Water Treatment Processes

Flow diagram of a water softening plant. Screening

Coagulation
Flocculation
Sedimentation
Filtration
Disinfection
RAPID MIXING, FLOCCULATION, AND COAGULATION
Coagulation is used to remove turbidity, color, and bacteria from drinking
waters.
The goal of coagulation is to change the surface charge on the particles so they
can stick together to form larger particles that will settle by gravity.
Colloid Stability and Destabilization
In natural waters, colloids are stable because the surface of these particles are
like-charged and they repel one another.
In surface water most of the colloidal particles are derived from clays and have a
net negative charge.
The goal of coagulation is to ensure that the particles come in contact with one
another, “stick together,” and form settleable particles called floc.

The Physics of Coagulation

There are four mechanisms that cause the destabilization of colloidal particles in
natural water suspensions.
1. Adsorption and charge neutralization.
2. Compression of the electric double layer.
3. Adsorption and interparticle bridging.
4. Enmeshment in a precipitate.
Coagulation
• In natural waters most particles are
negatively charged so coagulation can
be enhanced by adding cations to the
water to induce charge neutralization.

• Trivalent cations adsorb strongly to

negatively charged particles, so they
are much more effective coagulants
than are divalent or monovalent ions
as shown in Figure .

• The greater the concentration of

the positive ion added, the greater the
extent to which the surface charge is
neutralized and the lower the turbidity.
Coagulants
As previously mentioned, a coagulant is a chemical that is added to the water to
cause the particles to coagulate. A coagulant has three key properties:

1. Trivalent cation. As discussed previously, naturally occurring colloids are most

commonly negatively charged, hence cations are required to achieve charge
neutralization. Trivalent cations are much more effective than monovalent or
divalent simple cations, such as sodium and calcium.
2. Nontoxic. Obviously, for the production of potable water, the coagulant must
be nontoxic.
3. Insoluble in the neutral pH range. High concentrations of the coagulant in
treated water are undesirable. Therefore, a coagulant is usually relatively
insoluble at the pH values desired.

The two most commonly used metallic coagulants are aluminum (Al3+) and
ferric iron (Fe3+).
A water treatment plant with an average flow of Q = 0.044 m3 ⋅ s-1 treats its water
with alum (Al2(SO4)3 ⋅ 14H2O) at a dose of 25 mg · L-1. Alum coagulation is used
to remove particulate matter, reduce the concentration of organic matter, and
reduce the alkalinity of the water according to Equation 10–1. If the organic
matter concentration is reduced from 8 mg · L-1 to 3 mg · L-1 determine the total
mass of alkalinity consumed and the total mass of dry solids removed per day.
Solution
First determine the total amount of alkalinity consumed.

For each mole of alum added, six moles of alkalinity (bicarbonate form) are
removed.
Alum dose is

HC O3 – removed =(6)(4.206 × 10-5) = 0.000252 mol · L-1 of HCO-3

Total alkalinity removed per day =
(0.000252 eq · L-1)(0.044 m3 · s-1)(1000 L · m-3)(86,400 s · day-1)
= 959.4 eq · day-1

= 959.4 eq · day-1 × 61 g · eq-1 = 58,526 g · day-1, or 58.5 kg /day-

For every mole of alum added, two moles of solid precipitate.

So, the amount of solid is

= (8.41 × 10-5 mol /L)(0.044 m3 / s)(1000 L/ m3)(86,400 s/ day)

= 319.8 mol /day

Total organic matter settled per day= 8-3 =5 ppm

= 5 mg/ L × 0.044 m3/s × 1000 L/m3 × 86,400 s /day
= 19,008,000 mg/day = 19.0 kg/day
So, by adding the mass fluxes of aluminum hydroxide and settled organic
matter sludges, the total amount of dry solids removed per day is calculated.
42.2 kg /day + 19.0 kg/day = 61.2 kg/day
Sedimentation

▪ When water has little or no movement, suspended

solids sink to the bottom under the force of gravity
and form a sediment.
Applications in Water Treatment:
1. Settling of coagulated and flocculated waters prior to
filtration
2. Settling of coagulated and flocculated waters in a
softening plant
3. Settling of treated waters in an iron and manganese
removal plant

Applications in Wastewater Treatment:

1. grit removal
2. suspended solids removal in primary clarifier
3. biological floc removal in activated sludge
Types of settling in sedimentation

Type 1: Discrete settling

Type 2: Flocculent
settling
Type 3: Hindered settling
Type 4: Compression
settling
Types of settling in sedimentation

Type 1 settling settling of discrete particles in dilute suspensions

• particles have no tendency to flocculate
• no significant interaction with neighboring particles
. Ex: sand and grit material.
Type 2 settling ▪ settling of flocculant particles in dilute suspensions
▪ as particle settle and coalesce with other particles, the
sizes of particles and their settling velocity increases
Type 3 settling ▪ settling of intermediate concentration of flocculant
particles
▪ interparticle forces hold them in fixed positions relative
to each other and
▪ the mass of particles settles as a zone at a constant
velocity
Type 4 settling ▪ settling of particles that are of such a high
concentration that the particles touch each other and
settling can occur only by compression which takes
place from the weight of particles
Type 1 – Discrete
Settling
Type 1 – Discrete
Settling
Type 1 – Discrete
Settling
Type 1 – Discrete
Settling
Type 2 – Flocculent Settling (settling of flocculent particles in dilute
suspension)

▪ Type II settling is settling of flocculent groups of particles.

▪ Flocculent particles are those particles that are chemically
assisted to come together and produce large particles, and
thus settle.
▪ Coagulation is the first process of adding the coagulated
chemical which changes the particles electric charge and
is then amenable to aggregation.
▪ Flocculation is the second process of getting the
coagulated mix to form larger flocs.
▪ While the particles are settling, increase in size and mass
occurs during settling process.
Types of Sedimentation Tank
▪ Sedimentation tanks may function either
intermittently or continuously.
▪ The intermittent tanks also called quiescent type tanks
are those which store water for a certain period and
keep it in complete rest.
▪ In a continuous flow type tank, the flow velocity is
only reduced and the water is not brought to complete
rest as is done in an intermittent type.
▪ Settling basins may be either long rectangular or
circular in plan. Long narrow rectangular tanks with
horizontal flow are generally preferred to the circular
Types of Sedimentation
Tank
Rectangular tanks
Circular tanks
Hopper bottom tanks
Rectangular settling tank
Circular settling tank

Circular tanks
Hopper bottom tanks
Critical Settling Velocity & Overflow rate

▪ Particles move horizontally with the fluid (all particles have the
same horizontal velocity)
▪ Particles move vertically with terminal settling velocity (different
for particles with different size, shape and density)
▪ All particles with Vs > Vc will be completely settled.

▪ Particle with Vs < Vc will be removed in the ratio Vp/Vc

Rectangular settling tank
Rectangular settling tank
Circular
tanks
Rectangular settling tank
Water Treatment Processes

Flow diagram of a water softening plant. Screening

Coagulation
Flocculation
Sedimentation
Filtration
Disinfection
Filtration
▪ Filtration is the process of passing water through a
porous medium with the expectation that the filtrate has
a better quality than the influent.
▪ The medium is usually sand.
▪ Slow sand filtration is credited with improving the
aesthetic quality of water and also with the removal of
pathogens.
▪ There are many classifications of filtration systems and
they include:
▪ Gravity or pressure
▪ Rapid, slow or variable filtration rates
▪ Cake or Depth filtration
Slow sand filters
Rapid sand filters
References
1. [Link]
2. [Link]
specifications-10500-1991
Thank you