Dissolved Oxygen Depletion

Dissolved Oxygen Sag Curve

 Mass Balance Approach
• Originally developed by H.W. Streeter and
E.B. Phelps in 1925
• River described as “plug-flow reactor”
• Mass balance is simplified by selection of
system boundaries
• Oxygen is depleted by BOD exertion
• Oxygen is gained through reaeration
 Steps in Developing the DO Sag
Curve
1. Determine the initial conditions
2. Determine the reaeration rate from
stream geometry
3. Determine the deoxygenation rate from
BOD test and stream geometry
4. Calculate the DO deficit as a function of
time
5. Calculate the time and deficit at the
critical point
Selecting System Boundaries
 Initial Mixing

Qw = waste flow (m3/s)

DOw = DO in waste (mg/L)
Lw = BOD in waste (mg/L)

Qr = river flow (m3/s) Qmix = combined flow (m3/s)

DOr = DO in river (mg/L) DO = mixed DO (mg/L)
Lr = BOD in river (mg/L) La = mixed BOD (mg/L)
 1. Determine Initial Conditions
a. Initial dissolved oxygen concentration
Qw DOw + Qr DOr
DO =
Qw + Qr
b. Initial dissolved oxygen deficit
D = DOs − DO

where D = DO deficit (mg/L)

DOs = saturation DO conc. (mg/L)

Qw DOw + Qr DOr
D = DOs −
Qmix
 1. Determine Initial Conditions
DOsat is a function of temperature. Values
can be found in Table 6.9 (Gilbert Masters)
c. Initial ultimate BOD concentration
Qw Lw + Qr Lr
La =
Qw + Qr
 2. Determine Reaeration Rate
a. O’Connor-Dobbins correlation
1/ 2
3.9u
kr = 3/ 2
h
where kr = reaeration coefficient @ 20ºC (day-1)
u = average stream velocity (m/s)
h = average stream depth (m)
b. Correct rate coefficient for stream temperature
T − 20
k r = k r , 20 Θ

where Θ = 1.024
Determine the Deoxygenation Rate
a. rate of deoxygenation = kdLt
where kd = deoxygenation rate coefficient
(day-1)
Lt = ultimate BOD remaining at
time (of travel downstream) t
b. If kd (stream) = k (BOD test)
− kd t
Lt = L0 e

and
rate of deoxygenta tion = k d L0 e − k d t
 3. Determine the Deoxygenation
Rate

c. Correct for temperature

T − 20
k r = k r , 20 Θ
where Θ = 1.135 (4-20ºC) or 1.056 (20-30ºC)
 4. DO as function of time
• Mass balance on moving element
dD
= k d Lt − k r D
dt
• Solution is

Dt = (
k d La − kd t
kr − kd
) ( )
e − e − k r t + Da e − kr t
5. Calculate Critical time and DO
1  kr  k r − k d 
tc = ln  1 − Da 
kr − kd  kd  k d La 

Dc =
kr − ka
e (
k d La − kd tc
−e − k r tc
)
+ Da e − k r tc