Purification of water

supplies
1. Screening
2. Sedimentation : Rectangular & circular
tank
Methods of Purification of water
Introduction:
Raw water must be treated and purifies before
supplying to the public for the domestic., industrial
or any other use.
The extent of treatment
The characteristics and quality of the available
water ,
quality requirements of drinking water, they
should be made reasonably suitable for industrial
purposes.
Methods of Purification of water
Various Methods:
Screening : To remove big & visible objects
Plain Sedimentation : removal of coarser
suspended materials
Sedimentation aided with coagulation : addition
of chemicals to form flocculent precipitate.
Filtration
Disinfection
Aeration
Softening
Miscellaneous treatment.
1) Screening
Coarse and fine screens :
Screens are provided in front of the pumps or the
intake works so as to exclude the large sized
particles, such as debris , trees etc
Coarse screens & fine screens.
Coarse screen is placed in front of fine screens. It
consists of parallel iron rods placed vertically or
at slight slope at about 2 to 10 cm c/c.
Fine screens are made up of fine wire or
perforated metal with openings less than 1 cm
wide.
1) Screening
Coarse screen remove the bigger floating bodies and the
organic solids .
Fine screens remove the fine suspended solids.
Fine screens get clogged and are to be cleaned frequently.
They are avoided now a days.
Fine particles are separated in sedimentation rather than
in screening.
Coarse screens are kept inclined at about 45 60 degree
to the horizontal, this helps to increase the opening area
and which helps to reduce the flow velocity and thus
making the screening effective.
1) Screening
Design :
The clear openings of screens should have an area so that
the velocity through them is not more than 0.8 to 1
m/s.
The material which is collected on the upstream side of
the screens is removed either manually or mechanically.
Fixed bar type & movable bar type screens are available.
(Ref .figure )
2) Plain Sedimentation
2. Plain sedimentation:

Principle of sedimentation :
Specific gravity of suspended impurities more than water. In
still water settles down under gravity. In normal raw water
impurities remain in suspension - due to the turbulence of
water. If the turbulence is retarded by offering storage to the
water, these impurities tend to settle down at the bottom of
the tank.
The basin in which the flow of the water is retarded is called
settling tank or sedimentation basin or clarifier.
The theoretical average time for which the water is detained in
the tank is called the detention period.
2
Stokes law = = ( 1)
18
2) Plain Sedimentation

Theory of sedimentation :
The settlement of a particle in water brought to rest, is opposed by the following
factors :
I. The velocity of flow : which carries the particle horizontally, If the flow area is
more, then the velocity will be less. So the particles can settle down more easily.
( Q = AV )
II. The viscosity of water in which the particle is travelling. Viscosity varies inversely
with the temperature. Warm water less viscous. But we cannot control the
temp. in the purification process. So this factor neglected.
III. The size, shape and specific gravity of the particle :
If the specific gravity is more , then the particle will settle more easily.
Size - Wt & Volume of spherically shaped particle = d3 /6 , d- diameter
of the particle or its size,Volume d3.
Area= d2 /4,Area d2. ie,Very small sized particles settle down very slowly.
Settling velocity is expressed by Stokes law , which takes the above three factors
into account.
Derivation of Stoke's law & its problem.
2) Sedimentation tank
Sedimentation Tanks
Special basins are constructed in order to purify the surface
waters of rivers or reservoirs by the process of
sedimentation.
Out of the three forces which controls the settling of the
particles :
Velocity of flow : Reduced by increasing the length of travel
and by detaining the particles for a long time in the
sedimentation basin.
Size , shape of the particle : it is changed by the addition
of chemicals (coagulants ) to the water, which improves the
settlement of very fine particles under the process
called sedimentation with coagulation.
Temperature cannot be controlled.
Sedimentation tank
General :
Basins are made of RCC. May be rectangular or circular in plan.
Two types :
Long narrow rectangular tanks with horizontal
flow (preferred)
Circular tanks with horizontal radial or spiral flow.
Capacity & dimensions should be properly designed.
Plain sedimentation tank remove 70% of the suspended impurities in
water.

Types of Sedimentation Tanks

Horizontal flow tanks ,Vertical or up flow tanks.
Horizontal flow tanks :
The direction of flow in the tank is horizontal.
Two types of design : Rectangular tanks with longitudinal flow ,
Circular tanks with radial flow , with central feed.
Sedimentation tank :Rectangular tanks with
longitudinal flow
Continuous flow type (Commonly used): They are provided with
mechanical scrapping devices, to scrap the sludge to the sludge pit
located towards the influent end, from where it is periodically
removed, without stopping the working of the tank.
Operation : Very simple . Water enters from one end and comes out
from the other end.
Velocity is reduced by providing sufficient length of travel.
Velocity is designed such that time taken by the particle to travel from
one end to other > time required for the settlement of that particle.
Intermittent type : Mechanical scrapping devices are not provided, and
the tank has to be cleaned by stopping the operation .
Operation :
The raw water is stored for 24 hrs and during this period ,the
suspended particle settle down at the bottom. The clear water from the
tank is taken out and the tank is cleaned off .This process is continued
for time interval of 30 to 36 hrs.
Horizontal Flow Tank :
Rectangular sedimentation tank with longitudinal flow
Sedimentation tank :Circular Tank with
radial flow, with central feed
Operation : Water enters at the centre of the tank into a circular well
provided with ports , from which it goes out to flow radially outwards
in all directions equally.
The water , flows horizontally , and radially from the centre towards the
periphery of the circular tank. This helps to decrease the horizontal
velocity towards the periphery, from where water is withdrawn from the
tank .
The sludge is scrapped to the central sump mechanically and
continuously, from where it is withdrawn during operation. The sludge
removal mechanism consists of scraper blades mounted on 2 or 4 arms
revolving slowly.
Horizontal Flow Tank :
Circular tank with radial flow, with central feed
Vertical or upflow settling tanks
It is used for plain sedimentation, but it combines
sedimentation with flocculation.
Square or circular in plan, and may have hopper bottoms.
Operation :
The influent enters at the bottom of the unit. The upflow
velocity decreases with the increased c/sonal area of the
tank. The clarified water is withdrawn through the central
weir.
If coagulents are added,
flocculation takes place at the botom
of tank and leads to the formation of floc.
Up-flow sludge blanket clarifiers.
Vertical or upflow settling tanks
Design concepts in Plain sedimentation Tanks (Type I settling )

Important terms :
1. Overflow velocity / overflow rate / surface overflow rate / surface loading (V0 )
It is the velocity at which the tank is designed to operate.
Surface area =As
Vertical upflow tank
Out
V1 = V0
Vs V0 = Q/ As

V1 Settled particles

Raw Water
(Particles +liquid)

Particles falls downward with Vs and the velocity of rising liquid is V1.
If Vs > V1 , 100 % removal of particles. Otherwise particles cannot be
removed.
Design : V0 is about 80 % of Vs. Eqn . For V0 = Depth / time
Horizontal sedimentation tanks :
Assumptions :
a) Particles and their velocity vectors are evenly distributed across the tank
cross-section.
b) The liquid moves as an ideal slug, down the length of the tank.
c) Any particle hitting the bottom of the tank is removed.

Consider a horizontal flowing rectangular tank.

Let the water enters the tank with uniform velocity V.
If Q be the discharge at the entrance ,
flow velocity V = Q / BH (B width, H depth of water in the tank)
A

Flow
V

V
H
Vs >= V0

V V s1 E
h
Vs2 C
Sludge Outlet
Zone Zone

L
 Consider the particle enters at point A at height H. Each particle will be
having horizontal velocity V and vertical settling velocity Vs. Resultant path
is given by the vector sum of V and Vs.
It moves along AC , so that it touched the bottom before reaching the outlet
zone. All particles with same velocity entering at different het h will also be
removed.
Consider the extreme case of slope vector from A to C ,and the geometry of
the basin ,
V / Vs L / H
Vs V .H / L (Q / BH ).( H / L )
(Q / BL )
(Q / As )
(Q / As ) Vo
Vs Vo (Vo Overflow rate)

If Vs > V0 , the particles will settle down and can be removed. Otherwise
particles will remain suspended in the tank.
2. Detention Period or retention period ( t ):

The detention period of a settling tank may be defined as average

theoretical time required for the water to flow thru the tank length.
It is that time which would be required by the flow of water to fill
the tank, if there were no outflows.
Formula - Detention time of Rectangular tank
For plain sedimentation
a) detention time 4 to 8 hrs
b) coagulants , detention time 2 to 4 hrs
c) Width of tank 10m and not to exceed 12m
d) length of tank is < 4B, though it may vary from 1 to
6B
e) Cross sectional area of sedimentation tank is as
such to provide a horizontal flow velocity ranging
between 0.15 to 0.9m/min, normally at 0.3 m /minute
f) The total amount of flow from the tank within 24 hrs
= maximum daily demand of water
3. Displacement Efficiency:

In order to achieve the efficiency in the removal of sediment

in sedimentation tanks, the flow is uniformly distributed
throughout the cross-section of the tank.
If some portion of water is allowed to pass directly through
the tank without being detained for the intended time, then
the flow is said to be short circuited. Properly designed
inlets and outlets near the entrance and exit may reduce the
short circuiting tendencies, and distribute the flow more uniformly.
But , however in actual practice , certain amount of short circuiting
always exist and therefore actual average time which the
water takes in passing through the settling tank is called as
flowing through period.
Flowing through period < detention period
Displacement efficiency = Ratio of flowing through period to
the detention period
It varies b/w 0.25 to 0.5 in normal sedimentation basins.
Check against the scour of Deposited Particles :

The flow velocity should not cause the scour of the settled or
deposited particles. Ie, The overflow velocity should not be more
than scour velocity, as to cause the uplift of particles which
have settled and reached the sludge zone.
The flow velocity in the tank ( v ) < scour or displacement velocity
(v d )
v d is the minimum velocity required to start the motion of the
settled particles of size d ,
v d = Formula.
Inlet and outlet arrangements in sedimentation tanks :
Inlet for rectangular tank is in the form of a channel extending
to the full width of the tank with a submerged weir type baffle
wall as shown in the fig .

Outlet for the rectangular tank consists of a channel extending

the full width of the tank and receiving the water after it has
passed over a weir.(Ref. Figure)
Cleaning and sludge removal from sedimentation
tank :
The suspended materials settled down at the bottom have to
be cleaned periodically.
Necessity : It reduces the capacity of the tank and its
detention period, Also it leads to the evolution of certain
foul gases due to the decomposition of the settled
organic matter.

Cleaning : Manual or Mechanical

Manual cleaning : The tank is out of service and the supply of

raw water is stopped. The already contained water is
drained off till the depth remains about 30 cm or so.
The sludge is stirred and removed as a slurry , though a
separate pipe is provided with a gate valve at the bottom of
the tank. The removed sluge is then taken to the municipal
sewers.
Cleaning:

Mechanical : mechanical cleaning devices are

used.
Rectangular : sludge is scrapped & brought to
the hopper at the outlet end
circular tanks: sludge is scrapped & brought to
the centre & removed.

For the tanks without mechanical sludge removal

equipment, an additional minimum depth of
about 0.8 to 1.2 m should be provided for storage
of sediment and is called the sludge zone.
 Tube settlers
Settling efficiency depends on surface area of
the tank and is independent of its depth.
Sedimentation basin should be shallow as
possible.
Tank height is divided into compartments
Very small tubes : detention time < 10min.
Tubes : circular or square , placed together
side by side to make a bundle called as
module or tube settler module.
Eg : lamella clarifier
Ref :http://www.tubesettlers.com/