If the influent flow is 6.5 MGD and the BOD concentration is 176 mg/L, what is the organic loading rate when using one tank?

To determine the organic loading rate for the tank, we first need to calculate the total organic load entering the tank using the influent flow and the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentration. The organic load can be calculated using the formula:

Organic Load (lbs/day) = Flow (MGD) × BOD (mg/L) × Conversion Factor

The flow given is 6.5 million gallons per day (MGD), and the BOD concentration is 176 milligrams per liter (mg/L). The conversion factor to convert mg/L to lbs/day is 8.34. Therefore, we can substitute the values into the equation:

Organic Load = 6.5 MGD × 176 mg/L × 8.34 lbs/mg/L

Calculating this step-by-step:

1. Convert the flow to gallons per day: 6.5 MGD is already in that unit.

2. Calculate the total mass of BOD entering the tank:

• Organic Load = 6.5 × 176 × 8.34

3. Performing this calculation:

• First, calculate 176 × 8.34 = 1,465.44 lbs/MGD.

• Now, multiply this