Geosynthetics are used for a variety of applications within wastewater treatment facilities. Most of its use is in the operation of ponds (lagoons) for anaerobic and aerobic processes. Another application is to improve the process of evaporation of waste water and dewatering sludge by using permeable GI-Tube geotextiles.
Anaerobic Pool with Cover
When wastewater with sufficient organic matter content is stored in the pond for several days, an anaerobic sludge is formed and accumulates at the bottom of the pond. In ponds without cover, digestive anaerobic activity occurs at the bottom of the pond and activities near the surface tend to become more aerobic.
For this reason, this pool can be covered with a floating geomembrane cover in order to:
- increase the digestive anaerobic activity of the effluent by separating it from the outside air (oxygen),
- allows the extraction of gases (especially methane gas) that can be used for fuel,
- reduce the effect of unpleasant odors from anaerobic activities that disturb the surrounding environment.
Geosynthetic Applications for Wastewater Treatment
Geosynthetic applications for these ponds are very wide with respect to the cover system and to the floating cover system that can be selected according to its use:
Geosynthetic clay liners with covers of soil, concrete or geomembranes can be used well for underside coating systems.
The design of the enclosure may vary by various operational considerations related to the level of effluent, gas collector as well as several construction constraints that may limit the choice of design of these covers.
- Increased evaporation (evaporation)
With the color of the geomembrane which is usually black/dark that holds shallow wastewater, it will increase the temperature of the wastewater due to solar radiation thereby increasing its evaporation capacity. This method is used in wastewater disposal and for the extraction of salt and other minerals. A floating cover construction above the waste water will keep the volume of wastewater from increasing because rainwater also allows water to collect on the cover so that it can be utilized.
GI-Tube was originally developed as a construction system that uses sand as a filling material and functions as a construction groynes or similar structures. The properties and functions of this filter can then be applied to treat sludge with very high water content and quickly drained into solid waste which is then easily transported using trucks or the like more easily.
