Chemical Coagulation-Flocculation and Sedimentation

The important design factors that must be determined for a particular water during treatability studies include  

Laboratory-scale test procedures consisting of jar test studies have been used for years, and the test methodology developed is such that full-scale designs can be developed from these studies with a high degree of confidence. A jar test is a series of bench-scale laboratory procedures made on 1- or 2-1 water samples to determine the most effective water treatment method. Tests are performed to identify the most effective coagulants, optimum dosage, optimum pH, and most effective order in which to add various chemicals. 

Chemical precipitation has traditionally been a popular technique for the removal of heavy metals and other inorganics from wastewater streams. However, a wide variety of other techniques also exist. For example, ion-exchange, reverse osmosis, evaporation, freeze crystallization, electrodialysis, cementation, catalysis, distillation, and activated carbon have all been used for removal of inorganics. 

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In this treatment process, unit operations such as chemical coagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation followed by filtration, activated carbon, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis are employed to remove significant amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, organic matters, bacteria, and viruses present in wastewater.2 It is always the last process step in the wastewater treatment plant that finally renders the treated wastewater reusable and disposable into the environment without any adverse effect (Figure 22.1). 

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