111-C5 b COLD REGIONS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING Monograph 111 - C 5 b "sewerage and sewage disposal IN COLD REGIONS^ .3" Amos J. Alter i Octp*be-r 1969,/ 2. CORPS OF ENGINEERS, U.S. ARMY OLD REGIONS RESEARCH/NDJNGINEERiNG LABORATORY HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE 3 THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE AND SALE; ITS DISTRIBUTION IS UNLIMITED. ■■5V m i t 1 0 7 0 -n of Recia«ia**efl D e n v e r , Cofora« The findings in this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents. Destroy this report when no longer needed. Do not return it to the originator. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION DENVER LIBRARY 92098615 92098615 SEWERAGE AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL IN COLD REGIONS Amos J. Alter October 1969 DA PROJECT 1T062112A130 CORPS OF ENGINEERS, U.S. ARMY COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LABORATORY HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE AND SALE; ITS DISTRIBUTION IS UNLIMITED. 11 PREFACE This monograph was prepared by Mr. Amos J. Alter under contract with the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory. The author was for many years the Chief Engineer of the Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Public Health, of the State of Alaska and is eminently qualified to summarize existing knowledge with an extensive bibliography in the subject of Sewerage and Sewage Dis­ posal in Cold Regions. The work supplements information available in standard works of reference in the subject. This monograph was published under DA Project 1T062112A130, Cold Regions Research. Permission has been obtained for the use of copyrighted material. Ill CONTENTS Page Preface........................... .......................... .. • ...................................................... ii Editor’s foreword., . ..................................................... .............................. • •... vii Introduction...................................... 1 Practice and problems . ...................................................................................... 2 Sewerage and sewage disposal in cold regions.................................... 2 Magnitude of temperature effects................................................................ 4 General requirements............................................ 5 Sewage characteristics........................................................................... 5 Health and welfare implications ................................................................ 7 Waste salvage and ultimate disposal ......................................................... 13 Present practice........................................................................................... 15 Summary...................................................................... ......... ........... 21 Collection and transport ........... 22 Wet collection and transport system s....................... 22 Dry collection and transport systems ........................................................ 28 Collection and disposal at point of generation . ...................................... 31 Physical treatment and processing......................................................... 32 Conditioning processes............................................................................... 32 Treatment processes.................................................................................. 33 Disposal methods............................................... .......................................... 37 Chemical application............................................................................................... 41 Conditioning processes......................... ............ .............................. .. 41 Treatment processes........................................................................ ........... 42 Disposal methods................................................................... 44 Biological processes ................................................................................................... 45 Dispersal to the environment.......................................................................... 45 Aerobic processes ................................................................................. • • 45 Anaerobic processes.................................................. - ............................. 54 Utilization of super-species.................................................... 58 Thermology ................................................................................... 59 Heat losses create system s tre s s ....................... ............. • • • • • ••••••• 59 Concepts for protection of sewage works facilities................................ 60 Low temperature as a resource ........................................... 61 Thermal analysis of collection and transport works............................ 61 Thermal analysis of basic treatment w orks.................................. 66 Salvage and utilization of waste h eat........................................................ 70 Reuse and regenerative processes.......................................................................... 71 Unit processes utilized......................... 71 Partial reclamation ........................................... 71 Construction and operation.............................................................. 75 Collection and transport.............................................................................. 75 Processing units .............................................. 75 Weather protection and enclosure .................................................... 75 Paints and protective coatings ............................................ 75 Safety requirements...................................................................................... 76 Summary..................................................................................... 77 Selected bibliography................................................................................................... 78 Appendix A: North Dakota standards for the design of small waste stabilization lagoons ......................................................................................................... 39 IV CONTENTS (cont’d) Page Appendix B: Criteria for evaluation of cold region sewage works equipment and devices................................................................................................... 93 Appendix C: Characteristics of sewer pipe............................................................ 95 Appendix D: Ventilation and air conditioning in sanitary engineering in cold environments............................ ......................................... .......................... 97 Appendix E: Management of solid wastes.................. 101 Appendix F: Classification of wastes and incinerators ..................................... 105 ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. Indiscriminate disposal of wastes near an arctic community .................. 3 2. Dogs may be a link in spread of disease as a result of improper waste disposal............................................................................................. 3 3. Experimental sewage treatment plant, USA CRREL, Alaska Field Station, Fairbanks, Alaska ................................................................... 4 4. Diurnal fluctuations in dissolved oxygen at different latitudes during summer............................................................................................... 6 5. Dissolved oxygen saturation in distilled water exposed to 20.9% oxygen gas at various temperatures and pressures ............... .......... 6 6. Saturation values of dissolved oxygen at given temperature and pressure 7 7. Normally anticipated variations in rate of flow of domestic sewage from a small residential area during a typical 24-hour cycle................ 8 8. Approximate mean annual ain temperatures in Alaska ........... 12 9. Approximate minimum recorded temperatures in Alaska..................... 12 10. Approximate mean annual ground temperatures in A laska........................ 13 11. The nitrogen c y c le ..................... 13 12. Influence of temperature upon the nitrogen content of s o ils .................... 14 13. Abundance of bacteria in soils at different seasons of the year ............ 14 14. Salt water collection and transport system .......................................... 22 15. Adjustable vertical alignment support for sewer in permafrost that be­ comes unstable upon thawing .................................................. 23 16. Air gap installation, Fairbanks, Alaska.................................................... 24 17. Diagram of typical single household recirculating system..................... 24 18. Single line siphon ........................................................................................ 25 19. Conventional pumping station design.................................................. 26 20. Two story pumping station ................... 27 21. Pumping station with enclosed storage tank in a single chamber .......... 27 22. Pumping station with enclosed storage tank in a single chamber .......... 28 23. Recirculating synthetic-flushing-fluid system/fluid lighter than water. 29 24. Recirculating synthetic-flushing-fluid system, fluid heavier than water .. 29 25. Various arrangements for reuse of synthetic flushing fludd .................... 29 26. Diagram of recirculating water-flush system with extended aeration treatment .........