Correlation of combined sewer overflow reduction due to real-time control and resulting effect on the oxygen concentration in the river

Real-time control of the sewer system is a frequently applied measure for the abatement of pollution caused by urban runoff in the receiving water. Although the goal is an improvement of the water quality the actual aim of real-time control is usually formulated as the reduction/avoidance of combined sewer overflow. However, testing a virtual drainage system by means of a three-month rain series, hardly any correlation between the combined sewer overflow reduction and the resulting effect on the oxygen concentration in the river has been found. The efficiency of real-time control for pollution abatement by means of artificial performance criteria has to be doubted.     

A CFD Modeling Approach for Municipal Sewer System Design Optimization to Minimize Emissions into Receiving Water Body

The design of the urban sewage system is site specific, and it makes the use of three-dimensional (3D) model an alternative to a field study or a laboratory experiment. However, the use of 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in the study of the urban sewage system has been generally limited to the study of a single structural component with simplified assumptions. In this study, the 3D model that adopted the renormalized group (RNG) k-ε turbulence model, the volume of fluid (VOF) free water surface model and the particle tracking approach was verified comparing the predicted flow field data with the measurements in laboratory scale experiments. Then, the model was applied to optimize the design of the combined sewer system (CSS) in the city of Edmonton with multiple hydraulic structures. Considering the details of predicted flow characteristics and the behaviors of the suspended solids, the final design was chosen and implemented to reduce the water pollution induced by the direct combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharge to the receiving water body. It is shown that the proposed 3D CFD modeling approach is a cost-effective tool to design the municipal sewer system.     

Measurement of flow velocity profiles in tank structures using the prototype device OCM Pro LR

Generally, studies investigating the treatment efficiency of tank structures for storm water or waste water treatment observe pollutant flows in connection with conditions of hydraulic loading. Further investigations evaluate internal processes in tank structures using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modelling or lab scale tests. As flow paths inside of tank structures have a considerable influence on the treatment efficiency, flow velocity profile (FVP) measurements can provide a possibility to calibrate CFD models and contribute to a better understanding of pollutant transport processes in these structures. This study focuses on tests carried out with the prototype FVP measurement device OCM Pro LR by NIVUS in a sedimentation tank with combined sewer overflow (CSO) situated in Petange, Luxembourg. The OCM Pro LR measurement system analyses the echo of ultrasonic signals of different flow depths to get a detailed FVP. A comparison of flow velocity measured by OCM Pro LR with a vane measurement showed good conformity. The FVPs measured by OCM Pro LR point out shortcut flows within the tank structure during CSO events, which could cause a reduction of the cleaning efficiency of the structure. The results prove the applicability of FVP measurements in large-scale structures.     

Monitoring in inline storage sewers for stormwater treatment to determine efficiencies.

A special structure of combined sewer overflow tanks is the inline storage sewer with downstream discharge (SKU). This layout has the advantage that besides the sewer system, no other structures are required for storm water treatment. Consequently only very little space is required and compared to combined sewer overflow tanks, there is an enormous potential in reducing costs during construction. To investigate the efficiency of an inline storage sewer, a monitoring station was established in Dortmund-Scharnhorst, Germany. The monitoring station was in operation for a period of 2.5 years. Within this period water samples were taken during a total of 20 discharge events. Besides the complete hydraulic data collection, seven water samplers took more than 5,000 water samples during dry and wet weather. This adds up to a total of more than 20,000 individual lab analyses. The average of the total efficiency for the SKU-West is 86%. 29% of this efficiency can be attributed to the throttle flow. The remaining 57% can be divided into a part of 48% that can be attributed to the process storage and 9% that can be attributed to sedimentation and erosion process.     

Quantification of pollution loads from CSOs into surface water bodies by means of online techniques.

Based on novel technologies, a modular online monitoring station suitable for continuous application in sewer networks, wastewater treatment plants and receiving water bodies has been designed. The monitoring station serves as the backbone of a water quality pilot network. As one part of this network a sewer monitoring station has been installed at a combined sewer overflow in Graz to quantify pollution concentrations and loads in the combined sewer and into the receiving water and is operated since October 2002. The design and equipment of the measurement station and first operating experiences and results are given in this paper.     

Solids separation efficiency of combined sewer overflows.

The removal of sewer solids at combined sewer overflow locations depends on the flow patterns inside the overflow structure on the one hand and on the sediment characteristics on the other hand. Flow conditions can be described by the residence time distribution; sewer sediments can be characterised by their settling velocity distribution. The combination of both distributions leads to a dimensionless efficiency curve, which gives the removal efficiency as a function of the Hazen number. For field conditions this efficiency curve is mainly influenced by the settling velocity distribution of the sewer sediments and, as a consequence, nearly identical efficiency curves are found for different types of prototype CSO structure. For design purposes, a methodology using return frequency analysis is proposed.     

分流制雨水与合流制溢流水质的比较

排水管道系统是城市基础设施的重要组成部分,它的完善程度影响着整个污水处理和水污染控制系统的运行状况和效率.而排水体制的选择需要结合当地的地形、降雨类型、管理情况等实际情况出发,综合分析确定.从实测数据和理论计算两个方面对分流制雨水和合流制溢流的浓度和污染负荷量进行了初步的比较,简要地讨论了两种排水系统的适用条件,为排水体制的选择和城市水污染控制的战略决策提供参考.     

Real-time control of sewer systems using turbidity measurements

Real-time control (RTC) of urban drainage systems has been proven useful as a means to reduce pollution by combined sewer overflow discharges. So far, RTC has been investigated mainly with a sole focus on water quantity aspects. However, as measurement techniques for pollution of wastewater are advancing, pollution-based RTC might be of increasing interest. For example, turbidity data sets from an extensive measurement programme in two Paris catchments allow a detailed investigation of the benefits of using pollution-based data for RTC. This paper exemplifies this, comparing pollution-based RTC with flow-based RTC. Results suggest that pollution-based RTC indeed has some potential, particularly when measurements of water-quality characteristics are readily available.     

Influence of systematic errors from tipping bucket rain gauges on recorded rainfall data

Tipping bucket rain gauges (TBR) are widely used in urban hydrology. The present study investigated the uncertainties in recorded rainfall intensity induced by the following properties of the TBR: depth resolution i.e. the bucket volume, calibration parameters, wetting and evaporation losses and the method of data recording (time between tips or tips per minute). The errors were analysed by means of a TBR simulator i.e. a simulation program that models the behaviour of a TBR. Rainfall data disaggregated to 6 seconds from measured 1-min data and randomly varied were taken as input to the simulator. Different TBR data series were produced by changing the properties of the simulated rain gauge. These data series together with the original rainfall events were used as input to a rainfall-runoff model. Computed overflow volume and peak discharge from a combined sewer overflow (CSO) weir were compared. Errors due to depth resolution (i.e. the bucket size) proved to be small. Therefore TBRs with a depth resolution up to 0.254 mm can be used in urban hydrology without inducing significant errors. Wetting and evaporation losses caused small errors. The method of data recording had also little influence. For larger bucket volumes variable time step recording induced smaller errors than tips per minute recording.     

Probabilistic modelling of combined sewer overflow using the First Order Reliability Method.

This paper presents a new and alternative method (in the context of urban drainage) for probabilistic hydrodynamical analysis of drainage systems in general and especially prediction of combined sewer overflow. Using a probabilistic shell it is possible to implement both input and parameter uncertainties on an application of the commercial urban drainage model MOUSE combined with the probabilistic First Order Reliability Method (FORM). Applying statistical characteristics on several years of rainfall, it is possible to derive a parameterization of the rainfall input and the failure probability and return period of combined sewer overflow to receiving waters can be found.     

Impact of sewage treatment plants and combined sewer overflow basins on the microbiological quality of surface water.

In a small river catchment, microbiological quality of different sewage treatment plants under regular conditions and in case of heavy rainfall, when combined sewage overflow basins (CSOs) are activated, was examined regarding microbial indicators and pathogens. In the watercourse, no self-cleaning effects could be observed. Small compact treatment plants discharge treated wastewater with a poor microbiological quality compared to river water quality and the quality of treated wastewater of larger plants. During storm water events, concentrations of microorganisms downstream of sewer overflows were approximately two logs higher than during dry weather conditions. Concentrations of parasites decreased slowly during the overflow, in parallel to filterable matter and particle-bound substances. The annual load of microorganisms originating from CSOs significantly exceeds the load from treated effluent of the sewage plants. Thus, an improved hygienic quality of the water course could be achieved by preventing overflows and by enhancing sewage treatment plants.     

截流式合流制排水管网设计新思路

提出了一种以溢流井为分界线,将截流式合流制排水管网分解为一系列小型完全合流制排水管网的设计新思路,并以管网关联矩阵和节点连接特性矩阵为基础,以节点平衡原理和节点递归算法为核心,实现完全合流制排水管网的流量计算和水力计算.该方法能有效减小管网计算模型的规模,降低程序设计难度,提高程序的实用性.     

广州市中心城区典型合流制排水口污染负荷排放规律分析

随着广州市中心城区河道水环境治理力度的加大,合流制溢流污染问题越来越突出,对城市河道水体构成了日益严重的威胁。本文选取广州市中心城区典型合流制排水口进行了18场降雨的径流污染监测,总结了在典型小雨、典型中雨及典型大雨场次下排水口各水质指标随降雨历时的变化规律,同时分析了18场降雨的排水口最高浓度、平均浓度与总降雨量的关系,研究成果可为合流制污染控制工程的设计提供参考。     

Dynamics of rain-induced pollutographs of solubles in sewers.

When looking at acute receiving water impacts due to combined sewer overflows the characteristics of the background diurnal sewage flux variation may influence the peak loads from combined sewer overflows (CSO) and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent significantly. In this paper, effects on the dynamic compounds transported in the sewer, on CSO discharges and WWTP loading are evaluated by means of hydrodynamic simulations. The simulations are based on different scenarios for diurnal dry-weather flow variations induced by different infiltration rates.     

Frequency analysis of river water quality using integrated urban wastewater models

In recent years integrated models have been developed to simulate the entire urban wastewater system, including urban drainage systems, wastewater treatment plants, and receiving waterbodies. This paper uses such an integrated urban wastewater model to analyze the frequency of receiving water quality in an urban wastewater system with the aim of assessing the overall system performance during rainfall events. The receiving water quality is represented by two indicators: event mean dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and event mean ammonium concentration. The compliance probability of the water quality indicators satisfying a specific threshold is used to represent the system performance, and is derived using the rainfall events from a series of 10 years' rainfall data. A strong correlation between the depth of each rainfall event and the associated volume of combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges is revealed for the case study catchment, while there is a low correlation between the intensity/duration of the rainfall event and the volume of the CSO discharges. The frequency analysis results obtained suggest that the event mean DO and ammonium concentrations have very different characteristics in terms of compliance probabilities at two discharging points for CSO and wastewater treatment plant effluent, respectively. In general, the simulation results provide an understanding of the performance of the integrated urban wastewater system and can provide useful information to support water quality management.     

A software-based sensor for combined sewer overflows

A new methodology for online estimation of excess flow from combined sewer overflow (CSO) structures based on simulation models is presented. If sufficient flow and water level data from the sewer system is available, no rainfall data are needed to run the model. An inverse rainfall-runoff model was developed to simulate net rainfall based on flow and water level data. Excess flow at all CSO structures in a catchment can then be simulated with a rainfall-runoff model. The method is applied to a case study and results show that the inverse rainfall-runoff model can be used instead of missing rain gauges. Online operation is ensured by software providing an interface to the SCADA-system of the operator and controlling the model. A water quality model could be included to simulate also pollutant concentrations in the excess flow.     

银川市某高密度城区合流制溢流污染特性研究

针对合流制管网系统溢流污染严重且易造成受纳水体出现黑臭现象等问题,以银川市第一污水处理厂片区为例,基于雨洪管理模型(SWMM),在短历时设计降雨和典型年长历时降雨条件下,模拟分析了研究区域溢流排口溢流量及溢流污染物负荷对不同降雨条件的响应关系及其对受纳水体水质的影响。结果表明：雨天合流制管网系统的溢流量及溢流污染负荷量较大,且无论是短历时还是长历时降雨条件下,均具有随着降雨量的增加而增大的特点;厂前溢流污染浓度大,超过受纳水体自净能力,短期内水体水质处于黑臭状态。本研究对银川市黑臭水体治理及溢流污染防治方案的制订具有重要的参考价值。     

Impact of dimension uncertainty and model calibration on sewer system assessment.

Assessments of sewer performance are usually based on a single computation of CSO (combined sewer overflow) volumes using a time series of rainfall as system loads. A shortcoming of this method is that uncertainties in knowledge of sewer system dimensions are not taken into account. Moreover, sewer models are rarely calibrated. This paper presents the impacts of database errors and model calibration on return periods of calculated CSO volumes. The impact of uncertainties is illustrated with two examples. Variability of calculated CSO volumes is estimated using Monte Carlo simulations. The results show that calculated CSO volumes vary considerably due to database errors, especially uncertain dimensions of the catchment area. Furthermore, event-based calibration of a sewer model does not result in more reliable predictions because the calibrated parameters have low portability. However, it enables removal of database errors harmonising model predictions and 'reality'.     

Influence of characteristics on combined sewer performance

Elements of combined sewer systems are among others sub-catchments, junctions, conduits and weirs with or without storage units. The spatial distribution and attributes of all these elements influence both system characteristics and sewer performance. Until today, little work has been done to analyse the influence of such characteristics in a case unspecific approach. In this study, 250 virtual combined sewer systems are analysed by defining groups of systems, which are representative for their different characteristics. The set was created with a further development of the case study generator (CSG), a tool for automatic generation of branched sewer systems. Combined sewer overflow and flooding is evaluated using performance indicators based on hydrodynamic simulations. The analysis of system characteristics, like those presented in this paper, helps researchers to understand coherences and aids practitioners in designing combined sewers. For instance, it was found that characteristics that have a positive influence on emission reduction frequently have a negative influence on flooding avoidance and vice versa.