WATER & WASTEWATER ENGINEERING –

PBWN201

Water Purification
Water Treatment Plant (WTP)
Water Supply Engineering
Lecture No. 3
Water Supply Project
Stages …
Population Studies

Water Consumption Studies

1. Preliminary Studies Water Resources Studies
Topographic Survey
Geotechnical Studies … etc

2. Design Drawings & Specifications

3. Construction

4. Operation & Maintenance

 Water Supply System
Components: Surface Water
River
Intake
1. Collection LLP
Works

Mixing
Flocculation Water
Sedimentation Treatment
2. Purification
Filtration Plant (WTP)
Works
Disinfection
HLP
ET

3. Distribution Pipe Network

Works
Why Do We Treat Drinking Water?
Drinking water is treated to protect public health by removing
microorganisms and natural or man-made chemicals that may
cause illness to consumers.

Water treatment may also be used to improve the water's color,

taste and odor as required.

Water Quality
The raw and treated water are analyzed by testing their physical,
chemical and bacteriological characteristics:
 Physical Characteristics
Total Solids (TS)
The total sum of foreign matter present in water is termed as
'total solids'. Total solids is the matter that remains as residue
after evaporation of the sample and its subsequent drying at a
defined temperature (103 to 105 °C).

Total solids consist of volatile (organic) and non-volatile

(inorganic or fixed) solids.
Further, solids are divided into suspended and dissolved solids.
Solids that can settle by gravity are settleable solids. The others
are non-settleable solids.
 Physical Characteristics
Turbidity
If a large amount of small suspended particles are present in
water, it will appear turbid in appearance. The turbidity depends
upon fineness and concentration of particles present in water.
Color
Taste and Odor
Temperature
 Chemical Characteristics
pH
pH value denotes the acidic or alkaline condition
of water. It is expressed on a scale ranging from 0
to 14, which is the common logarithm of the
reciprocal of the hydrogen ion concentration. The
recommended pH range for treated drinking
waters is 6.5 to 8.5.
 Chemical Characteristics
Hardness
If water consumes excessive soap to produce lather, it is said to
be hard.

Chlorides (Cl -)

Sulphates (SO4-2)

Iron

Nitrates (NO3-)
 Bacteriological Characteristics

Bacterial examination of water is very important, since it

indicates the degree of pollution.

Water polluted by sewage contain one or more species of

disease producing bacteria (pathogenic).

The presence of coliform bacteria, such as E. coli, in surface

water is a common indicator of faecal contamination.
 Surface Water Treatment Plant
Water treatment involves three major processes:
1. Addition of coagulants (Chemical)
2. Physical removal of solids
3. Chemical disinfection
Alum Disinfectant (Cl2, NaOCl)

Raw Water Mixing Flocculation Filtration

Storage Sedimentation
Clear Well

Distribution
 Coagulation/Flocculation
 Chemical treatment is typically applied prior to
sedimentation and filtration to enhance the ability of a
treatment process to remove particles.
 Two steps typically are employed: Coagulation and
Flocculation.
 Particles in water smaller than about 10 microns are
difficult to remove by simple settling or by filtration. This
is especially true for particles smaller than 1 micron –
colloids.
 Colloids are particles of a size between 0.001 µm and
1 µm.
 Thus colloids are particles that cannot settle naturally and
for which surface area factors are most important.
 Coagulation/Flocculation Read Only

mm

10
1
10-1
10-2
10-3
10-4
10-5
10-6

The table lists a number of materials and organisms with their size and an
indication of the time needed for these particles to settle vertically through one
meter of water, at 20°C, under the influence of gravity alone.
 Coagulation/Flocculation
Colloids are stable in water because:

• Colloids have a very large surface area relative to their mass.

• Most colloidal particles in water have a negative charge.

• The particles cannot agglomerate into larger particles and

settle because they repel one another.

• The force of repulsion exceeds the force of gravity that

otherwise would cause them to settle
 Coagulation
The first step destabilizes the particle’s charges. Coagulants with
charges opposite to those of the suspended solids are added to the
water to neutralize the negative charges.

Once the charge is neutralized, the small suspended particles are

capable of sticking together. The slightly larger particles, formed
through this process and called microflocs, are not visible to the
naked eye.

A high-energy, rapid-mix to properly disperse the coagulant and

promote particle collisions is needed to achieve good coagulation.

Coagulation is the destabilization of colloidal particles brought

about by the addition of a chemical reagent known as a: coagulant.
(Neutralization of Suspended Solids)
 Coagulation
Trivalent cat-ions (have a high charge density)
The neutralization of the negative surface charge of the colloid is
accomplished by the addition of cations in the case of inorganic
coagulants. The higher the valence, the more effective the
coagulating action will be (a trivalent-ion is ten times more
effective than a divalent-ion).

Coagulants
The most widely used coagulant is Alum (aluminum sulfate).

Al2(SO4)3.14H2O+3Ca(HCO3)2  2Al(OH)3+3CaSO4+6CO2
+14H2O
 Coagulation in Water Purification
Coagulants Dose:

• Coagulants added to the water are metal salts as aluminum

sulfate( alum), ferric sulfate, ferric chloride, and ferrous sulfate .

• Their dose is determined using the jar test.

• Typical Alum dose for treating surface water in Egypt ranges

between 30 ~ 50 mg/l (=gm/m3=ppm)
 Jar Test
Jar Test:
The jar test is a common laboratory procedure used to determine
the optimum operating conditions for water purification. This
method tests the variations in coagulant dose, alternating mixing
speeds, or testing of different coagulant types, on a small scale in
order to predict the functioning of a large scale treatment
operation.
 Jar Test
• Jar Testing Apparatus: The jar testing apparatus consists of six
paddles which stir the contents of six containers (each of 1 liter
capacity). One container acts as a control while the operating
conditions can be varied among the remaining five containers. An
rpm gauge at the top-center of the device allows for the uniform
control of the mixing speed in all of the containers.
 Jar Test
Jar Test Procedure
The jar test procedures involves the following steps:

• Fill the jar testing apparatus containers with raw water. One
container will be used as a control while the other 5
containers can be adjusted with different coagulant dosages to
determine optimum operating conditions.

• Add the coagulant to each container and stir at

approximately 100 rpm for 1 minute. The rapid mix stage
helps to disperse the coagulant throughout each container.
 Jar Test
Jar Test Procedure (cont.)
• Reduce the stirring speed to (25-35) rpm and continue mixing
for 15 to 20 minutes. This slower mixing speed helps promote
floc formation by enhancing particle collisions which lead to
larger flocs.

• Turn off the mixers and allow the containers to settle for 30 to
45 minutes. Then measure the final turbidity in each
container.

• Residual turbidity vs. coagulant dose is then plotted and

optimal conditions are determined.
 Flocculation
• Flocculation, a gentle mixing stage, increases the particle size
from submicroscopic microfloc to visible suspended particles.

• The microflocs are brought into contact with each other

through the process of slow mixing. Collisions of the
microfloc particles cause them to bond to produce larger,
visible flocs.

• The floc size continues to build through additional collisions

and interaction with inorganic polymers formed by the
coagulant. Once the floc has reached it optimum size and
strength, the water is ready for the sedimentation process.

• The detention period is 20 ~ 40 minutes.

Design of Treatment Units
 Design of the Treatment Units

Pop qavg 1.4 1.07

Design Discharge= Qd  3
m / day
1000
Preparation of an Alum Feed Solution

1. Determine the desired dosage of alum (30-50 ppm), by jar

test and hence calculate the required weight of alum.
2. Based on the required weight of alum and the desired alum
solution concentration (5-10%), determine the required
volume of water to be prepared (equals the volume of alum
solution tanks)
3. Maximum volume of one alum solution tank = 20 m3
 Alum Solution Tanks
Qd * dose
1. Required Amount of Alum/day (solid)  kg / day
1000

2. Alum is added to raw water as a concentrated alum

solution (alum solution concentration is from 4-5 % while
designing and can reach up to 10 % )
3. To calculate alum tanks capacity:
Alum Water
conc.(ex. 5kg) 100 liter
Req. alum/day X

X= required alum/day * 100/ (concentration *1000) (m3)

Where x is the tanks’ capacity i.e. volume
 Alum Solution Tanks (cont.)
4. Dimensions

Number of tanks (n) is at least 2.

Vone max=20 m3 , where L=B and d= 1.2 ~ 2m

n=V/V one max  get number and dimensions

5. Take (n+1) tanks of (L*L*d) water dimensions and

(L*L*[d+0.5m]) structural dimensions.

6. Discharge of Dosing Pumps of Alum Solution added to

raw water
V capacity _ of _ alum _ solution _ tan ks 1000
Qdo sin g   liter / sec
T operationhrs.  60  60
 Alum Solution Tanks (cont.)

6. Required storage volume of alum for a given number of

months = Alum required/day * total number of days /1000
= …………… Tons
Example (1)
A city has a design population of 100,000capita and an average
annual water consumption 170 l/c/day. Aluminum sulfate is
used as a coagulant with min. and max. dose 35-50 ppm
respectively. It is required to find:
1. The size of alum solution tanks’ if the concentration is 5%.
2. The discharge of alum solution in liter/sec if the working
hours of LLP is 16 hours.
3. The required volume to store a mass of alum for 6 months
consumption.
 Solution:
• Q= (100,000*170*1.4*1.07)/1000 =25,466 m3/d.

• Required amount of alum=25,466*50/1000=1,273.3 kg.

• Alum solution tanks capacity = 1,273.3 *100/(5*1000)=25.466 m3

• Number of tanks = n=25.466/20 = 1.27 ~ 2 tanks

Take 2+1 tanks each of 12.73 m3

V one tank=12.73=L*L*d

take d = 1 m  then L= 3.56 ≈ 3.6 m

• Dosing Pumps discharge =25.466*1000/(16*60*60) = 0.442 L/sec

• Required storage volume for 6 month =1,273.3*(2*30+4*31)/1000=234.29 ton

=234.29 m3
 Rapid or Flash mixing
• It is the process by which a coagulant is rapidly and uniformly
dispersed through the mass of water. It usually occurs in a
small basin immediately preceding or at the head of the
coagulation basin.
• We mainly deal with mechanical mixers.
• They also serve as distribution tanks for the flocculation
tanks( or clari-flocculators)
• Detention time (T): it is intended to provide sufficient time
for complete homogenization of the chemicals with the water.
• It is usually taken 10 seconds - 5 minutes (typically 1 min).
• Circular tanks, where water depth = tank diameter (d = D)
 Typical Rapid/Flash Mixing Tank
Design of Tanks:

Vone= (Q*T)/n
Where V=Total tanks’ volume (m3)
Q= Design discharge (m3/min)
T= Detention time( = 1min)
(Theoretical average time for which the water is detained in the
tank)
n = (number of flash mixing tanks)
It depends on the number of flocculation tanks (or clari-
flocculation tanks), as every mixing tank is used as a
distribution tank for 3 or 4 flocculation tanks. So, we calculate
n after designing the flocculation tanks (or clari-flocculators)
Typical Rapid/Flash Mixing Tank
D 2
Get D
V one  D
4

Flash Mixing Tank