Water Treatment Plant

Petroleum refineries and chemical plants use water and steam in a variety of processes, ranging
from crude oil desalting to FCC units, coolers, steam generators and cooling towers; in addition to
this, clean water is also necessary for the various employees working and residing in the refinery.
With scarcity of water common around the world proper treatment and operation of utility systems
become critical to sustainable and reliable operations. Water treatment issues can impact the
effectiveness of the corrosion control program, compromising the integrity of key pieces of heat
transfer equipment and negatively affecting the energy efficiency of process units.

Water can be contaminated by the following agents:

 Pathogens- disease-causing organisms that include bacteria, amoebas and viruses, as well as
the eggs and larvae of parasitic worms.
 Harmful chemicals from human activities (industrial wastes, pesticides, fertilizers).
 Chemicals and minerals from the natural environment, such as arsenic, common salt and
fluorides. Some non-harmful contaminants may influence the taste, smell, colour or
temperature of water, and make it unacceptable to the community.

Water from surface sources is often contaminated by microbes; whereas groundwater is normally
safer, but even groundwater can be contaminated by harmful chemicals from human activities or
from the natural environment.

Water Treatment Processes

Raw water may contain suspended colloidal and dissolved impurities. The purpose of water
treatment is to remove all those impurities which are objectionable either from test and odour point
of view or from public health point of view.

For surface water following are the treatment processes that are generally adopted:

 Screening
 Aeration
 Sedimentation with or without coagulants
 Filtration
 Disinfection

Screening

Screening is the first unit operation used at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Screening
removes objects such as rags, paper, plastics, and metals to prevent damage and clogging of
downstream equipment, piping, and appurtenances. Some modern wastewater treatment plants
use both coarse screens and fine screens.

Aeration
Aeration brings water and air in close contact in order to remove dissolved gases (such as carbon
dioxide) and oxidizes dissolved metals such as iron, hydrogen sulphide, and volatile organic
chemicals (VOCs). Aeration is often the first major process at the treatment plant.

Two general methods may be used for the aeration of water. The most common in industrial use is
the water-fall aerator. Through the use of spray nozzles, the water is broken up into small droplets
or a thin film to enhance counter current air contact.

In the air diffusion method of aeration, air is diffused into a receiving vessel containing counter-
current flowing water, creating very small air bubbles. This ensures good air-water contact for
“scrubbing” of undesirable gases from the water.

Sedimentation with or without coagulants

Surface waters which are collected as the result of runoff from rainstorm over the catchment area
carry vast amount of soil and debris. To these are added community and industrial waste that are
transported through their collecting system. Sedimentation tanks are designed to reduce the
velocity of flow of water so as to permit suspended solids to settle out of the water by gravity.

When chemicals or other substances are added to induce or hasten aggregation and settling of finely
divided suspended matter, colloidal substances and large molecules, the operation is called
sedimentation with coagulants or clarification. Some of the coagulants that are commonly used-
Aluminium Sulphate or Alum, Chlorinated Copper, Ferrous Sulphate and Lime, Magnesium
Carbonate, Polyelectrolyte and Sodium Aluminate.

Filtration

Filtration is one of the most important operations in the water purification process. Though
screening and sedimentation remove a large proportion of suspended matter, but they do not
effectively remove the fine float particles, colour, dissolved minerals and microorganisms. In
filtration water is passed through a filter media in order to remove the particulate matter not
previously removed by sedimentation. During filtration the turbidity and colloidal matter of no
settleable type are removed. It precipitates the colour, and the chemical characteristics of the water
are changed.

Disinfection

Water disinfection means the removal, deactivation or killing of pathogenic microorganisms.

Microorganisms are destroyed or deactivated, resulting in termination of growth and reproduction.
When microorganisms are not removed from drinking water, drinking water usage will cause people
to fall ill.

Sterilization is a process related to disinfection. However, during the sterilization process all present
microorganisms are killed, both harmful and harmless microorganisms.

Disinfection can be attained by means of physical or chemical disinfectants. The agents also remove
organic contaminants from water, which serve as nutrients or shelters for microorganisms.
Disinfectants should not only kill microorganisms, they must also have a residual effect, which means
that they remain active in the water after disinfection. A disinfectant should prevent pathogenic
microorganisms from growing in the plumbing after disinfection, causing the water be
recontaminated.

For chemical disinfection of water the following disinfectants can be used:

 Chlorine (Cl2)
 Chlorine dioxide(ClO2)
 Hypochlorite (OCl-)
 Ozone(O3)
 Halogens: bromine (Br2), iodine (I)
 Bromine Chloride (BrCl)
 Metals: copper(Cu2+), silver (Ag+)
 Potassium Permanganate (KMnO4)
 Phenols
 Alcohols
 Soaps and detergents
 Hydrogen Peroxide
 Several acids and bases