Hydrodynamic studies and modelization for aerated lagoons and waste stabilization ponds

All attempts to model a wastewater treatment process necessarily require knowledge of the reactor hydraulic mixing characteristics. However, very few tracer experiments have been conducted on full-scale facilities, especially aerated lagoons and waste stabilization ponds. Several equations based on a dispersion model have been proposed to estimate the hydrodynamic behavior of ponds and lagoons. This paper compares these equations with the results of dye tracer experiments conducted on more than thirty existing facilities to determine which pond characteristics influence the flow pattern. It concludes by suggesting new dispersion prediction formulas that relate Peclet number values to aerator power input and pond shape, i.e., the length/width and length/depth ratios.