CVL212: Environmental Engineering

Water Treatment: Overview; Solids

Removal (sedimentation)

Jan 9th, 2022 Lecture

by Dr. Arun Kumar (arunku@civil.iitd.ac.in)

Objective: To provide overview of water

treatment; solids removal

January 9, 2023 Arun Kumar 1

(arunku@civil.iitd.ac.in)
 Water Treatment Plant Schematic

January 9, 2023 Arun Kumar 2

(arunku@civil.iitd.ac.in)
 Step 1. List water quality characteristics
which need to be removed
• Parameters:
– Ions (arsenate; chromate ions;nitrate)
– Organic compounds (pesticides, etc.)
– Pathogens (viruses, if we have human fecal pollution)
– Solids (depends if there is a fracturing in subsurface)
– Gases(methane, etc.)

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 Step 2. Identify unit(s) which can remove at
least one type of contamination
• Ions (removal by: adsorption; coagulation-
flocculation; chemical precipitation; bio-adsorption;
membrane process)
• Organic compounds (degradation/removal by:
oxidation; adsorption; biodegradation; reduction-
oxidation; irradiation; membrane process)

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 Step 2 contd.

• Pathogens (killed by : adsorption; coagulation-

flocculation; chemical precipitation; disinfection;
boiling; irradiation; membrane process)

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 Step 2 contd.

• Solids (removal by : settling; filtration; membrane

process)

• Gases (removal by) : aeration; adsorption;

solubilization)

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 Rules for deciding sequence of unit
processes
• Remove pathogens at end
• Remove solids in the beginning
• Remove organic matter, ammonia and
other oxygen demanding substances
before disinfection
• Use that unit process which can remove
more than one constituent.

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Example 1: Groundwater produce drinking
water)

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 Treatment schematic (GW Potable drinking
water)

• Raw Ground water  aeration chamber 

Softening unit  Filtration with chlorination
Disinfection  Storage
• See sequence of units used
• Chemical is required to be added
• Water is treated
• Chemical sludge is produced

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 Units used for (GW Potable drinking water)

• Aeration chamber (to remove gases; using

air)
• Softening unit (to remove cations; using
softener and/or cation exchangers)

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 Treatment schematic (GW Potable drinking
water)

• Filtration with chlorination (to remove

solids; to kill microbial growth on filter unit
surface)

• Disinfection (to kill microorganisms before

water is supplied for public consumption)

• Storage
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Example 2: Yamuna River Water produce
drinking water)

• Step 1: water quality characteristics

determination
• Step 2: selection of units, their order

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Example 2: Yamuna River Water produce
drinking water)

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 Example 2 schematic contd.

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 Example 2: River Water Drinking water

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 Example 2 schematic contd.

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 Treatment schematic (SW Potable drinking
water)

• Sequence of unit processes: pre-sedimentation

mixing, flocculation,
settlingfiltrationadsorption disinfection

• Function of unit processes: solids removal 

removal of ions, and solids using chemical
additionremoval of smaller particles removal of
organic compounds and ionsoxidation of oxygen-
demanding wastes and chemical killing of
pathogens in water
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 (SW Potable drinking water) contd..

• Chlorine is added in sedimentation and filtration

tank to avoid microbial growth
• Chorine is used as a oxidizing agent as well as a
disinfection solution.

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Surface Water Treatment
Conventional Surface Water Treatment
• Screening (remove relatively large floating and
suspended debris)
• Rapid-mix (mixing water with chemicals that
encourage suspended solids to coagulate into
larger particles that will settle easily)
• Flocculation (gently mixing water and
coagulant allowing the formation of large
particles of floc)
Conventional Surface Water Treatment
• Sedimentation (flow is slowed enough so that
gravity will cause flocs to settle)
• Sludge processing (mixture of solids and
liquids collected from settling tank are
dewatered and disposed of)
• Disinfection (ensure that water is free of
harmful pathogens)
• Distribution system protection (residual
disinfection)
 Solids Removal Suspended Solids

Suspended Solids

• Organic and inorganic particles in water are

termed suspended solids
• May be distinguished from colloids, particles that
do not settle readily
• Problems
– sedimentation
• Sources – may exert oxygen demand
– storm water – primary transport
mechanism for many metals,
– wastes organics and pathogens
– erosion – aesthetic
– complicates drinking water
treatment
Sizes of Particles in Water
Sedimentation
 Example: Nanoparticles removal
REMOVAL OF TITANIUM OXIDE(2 mg/l) NP FROM DOUBLE
DISTILLED WATER IN ABSENCE OF ALKALINITY AT pH 6.5

pH 6.5

200 100 50 25 10 CONT.

26
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Primary clarifier
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 Type 1 settling

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 G=specific gravity of particles= (particle density/water density)

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 For spheres

Unit =(N*sec)/m2

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 Example 1: individual particle settling

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 Kinematic viscosity (ν)
=(dynamic viscosity µ/density of water)

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 5.68

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 More questions

• Calculate settling velocity for the cases:

• (a) diameter =10d; 0.1d; 0.01d where d=200micronmeter
• (b) specific gravity =10G; 0.1G; 0.01G where G=2.3

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