CE EL 4 –

WATER AND
WASTE WATER
ENGINEERING
 CHAPTER 2
WATER TREATMENT PROCESSES
2.1 Aeration
2.2 Coagulation
2.3 Flocculation
2.4 Chemical Treatment
2.5 Sedimentation
2.6 Slow Sand Filter
 WATER TREATMENT PROCESSES
Water treatment is performed in order to improve water quality. The
processes employed for water treatment depend on the quality of the water
supply. In all cases, water has to be disinfected in order to deactivate any
existing microorganisms present in water. So far, this technique was proved
to be the most important for the protection of human life. It is commonly
done using chlorine or chlorine dioxide, and in many cases, other processes
are also used such as ozonation and ultraviolet irradiation.

• If the water originates from a surface water supply such as a river, lake, or
dam, then the suspended particles are the most important problem.
• If the water originates from groundwater through mountain springs, usually,
the water quality is good, and in most cases, only disinfection is required.
• If the water originates from groundwater wells, it may be rich in metals that
need to be removed through chemical precipitation.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/water-treatment
 Raw Water Sources and Types of Treatment
Water Sources:
• Ground water (Deep wells/Shallow wells)
• Surface water
• Lakes /Rivers)
• Ocean water (Desalination Reverse osmosis)
• Spring Water

Treatment Systems:
• Single treatment plant cannot treat all the different types of raw
water
• WTP is very specific to the required quality of water

http://www.waterboard.lk/web/images/contents/water_conservation/download/water_treatment.pdf
Why water treatment is needed?
• To kill pathogenic germs, which are harmful to human health.

• To remove the unpleasant and objectionable taste and odors

from the water.

• To remove dissolve gasses, color of water.

• To make water fit for domestic, industrial and commercial uses.

• To remove microorganism and colloidal matters.

• To remove hardness of water.

https://www.slideshare.net/kalpeshsolanki15/water-treatment-processes-coagulation-flocculation-filtration-by-kalpesh-solanki
2.1 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 sulfide,
and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). Aeration is often the first major process at the
treatment plant. During aeration, constituents are removed or modified before they
can interfere with the treatment processes.

Aeration brings water and air in close contact by exposing drops or thin sheets of
water to the air or by introducing small bubbles of air (the smaller the bubble, the
better) and letting them rise through the water. The scrubbing process caused by the
turbulence of aeration physically removes dissolved gases from solution and allows
them to escape into the surrounding air.

Oxygen is added to water through aeration and can increase the palpability of water
by removing the flat taste. The amount of oxygen the water can hold depends
primarily on the temperature of the water. (The colder the water, the more oxygen
the water can hold).
https://www.mrwa.com/WaterWorksMnl/Chapter%2011%20Aeration.pdf
CHEMICALS REMOVED OR OXIDIZED BY AERATION
Constituents commonly affected by aeration are:
• Volatile organic chemicals, such as benzene (found in
gasoline), or trichloroethylene,
dichloroethylene, and perchloroethylene (used in dry-
cleaning or industrial processes)
• Ammonia
• Chlorine
• Carbon dioxide
• Hydrogen sulfide
• Methane
• Iron and Manganese
https://www.mrwa.com/WaterWorksMnl/Chapter%2011%20Aeration.pdf
https://www.slideshare.net/Ankit7733/aeration-36820949.
https://www.slideshare.net/Ankit7733/aeration-36820949
https://www.slideshare.net/Ankit7733/aeration-36820949
https://www.slideshare.net/Ankit7733/aeration-36820949
https://www.slideshare.net/Ankit7733/aeration-36820949
 TYPES OF AERATION SYSTEM
There are three methods for aeration in activated sludge process.
• Diffused air aeration - In diffused air aeration method compressed air is
blown through the sewage and air is diffused in sewage by diffuser.
• Mechanical aeration - In this method the surface of sewage is agitated
violently with the help of some mechanical equipment to encourage
absorption of oxygen from atmosphere. There are two well known forms of
mechanical aerator. Vertical surface aerator and Horizontal surface aerator.
• Combine aerator - In this system, diffused air aeration and mechanical
aeration are combine in a single unit. The well known type of such
combination is Dorroco aerator. The aeration of sewage is done by air
diffusers as well as mechanical aerators. Air diffuser plates are located at the
bottom of tank and the submerged paddles rotate in the direction opposite
to that in which the compressed air rises up from the air diffusers. Paddles
are rotated by a motor on a horizontal shaft with a speed of 10-12 rpm.
http://www.engineeringarticles.org/aeration-methods-and-types-of-aeration/
2.2 Coagulation

Coagulation is the chemical water treatment process used to

remove solids from water, by manipulating electrostatic charges of
particles suspended in water. This process introduces small, highly
charged molecules into water to destabilize the charges on
particles, colloids, or oily materials in suspension. Selecting the
right coagulant for a system will enhance overall system
performance, and particularly improve solids removal efficiency by
enhancing filter and clarifier performance.

https://www.dober.com/water-treatment/resources/wastewater-coagulation
2.2 Coagulation
There are many wastewater treatment applications that require
coagulation reactions, such as:

• removing colloidal solids from water,

• demulsifying oil emulsions (“emulsion breaking”),
• in paint detackification (the process of treating paint overspray
that has been captured by water, the paint is made not tacky by a
chemical reaction, thus allowing for paint removal from the water)

There are also many types of coagulants available to meet specific

needs of a treatment process. In general, coagulation precedes
flocculation in a chemical water treatment process.

https://www.dober.com/water-treatment/resources/wastewater-coagulation
• Particles in water carry an electrostatic charge on their surface. Common
examples include clay, silica, iron, paints, and even oil. These small,
suspended particles are stabilized in suspension & difficult to remove via
mechanical methods.
• A suspension of solids in water typically contains a variety of particles sizes. A
lab analysis of “particle size distribution” will help define the size of particles
as well as the relative amount of each size particle in the suspension.
COAGULANTS AVAILABLE FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT
Metals-based coagulants form the largest group of products available.
Products may contain only metal salt (like Aluminum sulfate or Ferric chloride),
or products may be polymerized metal salts (like Polyaluminum chloride or
Aluminum chlorohydrate).

Synthetic coagulants may carry very high charge densities on relatively large
molecules (such as polyamine or polyDADMAC). Depending on the
formulation, some of the synthetic derivatives may behave as a flocculant.

Biopolymer coagulants are derived from natural sources. A number of Dober

Water Treatment products are derived from plant sources (like lignin, tannins,
and starches). There are also polysaccharides and other natural biopolymers
that are sourced from animals, fungus, and microbial processes (to generate
chitosan, pectin, carrageenan, plantago, and others).

https://www.dober.com/water-treatment/resources/wastewater-coagulation
2.3 Flocculation

https://www.slideshare.net/kalpeshsolanki15/water-treatment-processes-coagulation-flocculation-filtration-by-kalpesh-solanki
2.3 Flocculation

https://www.slideshare.net/kalpeshsolanki15/water-treatment-processes-coagulation-flocculation-filtration-by-kalpesh-solanki
2.4 Chemical Treatment
Chemicals are used during wastewater treatment in an array
of processes to expedite disinfection. These chemical
processes, which induce chemical reactions, are called
chemical unit processes and are used alongside biological and
physical cleaning processes to achieve various water
standards.

Specialized chemicals such as chlorine, hydrogen peroxide,

sodium chlorite, and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) act as
agents that disinfect, sanitize, and assist in the purification of
wastewater at treatment facilities.
https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/chemicals/wastewater-chemical-treatment/
Chemical Wastewater Treatment Processes
• Chemical Precipitation - is the most common method for removing
dissolved metals from wastewater solution containing toxic metals. To
convert the dissolved metals into solid particle form, a precipitation
reagent is added to the mixture. A chemical reaction, triggered by the
reagent, causes the dissolved metals to form solid particles. Filtration
can then be used to remove the particles from the mixture. How well
the process works is dependent upon the kind of metal present, the
concentration of the metal, and the kind of reagent used. In hydroxide
precipitation, a commonly used chemical precipitation process,
calcium or sodium hydroxide is used as the reagent to create solid
metal hydroxides. However, it can be difficult to create hydroxides
from dissolved metal particles in wastewater because many
wastewater solutions contain mixed metals.
https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/chemicals/wastewater-chemical-treatment/
Chemical Wastewater Treatment Processes
• Chemical Coagulation - This chemical process involves destabilizing
wastewater particles so that they aggregate during chemical
flocculation. Fine solid particles dispersed in wastewater carry negative
electric surface charges (in their normal stable state), which prevent
them from forming larger groups and settling. Chemical coagulation
destabilizes these particles by introducing positively charged
coagulants that then reduce the negative particles’ charge. Once the
charge is reduced, the particles freely form larger groups. Next, an
anionic flocculant is introduced to the mixture. Because the flocculant
reacts against the positively charged mixture, it either neutralizes the
particle groups or creates bridges between them to bind the particles
into larger groups. After larger particle groups are formed,
sedimentation can be used to remove the particles from the mixture.
https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/chemicals/wastewater-chemical-treatment/
Chemical Wastewater Treatment Processes

• Chemical Oxidation and Advanced Oxidation - With the introduction

of an oxidizing agent during chemical oxidation, electrons move from
the oxidant to the pollutants in wastewater. The pollutants then
undergo structural modification, becoming less destructive
compounds. Alkaline chlorination uses chlorine as an oxidant against
cyanide. However, alkaline chlorination as a chemical oxidation process
can lead to the creation of toxic chlorinated compounds, and additional
steps may be required. Advanced oxidation can help remove any
organic compounds that are produced as a byproduct of chemical
oxidation, through processes such as steam stripping, air stripping, or
activated carbon adsorption.

https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/chemicals/wastewater-chemical-treatment/
Chemical Wastewater Treatment Processes
• Ion Exchange - When water is too hard, it is difficult to use to clean and
often leaves a grey residue. (This is why clothing washed in hard water
often retains a dingy tint.) An ion exchange process, similar to the
reverse osmosis process, can be used to soften the water. Calcium and
magnesium are common ions that lead to water hardness. To soften the
water, positively charged sodium ions are introduced in the form of
dissolved sodium chloride salt or brine. Hard calcium and magnesium
ions exchange places with sodium ions, and free sodium ions are simply
released in the water. However, after softening a large amount of
water, the softening solution may fill with excess calcium and
magnesium ions, requiring the solution to be recharged with sodium
ions.

https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/chemicals/wastewater-chemical-treatment/
Chemical Wastewater Treatment Processes

• Chemical Stabilization - This chemical wastewater treatment process

works in a similar fashion as chemical oxidation. Sludge is treated with a
large amount of a given oxidant, such as chlorine. The introduction of
the oxidant slows down the rate of biological growth within the sludge
and also helps deodorize the mixture. The water is then removed from
the sludge. Hydrogen peroxide can also be used as an oxidant and may
be a more cost-effective choice.

https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/chemicals/wastewater-chemical-treatment/
2.5 Sedimentation
• Sedimentation is a common way of treating water. It is a process
that removes solids that float and settle in the water. The process
relies on the use of sedimentation tanks that remove larger solids.
Subsequent treatment processes may be used after
sedimentation. It is important to understand how sedimentation is
used in the treatment of drinking water and wastewater.
• The effectiveness depends on the size and weight of the particles.
Suspended solids that have a specific gravity similar to water
remain suspended while heavier particles settle. The
sedimentation process in wastewater treatment usually occurs in
tanks of various shapes.

https://aosts.com/what-is-sedimentation-in-water-treatment-types-settling-tanks/
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF
SEDIMENTATION IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT?
Sedimentation of water is one of the most basic processes of
purifying water, making it a process that is commonly used and
understood throughout the world. It may be used as a preliminary
step in some water treatment processes. It provides the following
benefits to municipalities that employ it:

• Fewer chemicals are required for subsequent water treatment.

• It makes any subsequent process easier.
• The cost is lower than some other methods.
• There is less variation in the quality of water that goes through the
process.

https://aosts.com/what-is-sedimentation-in-water-treatment-types-settling-tanks/
WHAT IS THE SEDIMENTATION PROCESS IN
WASTEWATER TREATMENT?
A sedimentation tank in wastewater treatment removes particles
from the water. The accumulated solids, or sludge, form at the
bottom of the sedimentation tank and are removed periodically.
Coagulants are typically added to the water before sedimentation to
aid in the settling process. After sedimentation, there are often
other treatment steps.

When sedimentation is used to treat wastewater, this primary step is

followed by secondary treatment, such as a trickling filter, activated
sludge or another purification process that is used to remove soluble
impurities with bacteria.
https://aosts.com/what-is-sedimentation-in-water-treatment-types-settling-tanks/
2.6 Slow Sand Filter
Slow sand filtration is a type of centralised or semi-centralised water
purification system. A well-designed and properly maintained slow sand
filter (SSF) effectively removes turbidity and pathogenic organisms
through various biological, physical and chemical processes in a single
treatment step. Only under the prevalence of a significantly high degree
of turbidity or algae-contamination, pre-treatment measures (e.g.
sedimentation) become necessary. Slow sand filtration systems are
characterised by a high reliability and rather low lifecycle costs. Moreover,
neither construction nor operation and maintenance require more than
basic skills. Hence, slow sand filtration is a promising filtration method for
small to medium-sized, rural communities with a fairly good quality of the
initial surface water source.
https://sswm.info/sswm-university-course/module-6-disaster-situations-planning-and-preparedness/further-resources-
0/slow-sand-filtration#:~:text=Slow%20sand%20filtration%20is%20a,in%20a%20single%20treatment%20step.