SANITARY WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM & TREATMENT

PLANT ODOURS
ULTRAVIOLET (UV) BASED ODOUR CONTROL TECHNOLOGY
INSTALLATIONS & PERFORMANCES

Presented by:
George McGeachie. M.Sc., C.Eng., P.Eng.
Consult Geo
Consulting Engineering
Calgary
403 247 4902

Alberta WW Operators Association Seminar

Banff, Alberta
March 2007

The material in this paper reflects the authors best judgment, in the light of the information available to him, at the time of
preparation. Any use which a third party makes of this paper, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, are the
responsibility of such third parties. The author accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a
result of decisions made or actions taken based on this paper

INTRODUCTION
Anaerobic or septic sanitary wastewater emits unpleasant odours, of which hydrogen
sulphide is the most noticeable. Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) is a gas, which smells like
rotten eggs and which has a very low odour threshold (0.002 - 0.2ppm.) Even in small
concentrations Hydrogen Sulphide can be smelt in a wide radius from manholes, air
valves, pumping stations and treatment plants. The odour is offensive and often results in
complaints from people living, working or just passing through the area. Furthermore
odour problems often give rise to media interest and lead to negative publicity for the
municipalities concerned.
The smell from septic wastewater produces a poor working environment for operational
staff in sewer networks and at treatment plants. Entering manholes, inspecting pipes,
working at pumping stations and treatment works are some of the operations in which
septic conditions create serious operational problems.

Septic sanitary wastewater, and in particular biosolids, can also form more complex,
volatile reduced sulphur and nitrogen compounds such as mercaptans and amines.
For example, rotten cabbage odours are often associated with municipal biosoliods are
due to ethyl and methyl mercaptans. Putrid, fishy smells are attributed to methyl amines.

Septic sanitary wastewater gives off mainly Hydrogen Sulphide (and smaller
amounts of other reduction compounds)
H2S has a very low odour threshold, as low as 2ppb
Odour nuisance can quickly lead to public negative response in the form of
complaints, letters to MP's and media coverage.
Hydrogen Sulphide is a toxic gas, about as toxic as Hydrogen Cyanide.
In high concentrations it is deadly.

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Chemical Safety Data: Hydrogen Sulphide

Common
synonyms

Hydrogen sulfide, sewer gas, stink gas, rotten eggs smell, sulfurated
hydrogen

Formula

H2S

Physical
properties

Form: colourless gas with a strong smell of rotten eggs

Stability: Stable, but highly flammable
Melting point: -85 C
Boiling point: -60 C
Cylinder pressure: typically around 17 bar
Density: 1.539 g/l at 0C, 1 atmosphere pressure
Explosion limits: Lower: 4.3%; upper: 46%

Principal
hazards

*** Hydrogen sulphide is very toxic.

*** Your ability to detect this gas via smell rapidly diminishes upon
exposure, so you may be exposed to dangerously high concentrations
without being aware of the danger.
*** Highly flammable and corrosive - hydrogen sulphide readily forms
explosive mixtures with air.

Safe
handling

Wear safety glasses. Good ventilation is essential - this gas must be used
only in a fume hood.

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Emergency

Eye contact: Immediately flush the eye with plenty of water. Call for
medical help.
Skin contact: Wash off with plenty of soap and water. Remove any
contaminated clothing. If the skin reddens or appears damaged, call for
medical aid.
If inhaled: Remove from exposure to the gas and call for immediate
medical help. This chemical is very toxic - a single breath of gas
containing 0.1% of hydrogen sulphide may cause coma. In addition,
your sense of smell (which may initially detect hydrogen sulphide at
levels well below 1 part per million) will rapidly be dulled by exposure
to the gas. As a result, you might seriously underestimate the
concentration of gas in the air.

Disposal

Small amounts of hydrogen sulphide can be vented through a fume

cupboard, unless local rules prohibit this. Be aware, however, that the
detection limit is very low, and if you release more than tiny amounts of
the gas those working in surrounding buildings may be exposed to the
unpleasant smell. Where possible, you should chemically destroy
hydrogen sulphide rather than release it into the environment.

Protection

Wear safety glasses; work in a good fume cupboard.

Exposure to lower concentrations can result in eye irritation, a sore
throat and cough, shortness of breath, and fluid in the lungs. These
symptoms usually go away in a few weeks. Long-term, low-level
exposure may result in fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches, irritability,
poor memory, and dizziness. Higher concentrations of 700-800 ppm
tend to be fatal.

Exposure

0.0047 ppm is the recognition threshold, the concentration at

which 50% of humans can detect the characteristic rotten egg
odor of hydrogen sulfide [2]
10-20 ppm is the borderline concentration for eye irritation.
50-100 ppm leads to eye damage.
At 150-250 ppm the olfactory nerve is paralyzed after a few
inhalations, and the sense of smell disappears, often together
with awareness of danger,
320-530 ppm leads to pulmonary edema with the possibility of
death.
530-1000 ppm causes strong stimulation of the central nervous
system and rapid breathing, leading to loss of breathing;
o 800 ppm is the lethal concentration for 50% of humans

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for 5 minutes exposition (LC50).

Concentrations over 1000 ppm cause immediate collapse with loss of
breathing, even after inhalation of a single breath.

ODOUR CONTROL TECHNOLOGY

In an effort to control the generation of the malodours and to mitigate the problems
resulting from the generation and emissions from sanitary sewage
our industry commonly uses various methods which fall into two main categories :
1. Liquid Phase Control Methods to prevent or minimize the generation
and emission of the odours
e.g.
Oxygen addition
Chemical addition
Microbial supplementation
Sediment control
Control of mass transfer
2. Gas Phase Control Methods to mitigate the resulting problems caused
by the odours and emissions.
e.g.

Activated carbon adsorption

Liquid scrubbing
Biofiltration
Iron filtration
Control of ventilation

This paper deals with the Gas Phase Control Method using the Ultraviolet (UV)
based technology, provided by Sol -Air Systems Inc., out of Kelowna , British
Columbia.

Sol -Airs Ultraviolet Odour Control Technology

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A 48 UV lamp Sol-Air unit (C48LF) ; showing one of the six (6) lamp banks; each
bank is made up of eight (8) lamps.
In the simplest of terms The Sol-Air Unit consists of banks of UV lamps housed in a
Marine Grade Aluminum housing

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The housing has an inlet and outlet duct connection. The odorous air is drawn through the
unit to make contact with and the ultraviolet radiation and discharged from the unit with
the use of a fan also housed within the unit.
(A typical Specification sheet for the Sol-Air C48XLF unit is attached to this paper.)
The wavelength frequency of the Sol-Air UV lamps is designed to affect the odorous gas
molecules of a wide range of compounds, including those containing sulfur, such as
Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) and Mercaptans.
The Ultraviolet Radiation catalyses the breaking of ambient oxygen and water vapour
molecules into O and OH (hydroxyl) radicals.
These short lived free radicals oxidize the more complex molecules of the contaminated
air or gas with the hydroxyl radicals being consumed in the oxidation process. This
reaction results in a sequential and instantaneous breakdown of the gaseous contaminants
with very little odorous by products - mainly traces of elemental sulphur CO2, water
vapour, molecular oxygen and trace ozone.
The Sol-Air equipment is CSA approved and also approved as an explosion proof
unit, suitable for installation in a confined space or a hazardous area as defined by
the Canadian Electrical Code.

Treatment Methodologies
The versatility of the Sol-Air Systems UV technology allows the engineers to design
the application to suit the conditions that cause the odours and H2S and how the
decontaminated air is released to atmosphere. Several examples of treating odours and
H2S gas emissions from a given headspace in a waste water collection or treatment
system are:
Injection Method:
Using this method the ambient air is drawn through the Sol-Air unit and exposed to the
UV technology. This processed air is then injected into the headspace from a distance of
no more than 10 feet creating a positive pressure in the head space. The injected
processed air contains powerful UV generated oxidizers ozone and hydroxyls with the
hydroxyls being the most effective. The UV oxidizers then mix with the contaminated
air and the treated air is then vented to atmosphere in a controlled fashion.
Exhaust Method:
Using this method the odours and H2S gasses are drawn from a vented headspace
directly through the Sol-air unit creating a negative pressure. The contaminated air is
exposed to the UV technology and this processed air mixture is exhausted to atmosphere
through a retention chamber. A variation to this method is to draw the odours and H2S
gasses into a sealed mixing room housing the Sol-Air unit. The contaminated air is
drawn through the Sol-Air unit and exposed to the UV technology. The processed air is
circulated in the room and vented to atmosphere through a gravity damper. There are no
minimum distance requirements for the distance between the headspace and the Sol-Air
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unit.
Circulation Method:
Using this method the odours and H2S gasses are drawn from the sealed head space into
the Sol-Air unit where the contaminated air is exposed directly to the UV technology and
then exhausted directly back into the sealed head space creating a neutral pressure. This
process allows the UV technology to control the odorous peaks and valleys flowing
through the headspace. Using this method there are no minimum distance requirements
between the sealed headroom and the Sol-Air unit but the system is more effective using
the 10 foot maximum Rule i.e. a maximum 10 foot length of exhaust ducting from the
Sol- Air unit to the sealed head space

SOL-AIR SYSTEMS INC. (SASI)

INSTALLATIONS:INVESTIGATIONS
Investigations were conducted by contacting and interviewing the personnel responsible
for the selection and hands on operation and maintenance of the existing Sol Air
Systems. Interviews were conducted by telephone and email.
Some R&D performance data was obtained along with a report on a Major Odour Control
Project which used the Sol-Air equipment. Sol Air odour control applications and
installations were investigated at the following facilities:
CITY OF CALGARY WATER SERVICES
APPLICATION: To treat offensive odours from manholes on the Citys sanitary waste
water collection system.
Air is drawn at a rate of 1000 cfm from the manholes using an exising ducting system to
the SASI equipment located in a shed adjacent to the manholes and exhausted to
atmosphere through an exhaust duct.
PERSONNEL INTERVIEWED:
Bill Hanson
Supervisor Lift stations and Special Projects
Tel: 403 899 2783
COMMUNITY OF FIELD TERTIARY MBR WWTP BRITISH COLUMBIA
APPLICATION: To provide for treatment of odours from covered MBR / Activated
Sludge process and odours and any H2S from the Headworks / Screening room.
These process areas are ducted and exhausted to a small sealed odour control room.
The SASI equipment is located in this small room for treatment of all foul odours
discharged to the room.
Treated air is exhausted through a gravity damper to the outside environment.
PERSONNEL INTERVIEWED:
Darrell Fitzpatrick
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Parks Canada
Municipal Services Manager,
Field and Lake Louise
Martin Bambullis
Chief Operator
Tel : 1 403 522 3623

CITY OF VERNON, WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM and WWTP

BRITISH COLUMBIA.
APPLICATION: To provide treatment for various areas of the WWTP producing strong
odours and H2S emissions , including headworks, covered primary clarifiers, solids
handling facilities etc.SASI equipment was recently used in an emergency when the
permanent activated Carbon Scrubber System had to be shut down for replacement of the
carbon media. Plans are in place to install a SASI system to pre-treat the foul air ahead of
the Carbon Media Scrubber System to extend the life of the scrubbers carbon media and
significantly reduce ongoing costs to Operate and Maintain this system.
The SASI equipment is used to treat the foul air and H2S emissions from two large
submersible lift station wet wells on the Citys municipal collection system.
PERSONNEL INTERVIEWED:
Serge Kozin
WWTP
Chief of Operations
Tony Kopp Collection System
WWTP : Tel:1 250 550 3627 ; COLLECTION SYSTEM : Tel: 1 250 550 1147

CRD NORTH SAANICH PENNINSULA WWTP, BRITISH COLUMBIA.

APPLICATION: Pretreatment of foul air from all sources of strong odours and H2S
emissions in the WWTP; Headworks, Primary Clarifiers, Solids Handling etc.
SASI equipment treats the foul air prior to the air being ducted to an Activated Carbon
Odour Control / Scrubber System.
The SASI equipment, has reportedly, increased the Activated Carbon Media life by a
factor of 4.
Media cost prior to introducing the SASI system were reported to be unsustainable.
PERSONNEL INTERVIEWED:
Dennis Perrault
Penninsula WWTP
Chief of Operations.
9055 Mainwaring Road
North Saanich BC V8L 5Z1. Tel: 1 250 656 2425 Ext 2.

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CITY OF KAMLOOPS WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM, BRITISH

COLUMBIA.
APPLICATION: Treatment of the foul air in a large submersible lift station
wet well on the collection system. The station is close to a condo development whose
residents were seriously impacted by the foul odors and H2S emissions from the station,
prior to the introduction of the SASI treatment.
PERSONNEL INTERVIEWED:
Mike Warren P.Eng.
City Engineer.
Frank Noel
Chief of Operations Collection System
Engineering: Tel: 1 250 828 3467
Collection System: Tel: 1 250 214 0301
NORTH JUAREZ WWTP MEXICO ODOUR CONTROL PROJECT Hydrogen
Sulphide Emission Control: APPLIED ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES INC.
APPLICATION: Treatment of various sources of foul air and H2S emissions from
within the WWTP, including influent Archimedian screw pumps, channels, headworks,
primary clarifiers etc.
PERSONNEL INTERVIEWED:
Alec Felhaber. P.E.
President
Applied Environmental Services Inc.
Manager and Author of the NORTH JUAREZ WWTP MEXICO ODOUR CONTROL
PROJECT : Hydrogen Sulphide Emission Control Report.
140 N Cotton Street
El Paso, TEXAS 79901 USA. Tel: 1 915 533 1147

SOL-AIR SYSTEMS INC

PERSONNEL INTERVIEWED:
BERNIE LAMBERT
Sol-Air Systems Inc.
Vice President
http://www.solair.ca
Toll free number: 1-866-880-2479
tel. (250)763-7034
fax. (250)763-7023
E mail Bernie@ solair.ca

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KERRY M. SAUNDERS
Sol-Air Systems Inc
President/CEO
tel. 250-763-7034
fax. 250-763-7023
E mail. sunray@solair.ca.

FINDINGS
Effectiveness:
All existing installations reported that the Sol-Air equipment was effective in treating the
foul air and H2S gas emissions at the locations listed above.
All installations reported that the Sol-Air units were performing to meet the operator and
owners requirements, mitigating and satisfactorily addressing the odour complaints from
the public, prior to or in the absence of the Sol-Air equipment being in operation.
Effectiveness was rated from satisfactory to very effective
The total Juarez WWTP Mexico Odour Control Project was funded by the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

O&M:
The O&M labour requirements were characterized as minimal at each location listed
above. Operation involves turning on the number of UV lamps one requires and setting
the speed of the equipments fan to achieve the desired air flow through the banks of UV
lamps. When the unit is fitted with an intake filter then this should be cleaned regularly.
The UV lamps need to be kept clean using 50:50 % hot water and alcohol from a spray
bottle and a soft clean cloth. Lamps are rated by Sol-Air for a 9000 hour (1Year)
continuous life span

INSTALLATION EXAMPLES

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Biosolids Building Installation

Sanitary Lift Station Installation

Trickling Filter Installation.

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TYPICAL EQUIPMENT DATA SHEET

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