Jar Testing of Chemical

Dosages

Prepared By
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Operator Training and Certification Unit
 Jar Testing
• Determination of most effective chemical
• Determination of most effective dosage
• Determination of optimum point of
application
• Evaluation of
polymers
 Jar Testing
Equipment Needed:

Gang Stirrer
6 Graduated Beakers, 1500 ml
2 Graduated Pipets, 10 ml
1 Graduated Cylinder, 1000 ml
Scale for weighing chemicals
Analytical Equipment
 Jar Testing
Preparation of Stock Solutions
For alum, lime, other dry materials:

Use a 1 % solution. Dissolve 10 grams

into 1000 ml distilled water.

(1 ml = 10 mg/l in 1000 ml)

 Preparation of Stock Solutions

For Ferric Chloride, other liquid materials:

Use a 1 % solution. Obtain % solution and

specific gravity from supplier.

Dilute appropriate volume up to 1000 ml to

make a 1 % (10,000 mg/L) solution.

(1ml=10 mg/l in 1000 ml)

 Solution
Solution Dilution
Dilution
Have 45 % Ferric Chloride Solution
(Specific Gravity 1.49)
Need 1000 mls of a 1 % (10,000 mg/L) Sol.
C1 X V1 = C2 X V2
C1 = 45 % (weighs 1.49 grams/ml)
V1 = ? ml
C2 = 1 % (weighs 1.00 grams/ml
V2 = 1000 ml
45 % X 1.49 X V1 = 1 % X 1000 ml

V1 = 1 % X 1000 ml
= 14.91 ml
45 % X 1.49
 Jar Testing
Preparation of Stock Solutions

For Dry or Liquid Polymers:

Use a 0.01 % (100 mg/L) solution. Weigh

0.1 gram and dissolve in 1000 ml distilled
water.

(1 ml = 0.1 mg/l in 1000 ml)

 Jar Testing Calculations
1000 ml

Blank 5 mg/L 10 mg/L 15 mg/L 20 mg/L 25 mg/L

Calculate the volume of a 1 % Ferric
Chloride solution that would be added to
get the dosage required.
1% = 10,000 mg/L
10,000 mg/L X ? ml = 5 mg/L X 1000 ml
? ml = 5 mg/L X 1000 ml 10 X 0.1 = 1.0 ml
10,000 mg/L 15 X 0.1 = 1.5 ml
? ml = 5 X 0.1 = 0.5 ml 20 X 0.1 = 2.0 ml
25 X 0.1 = 2.5 ml
 Jar Testing Calculations
A jar test indicates that the required amount of
phosphorus removal can be achieved using a dosage of
3 ml of a 1% ferric chloride solution in a liter of
wastewater. What is the dosage in mg/L?

C1 X V1 = C2 X V2

10,000 mg/L X 3 ml = ? mg/L X 1000 ml

10,000 mg/L X 3 ml = 30 mg/L

1000 ml
Procedure Jar Testing
Using the 1000 ml graduated cylinder, add 1000
ml wastewater to each beaker.

Using the graduated pipets, dose each beaker

with the desired concentration of metal salt or
polymer, increasing concentration from left to
right.

Operate stirrer to simulate plant process.

Determine best dosage level by analysis of

supernatant
 Gang Stirrer

Addition of Chemicals
Rapid Mix

Slow Mix - Flocculate

Settle
Determine which dosage is best for meeting requirements
 Chemical
Chemical Handling
Handling
After jar testing has been used to determine best
chemical dosage in mg/L, pounds of chemical
needed per day into a given flow or volume can
be calculated.
lbs/day = MGD X 8.34 lbs/gal X mg/L
ie) A dosage of 25 mg/L Ferric Chloride is
needed. The flow to be treated is 350,000
gallons per day. How many lbs of Ferric
Chloride will have to be fed each day?

lbs/D = 0.35 MGD X 8.34 lbs/gal X 25 mg/L

= 73 lbs/D FeCL3
 Chemical
Chemical Handling
Handling
Given lbs/d of dry chemical to feed, need to
calculate the gallons of solution to feed.

Specific Gravity
Specific Gravity = the number of times
heavier or lighter the solution is than water

1 gallon of water weighs 8.34 lbs

Specific gravity of water = 1.000
 Specific Gravity
If a solution has a Specific Gravity of 1.510,
then this solution is 1.510 times heavier than
water.

8.34 lbs/gal X 1.510 = 12.59 lbs/gal

A solution with a Specific Gravity of 0.750

would weigh:

8.34 lbs/gal X 0.750 = 6.255 lbs/gal

Obtain S.G. from Supplier
or by Using a Hydrometer
 Chemical
Chemical Handling
Handling
Strength of Concentrated Solutions are
usually given as Percent by Weight

35 lbs dry chem

35 % = 35 per 100 35 % =
100 lbs solution

In 100 lbs of a 35 % solution there are 35 lbs of

dry chemical
 If the weight of a gallon of solution is known, the
weight of dry chemical in each gallon of the
solution can be calculated:
A 40% solution has a specific gravity of 1.43

A. Determine the weight of a gallon of the solution.

8.34 lbs/gallon X 1.43 = 11.93 lbs per gallon liquid

B. Determine the lbs of dry chemical in each gallon.

40 lbs dry chem
11.93 lbs X = 4.77 lbs dry chem/ gal
100 lbs solution
OR
11.93 lbs X 0.40 = 4.77 lbs dry chem/ gal
 Chemical
Chemical Handling
Handling
Feed Rates

If the lbs per day of chemical to be fed is

known, and we know the pounds of dry
chemical in each gallon of the solution, the
gallons per day of solution to be fed can be
calculated.
lbs/day dry chem needed
lbs dry chem / gal = gal/day soln to be fed
 Chemical
Chemical Handling
Handling
ie) 150 lbs per day ferric chloride are to be fed.
The solution to be used is 38% with a
specific gravity of 1.413. Calculate the
gallons of solution to feed each day.

8.34 lbs/gal X 1.413 = 11.78 lbs/gal

0.38 X 11.78 lbs/gal = 4.48 lbs dry chem/gal

150 lbs/d dry chem needed

4.48 lbs dry chem/gal = 33.5 gal/day
 Chemical
Chemical Handling
Handling
Pumping Rate Calculations

Given gallons per day of chemical

needed, calculate gallons per
minute

Gal X 1 Day X 1 Hr = Gal

Day 24 Hrs 60 Min Min
 Calibration of Chemical Feed Pump

1. Set pump at known setting

2. Start pump and collect at the application
point a measured amount in a known
period of time.
3. Repeat for various settings.
4. Convert to needed units.

mls X 1 Gal X 60 Sec = Gal

Sec 3785 mls Min Min
 Chemical Feed Summary
1. Determine lbs/day of dry chemical needed.
mg/L X MGD X 8.34 lbs/gal = lbs/d dry chem
2. Determine the weight (lbs/gal) of the soln.
8.34 lbs/gal X Sp.Gr. = lbs/gal (liquid weight)

3. Determine weight of dry chem in each gallon.

lbs/gal (liquid wt) X % soln = lbs dry/gallon
4. Determine gallons per day to be fed.
Lbs dry needed per day = gal/day to be fed
lbs dry/gallon
5. To Determine pumping rate in gallons/minute:

gal X 1 Day X 1 Hr = Gal

Day 24 Hrs 60 Min Min
 Chemical Handling Calculations Example Problem #1
Jar Test Results 23 mg/L FeCl3 Dosage Needed
Wastewater Flow 300,000 gallons per day

Ferric Chloride Solution

Specific Gravity 1.500
Concentration 45 %

Work Calculations on Separate Paper

Answers Given on Next Slides
1. Calculate the pounds per day of FeCl3 that must be added to the wastewater flow.

2. Calculate the weight in pounds of a gallon of the FeCl3 solution.

3. Calculate the pounds of dry FeCl3 per gallon of the solution.

4. Calculate the number of gallons of the FeCl3 solution that must be fed per day.

5. How many gallons per minute must the chemical feed pump be set to deliver ?
 Chemical Handling Calculations Example Problem #1

Jar Test Results 23 mg/L FeCl3 Dosage Needed

Wastewater Flow 300,000 gallons per day

Ferric Chloride Solution

Specific Gravity 1.500
Concentration 45 %

1. Calculate the pounds per day of FeCl3 that must

be added to the wastewater flow.

lbs/d = 23 mg/L X 8.34 lbs/gal X 0.30 MGD

= 57.55 lbs/d
2. Calculate the weight in pounds of a gallon of
the FeCl3 solution.

8.34 lbs/gal X 1.500 = 12.51 lbs/gal

3. Calculate the pounds of dry FeCl3 per gallon

of the solution.

12.51 lbs/gal X 0.45 = 5.63 lbs dry/gallon

4. Calculate the number of gallons of the FeCl3
solution that must be fed per day.
57.55 lbs/day needed = 10.2 gallons/day
5.63 lbs dry/gallon

5. How many gallons per minute must the

chemical feed pump be set to deliver ?

10.2 gal
X 1 Day X 1 Hr = 0.0071 Gal
Day 24 Hrs 60 Min Min

0.0071 gal X 3785 mls = 26.12 ml/min

min gal
 Chemical Handling Calculations Example Problem #2

Calculate the number of milliliters per minute that must be

fed of a 49 % Aluminum Sulfate solution with a specific
gravity of 1.33 to dose a flow of 150,000 gallons per day at
25 mg/L.

Work Calculations on Separate Paper

Answers Given on Next Slide
 Chemical Handling Calculations Example Problem #2

Calculate the number of milliliters per minute that must be

fed of a 49 % Aluminum Sulfate solution with a specific
gravity of 1.33 to dose a flow of 150,000 gallons per day at
25 mg/L.

25 mg/L X 0.15 MGD X 8.34 lbs/gal = 31.28 lbs/d

8.34 lbs/gal X 1.33 X 0.49 = 5.44 lbs dry/gal
31.28 lbs dry needed/day = 5.75 gal/day
5.44 lbs dry/gallon

5.75 gal 3785 mls 1 day

X X = 15.11 ml/min
day gal 1440 min
Chemical Handling Calculations Example Problem #3

120 gallons/day of a ferric chloride solution was

fed into a flow of 2.5 MGD. The ferric chloride
solution had a concentration of 40 % and a
specific gravity of 1.430. Calculate the chemical
dosage in mg/L.

Work Calculations on Separate Paper

Answers Given on Next Slide
 Chemical Handling Calculations Example Problem #3

120 gallons/day of a ferric chloride solution was

fed into a flow of 2.5 MGD. The ferric chloride
solution had a concentration of 40 % and a
specific gravity of 1.430. Calculate the chemical
dosage in mg/L.

8.34 lbs/gal X 1.430 X 0.40 = 4.77 lbs dry/gal

120 gal X 4.77 lbs dry/gal = 572.5 lbs dry/day
572 lbs/day = 2.5 MGD X 8.34 lbs/gal X mg/L

572 lbs/day = 27.5 mg/L

2.5 MGD X 8.34 lbs/gal
Jar Testing of Chemical
Dosages

Prepared By
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Operator Training and Certification Unit