Field Study of Generation and Emission of Hydrogen Sulfide in a Sanitary Sewer Network Downstream of a Long Forcemain

Abstract

Fieldwork was carried out in the western area of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to assess the H2S contribution of a long force main and to investigate the source of H2S generation in a complex sewer network. The study sewer trunk has a length of 10 km, a diameter of up to 1.95 m, and flow rate of up to 0.6 m3/s. In the upstream, there is a 5.6 km forcemain, and the pump station operation can cause a sudden increase of H2S in the sewer air of the discharge manholes to reach 500 ppm. Wastewater samples were collected in 14 manholes in the sewer network and analyzed for sulfide and other relevant parameters. The maximum values of sulfide were 9.7 mg S/L and pH remained mostly neutral. For predicting the sulfide generation rate, an empirical model was applied with readily biodegradable organic matter. Then the emission of H2S in gravity pipes was investigated, and it was found over 90% of H2S stayed in the liquid phase when wastewater flowed in gravity sewer pipes. Finally, the mass transfer in a drop structure of 8 m was investigated. The liquid phase H2S concentration in the upstream was 2.6 times that of the downstream, and about 62% of the H2S was released in this drop structure indicating the significant emission of H2S in drop structures.