Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Important Information On Hydrogen Sulfide Reduction In Sewage System

By Harriett Crosby


Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas produced when organic matter is being broken down by bacteria in absence of oxygen. This procedure is usually referred to as anaerobic digestion and can occur in swamps and sewers. It can also occur naturally as natural gas or in volcanic gases. This gas has a characteristic smell of rotten eggs no wonder the foul smell usually produced by sewers. It is no wonder specialists are concerned with hydrogen sulfide reduction in the sewer system.

With the production of the gas in sewer lines, environmental specialists usually worry about the odor and corrosion troubles. People who live near sewer lines often complain of the odor issue while the municipal usually worries about infrastructure destruction through corrosion. This usually results when water in the system mixes with the gas forming hydro sulfuric acid that corrodes the surfaces.

There is thus need to control the production of this gas in waste water collection system to very low levels. One way which specialists have found to reduce production of this gas is through addition of a strong alkali or soluble basic solution. The basic solution for instance sodium hydroxide (NAOH) or magnesium hydroxide when added to sewage increases the pH and this leads to limited formation of the gas.

Chemical treatment is the other way of control used by specialists. The chemical compounds used mostly are chlorine compounds such as bleach, ferric chloride, sodium and calcium hypochlorite. When any of these are added to the sewer system, work by oxidizing sulfides hence the gas will not be formed at all.

However this addition of chemical compounds can be challenging when there is no pumping post from which the chemicals are fed into the system. Therefore a chemical feed system should be established to make this process easier. The feed system should also be monitored to ensure effective treatment system. Safety measures are usually considered when carrying out this chemical treatment.

To resolve corrosion issues, the environmental specialists have come with measures to increase ventilation in the sewage infrastructure to prevent anaerobic conditions for bacteria. Apart from this, contractors of the systems are now using sewer pipes and tanks with protective coatings on the inner sides. The coatings used include; vinyl, tar products, polythene linings, cement among other materials to protect the system against corrosion.

Yet another method of corrosion control is by spraying the crown and manhole. At the crown of a pipe is where rust is mostly at its worst because the acid collects on this area. The effect of this is weakening and collapse of the pipe. The agent that is sprayed on these structures is known as Sulfa Lock Gel and this one guards the surfaces from intense acid effects.

There is also a monitoring instrument known as a liquid phase sulfide meter that monitors the amount of sulfides in industrial wastes. When the sulfide content is beyond the required amount, the industrial discharge undergoes pretreatment before being released to sewer system. All these control strategies used in hydrogen sulfide reduction in sewers work together to prevent corrosion and odors. Scientists are however still coming up with new chemicals and instruments to effectively manage this problem.




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