CVNG 3007 Civil & Environmental

Engineering

Physical Processes in
Water treatment
Unit Sizing

Dr. P. Narinesingh 2011

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 Treatment System:
Lake water: Rapid mixing; flocculation; sedimentation;
filtration; and disinfection.
Removal of:- colour; turbidity; taste and odour; organic
matter; and bacteria. 2
 Aeration Hardness
Removal
Iron & Manganese
Removal

Treatment of Ground water

Filtration
Distribution Disinfection

Treatment essential to meet particular water quality 3

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 Coagulation
• Two step process
– 1)Rapid Mixing of chemicals
– 2)Gentle Mixing for agglomeration of particles
• (Flocculation)

• 1)Accomplished through the rapid mixing and

dispersing of a chemical (coagulant).
• 2)To allow flocs (precipitates) to collide and grow
to settleable size .
• Coagulation – reaction with particles of colour,
turbidity, and bacteria to cause them to combine
and form larger particles.
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 Mixing (Rapid/slow)
• Dispersion of chemical in water
– Mixing time 0.1 s (rapid mixing)
• For chemical processes where adsorption-
destabilization occurs
– Mixing time 1 – 7 s (slow mixing)
• For the process called sweep coagulation (trapping of
colloids in hydroxide precipitate)

• Jar test used to identify reaction type

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 Degree of Mixing

• G = the degree of mixing (Velocity gradient)

P
G
V
• P = power input, W
• V = volume of water in mixing tank, m3
•  = dynamic viscosity, Pa . S
• Rapid mixing G range: 3,000 to 5,000 s-1

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Figure from Davis 4th Edition

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 Slow Mixing
• G range:
– Sweep coagulation 1 to 10 s
• 600> G > 1,000 s-1

– Softening: [Dissolution of CaO/Ca(OH)2]

• 5 to 10 mins.

• G~700 s-1

• { Not suitable for inline blending}

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 Mixing Tank
• Typical mixing equipment sizes limits the tank
capacity to ~ 8 m3.
• Equipment:
– Electric motor, gear-type speed reducer, and impeller
(axial or radial flow).
• Radial flow provides more turbulence (rapid
mixing).
• Baffels
– Horizontal: provide mixing time
– Vertical: prevents vortexing
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 Impellers

Radial flow
type impeller
Axial flow
type impellers

Axial flow type

impeller in mixing
tank with baffles.
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 Impellers

Typical arrangement
of Vertical Shaft
flocculator

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Sizing tanks and elements

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 Unitless Geometric Ratios
Tank and impeller geometrics for mixing
Geometric Ratio Allowable Range
D/T (radial) 0.014 – 0.5
D/T (axial) 0.17 – 0.40
H/D (either) 2–4
H/T (axial) 0.34 -1.60
H/T (radial) 0.28 – 2
B/D (either) 0.70 – 1.60
D = impeller diameter
T = equivalent tank diameter
H = water depth
B = water depth below impeller
Source: Table 4-15 Davis
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Figure 4-28, Davis

Power transfer of
motor to single
impeller ~ 80%

Flow patterns
produced by
impellers 19
 Flocculation
• Bring particles in contact to increase size.

• Keep floc in suspension in flocculation tank.

• Required flocculation time varies with floc

concentration and water temperature.

• At 20oC detention time is 20 mins.

• Recommended impellers = axial flow (paddle).

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Typical River
process
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 Power Requirements
• Depends on:
• Type of impeller or paddle
• Baffled tank
• Using Rushton (1952)
P  N p n  Di  
3 5

P = power, W;
Np = impeller constant;
n = rotational speed revolutions/s;
Di = impeller diameter, m;
 = density, kg/m3.
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Baffles only in flocculation tank

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Horizontal shaft
Paddle
flocculator

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 Mixing, flocculation, and clarification
• Up flow contact tank – cone shaped
• Chemicals and raw water enter at top of cone
• Mixing takes place at center of cone
• Flow path is down inside of cone and out at
bottom.
• Floc aggregates as flow rises to outlet.
• Sludge blanket forms below the water surface.
• Increases precipitation reaction.
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Up flow solids-contact flocculator

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 Example 4-20, Davis
• A city is planning the installation of a new water treatment
plant to supply a growing population. There will be only
rapid mix basin and then the flow will be evenly split
between two flocculation trains, each with three basins of
equal volume. The required water depth of all basins is 4.0
m. Determine contact basin volumes, basin dimensions,
tank equivalent diameter, required input power, impeller
diameter from table below, and rotational speed using the
following parameters:
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• Q = 11.5 x 103 m3/d
• Rapid mix time t = 2 min.
• Rapid mix G = 600 s-1
• Total flocculation time t = 30 min.
• Flocculation G = 70, 50, 30 s-1
• Water temperature = 50C
• Place impeller at one-third the water depth
Impeller type Impeller Diameters (m) Power (Np)

Radial 0.8 1.1 1.4 5.7

Axial 0.8 1.4 2.0 0.31
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 Schematic of Plant Layout

Flocculator # 1

Rapid
mix
basin

Flocculator # 2
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Rapid Mix Design
Convert flow rate m3/d to m3/min.
Convert days (d) to min. = 24 hr * 60 min.
Q = 11.5 x 103 m3/d = 8.0 m3/min.
Mixing tank
Rapid mix time of 2 min. = Q * t = 8*2 = 16 m3
Volume of tank = 16.0 m3
Design depth = 4 m.
Area of tank = Vol./ depth = 16/4 = 4.0 m2
Assuming square base = Length per side = 4^1/2
Base length = 2 m, width = 2 m.

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• Equivalent circular tank
d 2
A
• Diameter of circle with area A 4
• Therefore diameter d = 2.26 m d  4 * A

Input Power
P
• Using equation G 
V
• P = G2*V*
• At 50C  = 1.52 x 103 Pa . S
• P = 600^2 * 1.52 x 103 * 16 = 8,755 W

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Geometric Allowable Radial Impeller Dia m
Ratio Range 0.08 1.1 1.4
D/T (radial) 0.014 – 0.5 0.35 0.49 0.62
H/D (either) 2–4 5.0 3.64 2.85
H/T (radial) 0.28 – 2 1.77 1.77 1.77
B/D (either) 0.70 – 1.60 1.67 1.21 0.95

Shaded cells are out of range

Use impeller Dia. = 1.1 m
D = impeller diameter
T = equivalent tank diameter = 2.26 m
H = water depth = 4.0 m
B = water depth below impeller
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 Rotational Speed of Impeller

• Rushton (1952) 1/ 3
 P 
P = power, W; n 
 N p   Di  
5
Np = impeller constant;
n = rotational speed revolutions/s;
Di = impeller diameter, m;
 = density, kg/m3.
1/ 3
 8,755W 

  5
 5.7  1,000 kg m 1.1m  
3

n  0.98 rps  59 rpm

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 Flocculator Design
• Using two trains of flocculators simulatneously
• Flow rate per train = Rapid mixer flow rate/2
• = 8.0 m3/ min. /2 = 4.0 m3/ min.
• Flocculator must contain flow for 30 min.
• Volume per train = 4.0 m3/ min. * 30 min. =
120 m3
• Each train has three equal tanks = 120 m3/3 =
40 m3

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• Equivalent Tank Diameter:
• Base area = volume/depth = 40 m3 / 4 m = 10 m2
• Diameter d = 3.57 m
d2
d 
4* A
A 
4
• Each basin will have an increasing concentration of
floc and should have different paddle speeds and
power output.
• As per the requirements G = 70, 50, 30 s-1
• PG=70 = G2V
• = (70 s-1)(1.52 x 10-3 Pa . s)(40.0 m3)
• = 298 W
• PG=50 = G2V = 152 W; PG=30 = G2V = 54.7 W
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 Impeller Size by Geometry
• One impeller size is required for the basin
Geometric Allowable Radial Impeller Dia m
Ratio Range 0.08 1.4 2.0
D/T (axial) 0.17 – 0.4 0.22 0.39 0.56
H/D (either) 2–4 5.0 2.86 2.00
H/T (axial) 0.34 – 1.6 1.12 1.12 1.12
B/D (either) 0.70 – 1.60 1.66 0.95 0.67

Impeller size d = 1.4 m best suits the geometric parameters.

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 1/ 3
 P 
nG 70  
 N p  Di  
5

• Np = 0.31
• P = 298 W
• Di = 1.4 m
• nG=70 =0.56 rps = 34 rpm

• Allowable tangential velocity < 2.7 m/s.

• No. of rev.*pi*dia.=0.56*pi*1.4 =
• 2.46 m/s < 2.7 m/s
• Other G will also be less.

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END

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