ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT 1 : COAGULATION AND FLOACCULATION

1.1 Objective

To determine the optimum alum dose and pH for suspended solids removal from water
using jar test.

1.2 Coagulation and Flocculation

Suspended solids (particularly colloids) are often removed from water by chemical
coagulation and flocculation. Colloidal particles carry a small electrostatic charge that
keeps them in suspension. Coagulation is the addition of chemicals to neutralize the
effect of colloidal charges and allow aggregation of particles. Following coagulation the
suspension is stirred gently to promote particle collision and agglomeration in a process
termed flocculation.

1.3 Procedure

Note : Prior to the jar test procedure each 500ml sample must be corrected to the
required pH using H2SO4 or NaOH .In order to obtain the correct amount of acid or alkali
for each sample a separate titration must be carried out for each alum dose-pH
combination. Use 100ml water samples for your titration.

Determine the pH and turbidity of the raw water.

Test for optimum dose (pH constant)

i) Fill six 1 liter beakers with 500ml the
given kaolin (clay) suspension (SS about
50 mg/l).

ii) Fill a burrete with 50ml alum solution of

concentration 2.0 g/L.

iii) Add to the beakers the amount of

H2SO4 or NaOH that would yield a final
pH of 7.0 (Fill the amount of H2SO4 or
NaOH used in Table 2.

iv) Add to the beakers alum solution

corresponding to doses of 0 (control),
20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mg/l.

v) Mix the samples at high speed (80 rpm)

for 1 minute.

vi) Reduce mixing speed to 30 rpm and

continue mixing for 15 minutes.

vii) Stop the stirrer and let the flocs settle

for 20 minutes.
viii) Determine turbidity of supernatant.

ix) Plot turbidity vs. alum dose

RESULTS :

EXPERIMENT : Optimum dose (pH constant)

Sample volume = ml

Alum concentration = g/liter

Beaker Volume of Alum Alum dose (mg/L) Turbidity (NTU) (from

(ml) 100ml supernatant)

1 0 0

2 5 20

3 10 40

4 15 60

5 20 80

6 25 100
DISCUSSION :

CONCLUSION :
QUESTIONS

1. Name some other chemicals that may be used as coagulants.

2. In a jar test experiment, why does the turbidity increase again after reaching a
minimum value?

3. Briefly discuss the effect of alkalinity on coagulation.