Determination of Optimum Dosages of Coagulation.

(JAR TEST)

Theory:

Objective of jar test is to determine the optimum dose of coagulants and to avoid charge reversal
and resuspension of particles. Optimum coagulant dose is considered as the amount of coagulant
which produces water with lowest turbidity.
Chemical coagulation is a treatment method widely used for removal of small sized and colloidal
impurities from water. Surface water generally contains a wide variety of colloidal impurities that
may cause the water to appear turbid and may impart color to the water. Colloidal particles being
charged particles and are in continuous motion, and, they are so small that they pass through the
pores of most common filtration media; so they do not settle itself in plain sedimentation. For
removal of such fine and colloidal particles, chemical are used which are known as coagulants. The
most common coagulants are aluminum and ferric salts such as alum, ferric chloride and ferric
sulfate (generally coagulants are metallic salts, positively charged).

The process of destroying the stabilizing forces and causing aggregation of colloids is referred to as
chemical coagulation. Coagulants form insoluble, gelatinous, flocculent precipitate i.e. called flocs; it
absorbs and entangles very fine suspended particles and colloidal impurities; furthermore it settle
down due to gravity. Flocculation is a process whereby small particles in suspension are caused to
aggregate, giving large clusters (flocs) that will settle more easily.

Common Coagulants used in water treatment works.

Apparatus Required:
1. Coagulation (stirring) device
2. pH meter
3. Trbidity meter
4. Glass beakers (1000 mL, 6 nos.)

Chemical Required:

★ Aluminum Sulphate Al2(SO4)3.14H2O

(prepare 1% standard alum solution)

Aluminum Sulphate Al2(SO4)3.14H2O is also known as alum is most commonly used in water
treatment works. It is cheap and easy in handling and storage. Also alum reduces taste and odour
in addition to turbidity. Alum requires alkalinity in water to form the floc. Normally water has
bicarbonate alkalinity naturally. If natural alkalinity in water in water is insufficient to react with
alum, lime is added to water to raise alkalinity. Sometimes sodium carbonate, which is also
known as soda ash is added to form artificial alkalinity. Lime is preferred as it is less costly.
Effective pH ranges to use alum is 6.5 to 8.5. Dose of alum depends upon turbidity, color, taste,
pH and temperature of water.

Procedure:
1. Determine pH and turbidity of the water to be treated.
2. Fill six 1000 mL beakers each with 500 mL water to be treated,
3. Add different concentration of alum dose (as instructed by teacher) to each beaker.
4. After proper setup of Beakers. Mix the samples in the beaker with the help of the stirring
device. Subject the samples to one minute of rapid mixing followed by 15 minutes of
slow mixing.
5. Allow the flocs to settle down for about 15 minutes. Observe the characteristics of the
flocs and the settling rates.
6. Collect the supernatant from each beaker and measure pH and turbidity of each.
7. Plot pH versus alum dose in a graph paper.Plot turbidity (NTU) versus the coagulant
(alum) dose (mg/L) in a graph paper.
8. Determine optimum dose of alum from this plot.
Fig: Alum dose vs Turbidity Fig: pH vs Turbidity