Coagulation and Flocculation

LOKESH SAINI
M.Tech-I´st Semester
Student ID 2015PCE5271

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 Why coagulation and flocculation?
Various sizes of particles in raw water
Particle diameter (mm) Type Settling velocity

GravIty settl Ing

10 Pebble 0.73 m/s
1 Course sand 0.23 m/s

0.1 Fine sand 0.6 m/min

0.01 Silt 8.6 m/d

0.0001 (10 micron) Large colloids 0.3 m/y

0.000001 (1 nano) Small colloids 3 m/million y

Colloids – so small: gravity settling not possible

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 COAGULATION AND FLOCCULATION

TYPE 2 SETTLING

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 Typical layout of a water treatment plant

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 What is Coagulation?
 Coagulation is the destabilization of colloids by addition of
chemicals that neutralize the negative charges by rapid
mixing.

 The chemicals are known as coagulants, usually higher valence

cationic salts (Al3+, Fe3+ etc.)

 Coagulation is essentially a chemical process

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-
-- -- -- --
- - -
--- -- --- ---
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The net resultant force is a result of:
1. attractive potential energy (mostly vander Waals forces), Va.
These forces are very strong at short separation distances

Va  1
r 6
2. repulsion potential energy (electrostatic forces), V . R
(by Coulomb’s law).

VR  1
r2
 Colloid Stability
Colloid
H2O

 Colloids have a net negative surface charge

 Electrostatic force prevents them from agglomeration

- -
-- -- -- --
Colloid - A
Repulsion
Colloid - B

- -
 Brownian motion keeps the colloids in suspension

 Impossible to remove colloids by gravity settling

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 Colloidal interaction

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 Charge reduction

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 Typical coagulants
Aluminum sulfate: Al2(SO4)3.14 H2O

Iron salt- Ferric sulfate: Fe2(SO4)3

Iron salt- Ferric chloride: Fe2Cl3

Poly aluminum chloride (PAC): Al2(OH)3Cl3

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 Jar Tests
 The jar test – a laboratory procedure to determine the optimum pH
and the optimum coagulant dose

 A jar test simulates the coagulation and flocculation processes

Determination of optimum pH

 Fill the jars with raw water sample

(500 or 1000 mL) – usually 6 jars
 Adjust pH of the jars while mixing
using H2SO4 or NaOH/lime
(pH: 5.0; 5.5; 6.0; 6.5; 7.0; 7.5)
 Add same dose of the selected
coagulant (alum or iron) to each jar
(Coagulant dose: 5 or 10 mg/L)
Jar Test
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 Jar Tests – determining optimum pH
 Rapid mix each jar at 100 to 150 rpm for 1 minute. The rapid mix
helps to disperse the coagulant throughout each container

 Reduce the stirring speed to 25 to 30 rpm

and continue mixing for 15 to 20 mins Jar Test set-up
This slower mixing speed helps
promote floc formation by
enhancing particle collisions,
which lead to larger flocs
 Turn off the mixers and allow
flocs to settle for 30 to 45 mins

 Measure the final residual

turbidity in each jar

 Plot residual turbidity against pH

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 Jar Tests – optimum pH

Optimum pH: 6.3

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Optimum coagulant dose

 Repeat all the previous steps

 This time adjust pH of all jars at
optimum (6.3 found from first test)
while mixing using H2SO4 or
NaOH/lime
 Add different doses of the selected
coagulant (alum or iron) to each jar
(Coagulant dose: 5; 7; 10; 12; 15; 20 mg/L)
 Rapid mix each jar at 100 to 150 rpm for 1 minute. The rapid
mix helps to disperse the coagulant throughout each container
 Reduce the stirring speed to 25 to 30 rpm for 15 to 20 mins

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 Optimum coagulant dose
 Turn off the mixers and allow flocs to settle for 30 to 45 mins

 Then measure the final residual turbidity in each jar

 Plot residual turbidity

against coagulant dose Optimum coagulant dose: 12.5 mg/L

The coagulant dose with

the lowest residual
turbidity will be the
optimum coagulant dose

Coagulant Dose mg/L

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• Hydraulic Jump: Hydraulic Jump creates turbulence and
thus help better mixing.

Coagulant

• In-line flash mixing

• Mechanical mixing
Back mix impeller flat-blade impeller

Inflow RAPID MIXING RAPID MIXING

Chemical
feeding
Chemical
feeding Inflow
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 What is Flocculation?
Flocculation is the agglomeration of destabilized particles into
a large size particles known as flocs by slow mixing which
can be effectively removed by sedimentation or flotation.

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 Design of Coagulant Chamber

Detention Time 't' = Volume of Tank in sec

Discharge
‘t’ is taken 30 to 60 sec
IF THE CIRCULAR TANK IS CONSIDERED
 H/D may be taken 1.5
 IMPELLER DIA/ TANK DIA = 0.2-0.4
 VELOCITY OF TIP OF THE IMPELLER>3m/sec
 Free Board= 0.3m

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 DESIGN OF FLOCCULATION CHAMBER
The constant ‘G.t’ = velocity gradient X detention time
G= 20 to 75sec¯¹
Where
Gt=2 to 60000 For Al coagulant

= 1 to 15000 For Fe coagulant

t = 10 to 30 min

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 MECHANICAL FLOCCULATOR DESIGN
Inlet pipe & Tank Sizing
Depth of the tank = 3 to 4.5m
Detention time ‘t” = 20 to 40 min
Total area of paddles = 10 to 25% of the cross sectional area of the tank
Velocity of flow = 0.2-0.6m/s
Peripheral velocity of blades = 0.2 to 0.6m/s
Outlet velocity = 0.15 to 0.25m/s
Water loss in de sledging = 2%
Velocity in inlet pipe = 1m/s
Free board= 0.5m
Paddle Sizing
Power input ‘P’=G².μ X vol. of tank= ½.Cd.ρ.Ap.(V-v)³
Where,
Cd= Drag coefficient, 1.8
ρ = Density of water at 25̊ c, 997Kg/m³
V = Velocity at the tip blades= 0.4m/s
v = Velocity of the water at tip of blades is 25% of V
V=2π.r.n/60 where r is the paddle length

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 Clarifier sizing
SoR= 40m³/m²/day
π/4{(Dia of clf)² - (Dia of flocculator)²}= Design flow/SoR
Length of Weir= π.Dia of clf< 300 m³/day

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Hydraulic flocculators: simple
technology

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 Hydraulic Flocculation: Pipe

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 Hydraulic Flocculation: Pipe

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 Mechanical
flocculators

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 Mechanical
flocculators

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 Mechanical
flocculators

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 References
1. Manual on water supply and treatment, CPHEEO, Ministry of MOUD, New
Delhi, 1999;201-232:621-625
2. Peavy S. Howard, Rowe, Tchobanoglous, Environmental Engineering, 2014;
120-150
3. Weikipedia on coagulation and flocculation
4. Water treatment: Principlea and design, MWH(2005), (ISBN 04710110183)
5. Unit process in drinking water treatment W. Masschelein(1992), (ISBN
082478678 5)(635 pgs)
6. IS 3025

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 THANKS

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