Unit Operations and Processes

Prof.Dr. Çetin Kantar

 Unit Process and Operations
 Gas transfer and operations
 Screening (Bar racks, microscreens)
 Coagulation
 Grit removal
 Sedimentation/clarification
 Flotation
 Chemical precipitation
 Filtration
 Membrane processes
 Disinfection
 Ion exchange
 Adsorption (GAC, PAC)
 Gas Transfer and Aeration
• Purpose:
 To add oxygen and
 To add or remove carbondioxide (CO2) from water
 To remove CO2
 To control taste and odor problem by removing
CH4, and H2S
 To remove volatile substances
 To remove Mn2+ and Fe2+ by oxidation
 To remove radon gas
 Gas Transfer and Aeration
• Aeration Systems:
Diffused aeration (Diffused aerators, Draft
tube, In well aeration)
Waterfall aeration (spray aerator, multiple-tray
aerator, cascade aerator, cone aerator, packed
columns)
Mechanical aeration (surface aerators,
submerged aerators, pressure aerators)
 Bar Racks
• Bar racks are used to remove large objects
such as paper, plastic, leaves etc.)
 Microscreens
• Microscreens are used to remove large objects
as well as total suspended solids (TSS)
depending on screen size
 Coagulation-Flocculation
• Coagulation involves chemical addition (alum,
FeCl3, and polymers) and rapid (flash) mixing.
• Flocculation is a process of slow (gentle)
mixing to form large particles called flocs.
 Coagulation-Flocculation
• Purpose:
• To remove TSS (turbidity), including clay, silt,
virus, bacteria, natural organic matter (humic
substances), and Fe-Mn precipitates
• To remove Ca and Mg precipitates from water
softening process.
Coagulation
Coagulation-Flocculation
Coagulation-Flocculation
Coagulation-Flocculation
 Grit Removal
• Purpose:
• To remove particles with d > 0.2 mm such as
sand
 Sedimentation/Clarification
• Purpose:
• To remove TSS and flocs
Sedimentation
Sedimentation

Rapid Flocculation
mix Sedimentation
 Flotation (Dissolved Air Flotation
(DAF))
• Applied to remove TSS and organic matter
when NTU is low and the particles are light
• Common in Europe
DAF
DAF
DAF
 Chemical Precipitation
• This process involves the addition of chemicals
to convert ions into solids.
• This process is used to remove:
Fe-Mn
Heavy metals (such as Cd2+)
Bacteria, virus
Soluble organic matter
Water softening (Na and Mg removal)
 Chemical Precipitation
• Metal ions such as Zn2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Cu2+ and
Zn2+ form insoluble solids with hydroxide,
sulfide and carbonate (e.g., Zn(OH)2(S), ZnS (s),
ZnCO3(s))
2+ 2−
• 𝐶𝑎 + 𝐶𝑂3 = CaC𝑂3(𝑠) 𝑝𝐻 > 11
(hardness removal)
 Filtration
• The process of water passing through beds of
granular media is known as filtration
• This process is used to remove micron-sized
particles (d < 20 microns):
 Silt-clay
 Natural organic matter (humic substances)
 Precipitates after softening
 Fe and Al flocs (after coagulation)
 Bacteria-virus
 Fe-Mn precipitates
 Filters
 Filter types according to filtration rate
 Slow sand filters
 Rapid sand filters (S = 5-30 m3/m2h)
 High rate filters
 Filter backwashing: filters require backwashing
after clogging
 Classification of WTPs according to filtration type
 Conventional WTP
 Direct filtration WTP (no sedimentation basin)
Filtration
Filter
Filter Backwash trough
 Membrane Processes
• This process is known as a demineralization
process applicable to production of high
quality water
Reverse osmosis
Ultrafiltration
Electrodialysis
Nanofiltration
 Disinfection
• To kill pathogens
 Chlorine (Cl2): cheap, but generate THM
 Chlorine dioxide (ClO2): expensive bu no THM
 Ozone (O3): strong, no THMs but not stable
 Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl): liquid, mostly used
in swimming pools
 Calcium hypochlorite (Ca(OCl)2 ) solid, mostly
used in swimming pools
 UV-light
 Ion Exchange
• This process is used to demineralize the raw
water
• Used to remove:
 Hardness (softening)
 Ba
 As
 Cr
 Cl-
 NO3-
 Adsorption
• Activated carbon adsorption (GAC, or PAC) to
remove soluble organic from raw water
Powdered activated carbon (PAC)
Granular activated carbon (GAC) columns
GAC column
GAC columns
 Most Common Drinking Water Processes
Water Quality Parameter Treatment Process
Turbidity-TSS reduction  Rapid-Sand-conventional (NTU < 3000)
 Coagulation
 Flocculation
 Sedimentation
 Filtration
 Rapid sand-direct filtration (NTU < 20)
 Coagulation/flocculation
 Filtration
 Slow sand filtration (NTU < 5)
 Diatomaceous earth filtration (NTU <
5)
 Membrane filtration (NTU < 100)
Bacteria, virus, csyst removal  Filtration-partial reduction
 Disinfection
 Chlorine
 Ozone
 Chlorine dioxide
 chloramine
 Most Common Drinking Water Processes
Water Quality Parameter
Volatile organic carbon (VOC) reduction
THM and haloacetic acid (HA) removal
Iron, manganese reduction
Treatment Process
 Air stripping
 GAC adsorption
 Combination of above
 Precursor reduction
 Enhanced coagulation
 GAC adsorption
 BAC media-pre-ozonation
 By-product removal
 Air stripping (partial removal)
 GAC adsorption
 Filtration of precipitators formed by
pre-oxidation
 Coagulation/filtration of colloids
 Polyphosphate sequestering agents
 Most Common Drinking Water Processes
Water Quality Parameter Treatment Process
Color removal  Coagulation/rapid sand filtration
 Adsorption
 GAC
 PAC
 Synthetic resin (ion exchange)
 Oxidation
 Ozone
 Chlorine
 Potassium permanganate
 Chlorine dioxide
 Slow sand filtration
 Diatomaceous earth filtration
 Membrane filtration
Taste and odor removal  Oxidation
 Ozone
 Chlorine
 Potassium permanganate
 Chlorine dioxide
 Biologically activated carbon (BAC)
adsorption
 Most Common Drinking Water Processes

Water Quality Parameter Treatment Process

Hardness reduction
Inorganic, organic chemical removal
 Cold lime softening
 Soda-ash softening
 Ion exchange
 Ion exchange
 BAC media adsorption
 Membrane filtration
 Most Common Drinking Water Processes
Water Quality Parameter
Volatile organic carbon (VOC) reduction
THM and haloacetic acid (HA) removal
Iron, manganese reduction
Treatment Process
 Air stripping
 GAC adsorption
 Combination of above
 Precursor reduction
 Enhanced coagulation
 GAC adsorption
 BAC media-pre-ozonation
 By-product removal
 Air stripping (partial removal)
 GAC adsorption
 Filtration of precipitators formed by
pre-oxidation
 Coagulation/filtration of colloids
 Polyphosphate sequestering agents