ENV 4531

ENV ENGINEERING OPERATIONS & PROCESSES I

CHAPTER 8

COAGULATION, FLOCCULATION
& LIME - SODA SOFTENING

HOMEWORK SOLUTIONS
A rapid mixing basin is to be designed for a water coagulation plant, and the design flow for the
basin is 4.0 MGD. The basin is to be square with a depth equal to 1.25 times the width. The
velocity gradient is to be 900 sec-1 (at 50EF), and the detention time is 30 seconds. Determine the
following:

a. The “design” basin dimensions if increments of one (1) inch are used.
b. The input power required (hp).
c. The impeller speed (rpm) if a vane-disc impeller with six flat blades is employed and the
tank is baffled. The impeller diameter is to be 50% of the basin width.

1. Given Data

a. Flow Rate = Q = 4.0 MGD d. G = 900 sec-1

b. Square Basin, ˆ L = W e. T = 50EF, ˆ ì = 2.73 x 10-5 lb-s/ft2

c. D = 1.25 W f. è = 30 sec

2. Dimensions of the Rapid Mixing Basin

a. Theoretical Volume (Vtheor)

Vtheor = 1,388.9 gallons = 185.7 ft3

b. Design Dimensions

V = L w d = 185.7 ft3

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 ( w ) w ( 1.25 w ) = 185.7 ft3

1.25 w3 = 185.7 ft3

wd = 5.30 ft = 5' - 4"

Ld = wd = 5' - 4"

dd = 1.25 wd = 1.25 ( 5' - 4" ) = 6' - 8"

Ld = 5' - 4" wd = 5' - 4" dd = 6' - 8"

c. Design Volume (Vdesign)

Vdesign = Ld wd dd = 189.6 ft3

Vdesign = 189.6 ft3

3. Input Power Required (Power Imparted to the Water)

a. Rearranging the Velocity Gradient (G) equation and solving for the Input Power Required:

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 Input Horsepower = P = 7.62 hp

4. Impeller Speed (n)

a. Impeller Diameter = 0.5 w = 0.5 ( 5'- 4" ) = 2' - 8" = 2.6667 ft

b. Flow Regime Assumption: Turbulent Flow for mixing purposes

c. Impeller Constant (Table 8.2, p. 188, textbook): KT = 5.75

d. Solving the power equation, assuming a turbulent flow regime, leads to the following
relationship:

n = 1.408 rps = 84.5 rpm

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e. Check the NRE to verify the flow regime assumption (turbulent flow)

f. Design Impeller Speed (n)

i. Thus, the flow regime is “turbulent”

Impeller Speed = n = 85 rpm

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A pneumatic flocculation basin is to be designed for a tertiary treatment plant having a flow of
19,000 m3/day. The plant is to employ high-pH lime coagulation, and pertinent data for the
flocculation basin are as follows: detention time = 5 minutes, velocity gradient = 150 sec-1
(at 50EF), length = 2 times the width, depth = 3.0 meters, diffuser depth = 2.75 meters, and
the air flow = 6.80 m3/hr per diffuser. Determine the following:

a. The “design” basin dimensions (m).

b. The total air flow required (m3/hr).
c. The number of diffusers required.

1. Given Data

a. QAADF = 19,000 m3/day d. L = 2w

b. è = 5 minutes f. d = 3.0 m

c. G = 900 sec-1 g. Diffuser depth = 2.75 m

d. T = 10EC, ˆ ì = 1.31 x 10-3 N-s/m2 h. Air flow rate = 6.8 m3/hr/diffuser

2. Dimensions of the Slow-Mixing Basin

a. Theoretical Volume (Vtheor)

Vtheor = 65.972 m3

b. Design Dimensions

V = L w d = 65.972 m3

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 ( 2w ) w ( 3.0 m ) = 65.972 m3

6.0 w2 = 65.972 m3

wd = 3.32 m

Ld = 2 wd = 2 ( 3.32 m ) = 6.64 m

dd = 3.0 m

Ld = 6.64 m wd = 3.32 m dd = 3.0 m

c. Design Volume (Vdesign)

Vdesign = Ld wd dd = 66.134 m3

Vdesign = 66.134 m3

3. Input Horsepower Required

a. Rearranging the Velocity Gradient (G) equation and solving for the Input Power Required:

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4. Total Air Flow Required

a. The air flow rate to impart the desired power to the water is determined as follows:

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5. Number of Diffusers

a. The number of diffusers is calculated as follows:

b. Therefore,

No. of diffusers = 44

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An impeller-powered coagulation basin is to be designed for a tertiary treatment facility for a flow
of 94,600 m3/day. The facility is to employ alum coagulation and pertinent data for the coagulation
basin are as follows: detention time = 20 minutes, velocity gradient = 35 sec-1 (at 10EC),
GT = 10,000 to 100,000, width = 1.25 times the depth, length = two times the width,
no baffling, number of impellers = 2, number of blades per impeller = 6 pitched at 45E, impeller
diameter = 30% of the basin width. Determine the following:

a. The “design” basin dimensions (m).

b. The impeller diameter (m).
c. The speed of the impellers (rpm).

1. Given Data

a. Q = 94,600 m3/day d. L = 2w

b. è = 20 minutes f. No baffles

c. G = 35 sec-1 g. No. of Impellers = 2

d. T = 10EC, ˆ ì = 1.31 x 10-3 N-s/m2 h. Blades/Impeller = 6 @ 45E

e. GT = 10,000 - 100,000 i. Impeller Diameter = 0.30 w

f. w = 1.25 d

2. Dimensions of the Rapid-Mixing Basin

a. Theoretical Volume (Vtheor)

Vtheor = 1,313.9 m3

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 b. Design Dimensions

V = L w d = 1,313.9 m3

( 2w ) w ( w / 1.25) = 1,313.9 m3

1.6 w3 = 1,313.9 m3

w3 = 821.2 m3

wd = 9.364 m = 9.37 m

Ld = 2 wd = 2 ( 9.37 m ) = 18.74 m

dd = wd / 1.25 = 7.496 m = 7.50 m

Ld = 18.74 m wd = 9.37 m dd = 7.50 m

c. Design Volume (Vdesign)

Vdesign = Ld wd dd = 1,316.95 m3

Vdesign = 1,317 m3

3. Impeller Diameter

a. From the problem statement:

Impeller Diameter = Di = 0.30 w = 0.30 (9.37 m)

Impeller Diameter = 2.81 m

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4. Input Horsepower Required

a. Rearranging the Velocity Gradient (G) equation and solving for the Input Power
Required:

5. Power Imparted per Impeller

a. Number of Impellers = 2

b. Power per Impeller (PI)

6. Rotational Speed of Impellers (n)

a. Assume a “Turbulent” Flow Regime.

b. The tank is “unbaffled”, therefore more power is required (25% lost due to vortexing):

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7. Rotational Speed (n) Required to Impart the Power

n = 0.1696 rps = 10.17 rpm

Impeller Speed = 10.2 rpm

8. Check of Flow Regime Assumption

a. Check the Reynolds No. to ensure that the flow regime is “Turbulent” as assumed.

b. Therefore,

c. Therefore, the flow assumption is “valid”.

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A lime-soda softening facility treats a flow of 150 MGD, and the water has 86 mg/L Ca+2, 35 mg/L
Mg+2, 299 mg/L HCO3-, and 6 mg/L CO2. An excess of 1.25 meq/L of lime is to be added. The
commercial grade of quicklime and soda ash have purities of 85% and 95%, respectively.
Determine the following:

a. The mass of quicklime and soda ash required on a daily basis (lb/day).
b. The amount of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide sludge formed (lb/day).

1. Convert constituent concentrations to an Equivalent Weight (EW) basis

Constituent Conc. (mg/L) Eq. Wt. (mg/meq) 1 Conc. (meq/L)2 Conc. (mg/L as CaCO3)3

CO2 6 22.0 0.27 13.6

Ca+2 86 20.0 4.30 215.0

Mg+2 35 12.2 2.88 144.0

HCO3- 299 61.0 4.90 245.1

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Equivalent Weight = Molecular Wt / z or Atomic Wt / z

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Conc (meq/L) = Conc (mg/L) / Eq. Wt.

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Conc (mg/L as CaCO3) = Conc (meq/L) x 50

2. Ion Bar Chart

0.27 0 4.3 7.18

+2 +2
Ca Mg Other cations
CO2
HCO3- Other anions
0.27 0 4.9

(all constituent concentrations indicated on the ion bar chart are in meq/L)

a. Forms of Hardness

TH = 7.18 meq/L CaNCH = 0

CaCH = 4.30 meq/L MgNCH = 2.28 meq/L

MgCH = 0.60 meq/L NH = 0

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 Conc. Lime Soda Ash CaCO 3 Mg(OH)2 CO 2
Parameter
(meq/L) meq/meq Dose meq/meq Dose meq/meq Product meq/meq Product meq/meq Dose

CO 2 0.27 1 0.27 0 0.00 1 0.27 0 0.00 0.00

CaCH 4.3 1 4.30 0 0.00 2 8.60 0 0.00 0.00

MgCH 0.6 2 1.20 0 0.00 2 1.20 1 0.60 0.00

CaNCH 0 0 0.00 1 0.00 1 0.00 0 0.00 0.00

MgNCH 2.28 1 2.28 1 2.28 1 2.28 1 2.28 0.00

NH 0 1 0.00 0 0.00 1 0.00 0 0.00 0.00

Excess 1.25 1.25

Recarbonation 1.25 1.25

Totals 9.30 2.28 13.60 2.88 1.25

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3. Lime Dosage

a. Lime Dosage (mg/L)

b. Lime Mass Flow Rate (lb/day)

4. Soda Ash Dosage

a. Soda Dosage (mg/L)

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 b. Soda Ash Mass Flow Rate (lb/day)

5. Calcium Carbonate Sludge Production

a. Calcium Carbonate Sludge Production (mg/L)

b. Calcium Carbonate Sludge Production (lb/day)

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6. Magnesium Hydroxide Sludge Production

a. Magnesium Hydroxide Sludge Production (mg/L)

b. Magnesium Hydroxide Sludge Production (lb/day)

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