FACULTY : CIVIL &

ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.
DEPART : WATER &
ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.
LAB : ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING
EXPERIMENT : JAR TEST
1.0

EDITION:
REVISION
02
NO:
EFFECTIVE 28/12/20
DATE: 15
AMENDMENT
DATE:

OBJECTIVE
To determine the optimal coagulant dose which will produce the highest
removal of a given water turbidity.

2.0

LEARNING OUTCOME

1. To identify the most common coagulant used in the coagulant process.

2. To determine the most effective and optimum dosage of coagulant for a
particular mixing intensity and duration.
3. To understand the complex interrelationships that exists between the
chemicals and the constituents of the water being treated, as well as
other factors such as pH, temperature, the intensity and duration of
mixing.

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3.0

THEORY

Raw water and wastewater is normally turbid containing solid particles of varying
sizes. Particles with sizes greater than 50 m settle fairly rapidly. The settling
velocities of colloidal particles of sizes less than 50 m are very slow. Thus, these
particles are encouraged to collide leading to coalescence of particle to form flocs
particles, which are bigger and heavier. These particles will have higher settling
velocities and easily settle out. Colloidal particles do not agglomerate by itself
due to the presence of repulsive surface forces. A process is needed to suppress
these forces so as to allow flocs formation. This process is called coagulation
process. It is actually the addiction of chemical coagulant to the raw water or
wastewater. Coagulant that are normally used are salts of aluminium namely
aluminium sulphate and ferric salts namely ferrous sulphate and ferric chloride.
The next processs that follows the coagulation process is flocculation. It is the
process that promotes particles collision due to gentle agitation resulting in
agglomeration of smaller non-settleable particles into flocs (bigger particles)
which settles easily to produce clarified water. Addition of coagulant aid such as
synthetic polymer will accelerate settling.

FACULTY : CIVIL &

ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.
DEPART : WATER &
ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.
LAB : ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING
EXPERIMENT : JAR TEST
4.0

EQUIPMENTS AND MATERIALS

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Jar test apparatus with six rotating paddles blade

Six (6) beakers
pH meter
Turbidity meter
Pipette

EDITION:
REVISION
02
NO:
EFFECTIVE 28/12/20
DATE: 15
AMENDMENT
DATE:

REAGENT
1)

Aluminum sulfate (alum),Sulfuric Acid and Sodium Hidroksida

2|Page

5.0 PROCEDURES
5.1

5.2

Sampling
1) Sampling was carried out according to APHA 1060 B standard.
2) The preservation of sample was according to APHA 1060 B. The sample will be collected
and store in class P,G, FP container and immediately preserved.
Jar test
1) Varied the dose of alum according to appropriate range. Calculate the volume of alum by
using formula (1).
M1V1 =M2V2

(1)

2) Measure the temperature, pH and turbidity of the sample.

3) Prepare samples of wastewater into six different beakers with 0.5 liter each and label the
beakers.
4) Add in coagulant with different dosage and one control sample
5) Run the experiment (rapid mixing: 60 rpm (3 minutes), slow mixing: 30 rpm (20 minutes),
settling time: 5 minutes).
6) Observe the flocculation process and record the floc formation in final 10 minutes by
referring to particle chart in Figure 1.
7) Measured the sludge depth and then collect the liquid sample 3 cm from surface of sample
by using pipette after the end of settling time. Measured the final turbidity and pH of the
collected samples.
Notes: 1) Adjust pH of sample before jar test. Find the appropriate value of pH and range of dose from any
reliable source such as journal, book and etc.
2) Refer APHA 1060 B for type of container, sampling method and preservation technique.
3) Find the standard method for pH, temperature and turbidity measurement that will be carried out in
the laboratory.
4) Equation (1) is used to calculate the dilution of solution.

FACULTY : CIVIL &

ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.
DEPART : WATER &
ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.
LAB : ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING
EXPERIMENT : JAR TEST

EDITION:
REVISION
02
NO:
EFFECTIVE 28/12/20
DATE: 15
AMENDMENT
DATE:

3|Page

Figure 1 : Jar test apparatus

Figure 2: Scale for measurements of floc sizes

FACULTY : CIVIL &
ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.
DEPART : WATER &
ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.
LAB : ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING
EXPERIMENT : JAR TEST

EDITION:
REVISION
02
NO:
EFFECTIVE 28/12/20
DATE: 15
AMENDMENT
DATE:
4|Page

EXPERIMENT : JAR TEST

6.0

RESULTS

Time of floc formation =

FACULTY : CIVIL &
ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.
DEPART : WATER &
ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.
LAB : ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING

EDITION:
REVISION
02
NO:
EFFECTIVE 28/12/20
DATE: 15
AMENDMENT
DATE:
5|Page

Fill in the table provided in the bench sheet

Compare the level of turbidity in each sample.
3. With the aid of a graph, show the relationship between turbidity and coagulant dosage.
From the graph, get the optimum value for coagulant dose of the coagulation process.
Explain the implications of using different dosage of aluminium sulphate in the treatment process

7.0 ANALYSIS
1.
2.
3.

What is the usage of jar test

What are the operating factors that influence the performance of jar test.
By using aluminium sulphate, the mechanism is :
Al3+

3H2O

Al(OH)3

3H

Describe the mechanism of reaction if the aluminium sulphate is replaced by ferum chloride
(FeCl3).
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

How the coagulant works?

Name three types of acid and base which are suitables for pH neutralization.
What are the benefits of using coagulant aids?
In what way the dosage of aluminium sulphate in the treatment process can be reduced?
Instead of Al2(SO4)3, name another three coagulants that can be best used as coagulant.
Plot graph of turbidity versus pH for jar test below and determine the optimum pH.
Jar test

Jar No.
pH
Coagulant dose
(mg/L)
Turbidity (NTU)

1
5

2
5.5

3
6

4
6.5

5
7

6
7.5

10
11

10
7

10
5.5

10
5.7

10
8

110
13

PREPARED BY :

NUR SHAYLINDA MOHD ZIN

POSITION :

LECTURER

SIGNATURE :

DATE : 1 FEBUARY 2016

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