Assessment of clogging in constructed wetlands by saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements

2019 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 314-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Licciardello ◽  
R. Aiello ◽  
V. Alagna ◽  
M. Iovino ◽  
D. Ventura ◽  
...  

Abstract This study aims at defining a methodology to evaluate Ks reductions of gravel material constituting constructed wetland (CW) bed matrices. Several schemes and equations for the Lefranc's test were compared by using different gravel sizes and at multiple spatial scales. The falling-head test method was implemented by using two steel permeameters: one impervious (IMP) and one pervious (P) on one side. At laboratory scale, mean K values for a small size gravel (8–15 × 10−2 m) measured by the IMP and the P permeameters were equal to 19,466 m/d and 30,662 m/d, respectively. Mean Ks values for a big size gravel (10–25 × 10−2 m) measured by the IMP and the P permeameters were equal to 12,135 m/d and 20,866 m/d, respectively. Comparison of Ks values obtained by the two permeameters at laboratory scale as well as a sensitivity analysis and a calibration, lead to the modification of the standpipe equation, to evaluate also the temporal variation of the horizontal Ks. In particular, both permeameters allow the evaluation of the Ks decreasing after 4 years-operation and 1–1.5 years' operation of the plants at full scale (filled with the small size gravel) and at pilot scale (filled with the big size gravel), respectively.

2017 ◽  
Vol 76 (7) ◽  
pp. 1666-1675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mateus Pimentel Matos ◽  
André Baxter Barreto ◽  
Gabriel Rodrigues Vasconcellos ◽  
Antonio Teixeira Matos ◽  
Gustavo Ferreira Simões ◽  
...  

Despite the fact that several authors consider the available measurement methods of hydraulic conductivity (ks) suitable for a good representation of the bed condition and clogging potential in horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands, others have questioned their adequacy. In this work, hydraulic conductivity measurements with conventional and modified methods were undertaken in two small full-scale units, one planted with cattail (Typha latifolia) and the other unplanted. Both units had already been operating for seven years and showed a high degree of clogging. It was observed that the use of the falling head method, with the introduction of the tubes during the test, provided results without a clear spatial trend. On the other hand, tests done on monitoring wells inserted during construction time showed, as expected, ks increasing with the horizontal distance from the inlet, but without reflecting actual field conditions. It was observed that, as the bed became more clogged, the use of the reported methods became more complex, suggesting the need of other methodologies. The use of planted fixed reactors (removable baskets installed in the bed) with evaluation of ks at constant head in the laboratory showed potential for the characterization of the hydrodynamic properties of the porous medium.


Géotechnique ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. KOBAYASHI ◽  
H. ONOUE ◽  
S. OBA ◽  
N. YASUFUKU ◽  
K. OMINE

2015 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Jolous Jamshidi ◽  
Craig B. Lake

A total of 108 specimens were prepared to examine the hydraulic performance and strength performance of nine different cement-stabilized soils under unexposed and freeze–thaw exposed conditions. Specimens from each mix design were evaluated under two levels of curing conditions (i.e., immature versus mature). Hydraulic conductivity and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) measurements were performed to assess changes in the performance of specimens after 12 cycles of freezing at −10 ± 1 °C and thawing at 22 ± 1 °C. Measured mass losses of the specimens from a standard brushing test were also monitored at different freeze–thaw cycles, and results were compared with the changes in the hydraulic performance for each mix design. Hydraulic conductivity measurements on unexposed mature specimens showed that the lowest values likely occurred at water contents slightly wet of optimum water content (OWC). The UCS values showed a general decreasing trend with the increase in the water content for both immature and mature specimens under unexposed conditions. After freeze–thaw exposure, specimens showed minor reductions as well as increases of up to 5250 times in hydraulic conductivity values. Increases of up to 14% and reductions of up to 58% in compressive strength were also observed, compared with unexposed conditions. For most cases, mature specimens resulted in a higher degree of damage compared with immature specimens. Results from the brushing tests showed this test method is not a suitable indicator for predicting changes in the hydraulic performance of cement-stabilized soils. Hydraulic conductivity measurements after a period of post-exposure healing showed damaged specimens have some potential in recovering parts of the increased hydraulic conductivity value due to the healing process.


Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1391
Author(s):  
Shugeng Feng ◽  
Shengjun Xu ◽  
Xupo Zhang ◽  
Rui Wang ◽  
Xiaona Ma ◽  
...  

Water pollution caused by various eutrophic nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), such as outbreaks of eutrophication in rivers and lakes, has become a serious environmental problem in China. Such problems have spurred extensive studies aiming at finding environmentally friendly solutions. Various constructed wetlands (CWs), planted with different macrophytes, have been considered as environmentally safe technologies to treat various wastewaters for several decades. Due to their low energy and operational requirements, CWs are promising alternative solutions to water eutrophication problems. Within the CWs, macrophytes, sediments, and the microbial community are indispensable constituents of such an ecosystem. In this study, a laboratory-scale surface flow CW (LSCW) was constructed to investigate the effects of two different plants, Eichhornia (E.) crassipes (Mart.) Solms and Myriophyllum (M.) aquaticum, on the removal of eutrophic N and P. The results showed that both plants could significantly reduce these nutrients, especially ammonium (NH4+), and LSCW planted with M. aquaticum performed better (82.1% NH4+ removal) than that with E. crassipes (66.4% NH4+ removal). A Monod model with a plug flow pattern was used to simulate the relationship of influent and effluent concentrations with the kinetic parameters of this LSCW. Based on the model, a pilot-scale surface flow CW (PSCW) was designed, aiming to further enhance N and P removal. The treatment with M. aquaticum and polyethylene materials showed the best removal efficiency on NH4+ as well as on total nitrogen and phosphorus. In general, the enlarged PSCW can be a promising solution to the eutrophication problems occurring in aquatic environments.


2019 ◽  
Vol 612 ◽  
pp. 29-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
NR Evensen ◽  
C Doropoulos ◽  
KM Morrow ◽  
CA Motti ◽  
PJ Mumby

1999 ◽  
Vol 30 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 333-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry McKay ◽  
Johnny Fredericia ◽  
Melissa Lenczewski ◽  
Jørn Morthorst ◽  
Knud Erik S. Klint

A field experiment shows that rapid downward migration of solutes and microorganisms can occur in a fractured till. A solute tracer, chloride, and a bacteriophage tracer, PRD-1, were added to groundwater and allowed to infiltrate downwards over a 4 × 4 m area. Chloride was detected in horizontal filters at 2.0 m depth within 3-40 days of the start of the tracer test, and PRD-1 was detected in the same filters within 0.27 - 27 days. At 2.8 m depth chloride appeared in all the filters, but PRD-1 appeared in only about one-third of the filters. At 4.0 m depth chloride appeared in about one-third of the filters and trace amounts of PRD-1 were detected in only 2 of the 36 filters. Transport rates and peak tracer concentrations decreased with depth, but at each depth there was a high degree of variability. The transport data is generally consistent with expectations based on hydraulic conductivity measurements and on the observed density of fractures and biopores, both of which decrease with depth. Transport of chloride was apparently retarded by diffusion into the fine-grained matrix between fractures, but the rapid transport of PRD-1, with little dispersion, indicates that it was transported mainly through the fractures.


1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 179-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. F. Janning ◽  
X. Le Tallec ◽  
P. Harremoës

Hydrolysis and degradation of particulate organic matter has been isolated and investigated in laboratory scale and pilot scale biofilters. Wastewater was supplied to biofilm reactors in order to accumulate particulates from wastewater in the filter. When synthetic wastewater with no organic matter was supplied to the reactors, hydrolysis of the particulates was the only process occurring. Results from the laboratory scale experiments under aerobic conditions with pre-settled wastewater show that the initial removal rate is high: rV, O2 = 2.1 kg O2/(m3 d) though fast declining towards a much slower rate. A mass balance of carbon (TOC/TIC) shows that only 10% of the accumulated TOC was transformed to TIC during the 12 hour long experiment. The pilot scale hydrolysis experiment was performed in a new type of biofilm reactor - the B2A® biofilter that is characterised by a series of decreasing sized granular media (80-2.5 mm). When hydrolysis experiments were performed on the anoxic pilot biofilter with pre-screened wastewater particulates as carbon source, a rapid (rV, NO3=0.7 kg NO3-N/(m3 d)) and a slowler (rV, NO3 = 0.3 kg NO3-N/(m3 d)) removal rate were observed at an oxygen concentration of 3.5 mg O2/l. It was found that the pilot biofilter could retain significant amounts of particulate organic matter, reducing the porosity of the filter media of an average from 0.35 to 0.11. A mass balance of carbon shows that up to 40% of the total incoming TOC accumulates in the filter at high flow rates. Only up to 15% of the accumulated TOC was transformed to TIC during the 24 hour long experiment.


Catalysts ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Tae Young Kim ◽  
Seong Bin Jo ◽  
Jin Hyeok Woo ◽  
Jong Heon Lee ◽  
Ragupathy Dhanusuraman ◽  
...  

Co–Fe–Al catalysts prepared using coprecipitation at laboratory scale were investigated and extended to pilot scale for high-calorific synthetic natural gas. The Co–Fe–Al catalysts with different metal loadings were analyzed using BET, XRD, H2-TPR, and FT-IR. An increase in the metal loading of the Co–Fe–Al catalysts showed low spinel phase ratio, leading to an improvement in reducibility. Among the catalysts, 40CFAl catalyst prepared at laboratory scale afforded the highest C2–C4 hydrocarbon time yield, and this catalyst was successfully reproduced at the pilot scale. The pelletized catalyst prepared at pilot scale showed high CO conversion (87.6%), high light hydrocarbon selectivity (CH4 59.3% and C2–C4 18.8%), and low byproduct amounts (C5+: 4.1% and CO2: 17.8%) under optimum conditions (space velocity: 4000 mL/g/h, 350 °C, and 20 bar).


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