 0.04/day
Tank volume = 6200 m3
Mean cell resident time = 8 days

θ c ( Y ) ( S o−S e )
Given; X =
θ ( 1+k d θc )
(6 marks)

But HRT,  = V = 6200 m3 = 0.34 days (2 marks)

Q 18,300 m3/day

8 x 0.8(180−10)
Therefore, X = (2 marks)
0.34 ( 1+[0.04 x 8])
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 TEST 2 BFC 32403 ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

= 1088/0.4488 (1 mark)

= 2424 mg/L (1 mark)

Q3. (a) List TWO (2) functions of screening process in wastewater treatment
(2 marks)
to remove large floating material
to protect downstream mechanical equipment (pumps).

(b) Briefly explain ONE (1) role of microbial in wastewater and ONE (1) factor that
influence microbial growth.

(2 marks)
Microbes will convert colloidal and dissolved organic matter into gases and protoplasm
(1 mark)

Factors affecting;- any of these factors namely, DO, temp, pH.

(1 mark)

(c) Two primary settling tanks are 29m in diameter with a 2.1m side water depth.
Single effluent weirs are located on the peripheries of the tank. Assume that the weir
length is equal to circumference of both tanks. For an average design flow of 32000 m3/d
and peak flow of 58000 m3/d.
Calculate
(i) Overflow rate
(ii) Detention time
(iii) Weir loading
(6 marks)

Solution:

(i) Calculating surface area and volume

Surface area= 2Πr2= 2 x 3.14 x (29/2)2

= 1320.4 m2……………(1 mark)

Volume = 1320.37 m2 x 2.1m = 2772.8 m3 …………(1 mark)

Overflow

V0 (average design flow) = 32000/1320.4

= 24.24 m3/m2.d…………….(1 mark)

V0 (peak flow) = 58000/1320.4

= 43.93 m3/m2.d……………..(1 mark)

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 TEST 2 BFC 32403 ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

(ii) Detention time

t= V/Q
= 2772.8 m3/32000 m3/d
= 0.09 d
=0.09 x 24hr = 2.1 hr…………………(1 mark)

(iii)Weir Loading

Weir loading = Q/ 2Πd

= 32000/ 2 x 3.14 x 29
= 175.7 m3/m.d………………..(1 mark)

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TEST 2 BFC 32403 ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING