Water Supply Engg.

AE Coaching

Break Point Chlorination

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Introduction
We know that when chlorine is added to water, it first reacts with inorganic and organic
impurities along with formation of chloramines. The amount of chlorine that reacts with
these impurities constitute the chlorine demand of water.

Applied-Residual Chlorine Curve

Let us now consider a plot between residual chlorine and applied chlorine. If water has
no chlorine demand, any applied chlorine will appear as residual chlorine and thus the
relation between residual and applied chlorine will be a straight line having 45 slope.
Stage I: Water generally has some chlorine demand. On addition of chlorine to water, it
immediately reacts with inorganic substances and oxidises them. There will not be any
residual chlorine left as all chlorine is consumed.
Stage II: After meeting the immediate demand, chlorine reacts with ammonia to form
chloroamines. Thus, there will be some residual chlorine present in water in the form of
combined chlorine. With increase in applied chlorine, the residual chlorine also increases
till the peak (point C) is reached.
Stage III: Beyond point C, any increase in applied chlorine results in sharp decrease in
the residual because of two reasons:
1. A lot of applied chlorine is utilized in oxidisation of organic matter.
2. The increased concentration of applied chlorine breaks down chloroamines formed in
Stage II by changing them back into nitrogen compounds, thus reducing the residual
chlorine.
The oxidisation of organic matter is accompanied by bad smell and taste.
Stage IV: At point D, the oxidisation of organic matter is completed and the bad smell
and taste also vanishes. The residual chlorine at point D represents the true residual
free chlorine since the chlorine demand has now been completely satisfied. On further
application of chlorine, the applied chlorine will directly appear as residual chlorine as
chlorine demand is completely satisfied. The slope of line E will thus be 45 .

Point D on the curve is called as break point because any chlorine that is added to water beyond
this point simply breaks through the water and appears as residual chlorine. Therefore, at
break point, nearly all residual chlorine will be free chlorine.

Significance of Break Point Chlorination

The chlorine is applied to water at a dose equal to or slightly greater than that at which the
break point occurs. It has the advantages of:
It will leave the desired chlorine residual.
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Water Supply Engg.

AE Coaching

It will remove taste and odour.

It will have adequate bacterial killing effect.
It will ensure that oxidation of ammonia and other compounds is complete.
Generally, the chlorine dose at which break point occurs varies from 37 ppm.

Figure 1: