Assessment of the Influence of Evaporation and Evapotranspiration on the Volume of Sludge Accumulation in the Sludge Drying Beds

Abstract

At present, the sludge drying beds of the Kyiv wastewater treatment plants are operated as a sludge accumulator in an emergency mode, practically without free volume. The purpose of the work was to determine the equation for the evaporation losses calculation from sludge drying beds and the required free volume for sludge accumulation for the next 7 years. The required free volume was calculated using the water budget method which takes into account evaporation from the water surface and evapotranspiration during the vegetation. The total losses from sludge drying beds is 1076 mm/year in normal year and is 920 mm/year in a cold year. The required free volume was calculated considering the trend of increasing average temperature over the last decade and considering the significant environmental risk. A correction was made for one unfavourable year with cold summer and warm winter and an additional rain rate of 1% probability. The additional free volume required is 3.24 million m3 for 7 years if all three sludge drying beds are operated.