FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND THE BUILT

ENVIRONMENT
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL, METALLURGICAL, AND MATERIALS
ENGINEERING

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY REPORT

EXPERIMENT: Coagulation and flocculation

Surname & Initials: Mabena PNQ

Student Number: 220332802

Group: 1

Date Experiment Performed: 04 May 2023

Date Experiment Submitted: 11 May 2023

Submitted to: Bopape

 TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL, METALLURGICAL, AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING

REPORT GRADING FORM

Name of Student: Pamla Mabena

Student Number: 220332802
Title of Report: Coagulation and flocculation
Term: _______________________________ DATE: 11 May 2023

Subject Max Mark Actual Mark

1. Title Page 1
2. Abstract 6
3. Introduction 2
4. Theoretical Background 3
5. Procedure 2
6. Results 6
7. Discussion of Results 10
8. Conclusion and Recommendations 4
9. Literature Cited 1
10. Nomenclature 1
11. Organization and Neatness 2

Appendix
A1 Raw Data 2
A2 Data Analysis and Sample 10
Calculations
TOTAL 50

Signed: ____________________________________
Comments:
ABSTRACT

The study of this experiment is based on water treatment. The effectiveness of

coagulation and flocculation towards reduction of turbidity and also the optimum amount
of coagulant to be used were tested in this experiment. Coagulation is a chemical
process used to destabilize colloidal particle by adding a MS24 chemical which has
positively charged colloids to water containing negatively charged colloids. The process
will neutralize the negative charge on the colloids and therefore reduce the tendency for
the colloids to repel each other. Flocculation, a gentle mixing stage increases the
particle size from submicroscopic micro floc to visible suspended particles. The micro
flocs are brought into contact with each other through the process of slow mixing.
Different amount of coagulant MS24 was added to waste 4 water samples of similar
volume and mixed and let for sedimentation. Then, the turbidity and pH levels of the
water samples were determined and recorded. Coagulant amount of (1ml, 1.5ml, 2ml
and 2.5ml) to 500 ml of 4 beakers water sample recorded the least turbidity at the end
of the experiment. At the same time, pH level of water sample shows more acidic as the
amount of coagulant.
Table of Contents
ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................4
OBJECTIVES.................................................................................................................4
THEORTICAL BACKGROUND........................................................................................5
APPARAUS AND PROCEDURE......................................................................................6
APPARATUS..................................................................................................................6
PROCEDURE.................................................................................................................6
RESULTS..........................................................................................................................8
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS.............................................................................................9
CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES................................................................................................................11
NOMENCLATURE..........................................................................................................12
APPENDIX.......................................................................................................................13
RAW DATA...................................................................................................................13
SAMPLE ANALYSIS AND CALCULATIONS..............................................................14
INTRODUCTION

Coagulation and flocculation are important water treatment processes for removal of
suspended solids from water. Colloidal particles in the wastewater carry net negative
surface charge. This cause the particles repelled from each other and keep suspended
in the solution. Therefore, coagulation is important to alter colloids so that they can
adhere to each other. Coagulants are added to neutralize the negative electrical charge
on particles, which destabilizes the forces that keep colloids apart. Water treatment
coagulants are comprised of positively charged molecules that, when added to the
water and mixed, accomplished this charge neutralization. When the wastewater is
neutralized, flocculants added to gather the destabilized particles together and cause
them to agglomerate and drop out of solution. Typical coagulants include natural and
synthetic organic polymer, metal salts, prehydrolized metal salts.
Pure water is not found in nature since it can solubilize. Minerals, biological substances,
and gases that are dissolved in water can change the physical (turbidity, chemical
(chemical and biological demand for oxygen, pH, alkalinity, total organic carbon),
biological (color, temperature, electrical conductivity), and physical (water temperature,
electrical conductivity), all of which are influenced by the content, concentration, and
chemical interactions of contaminants. A community's health and welfare depend on
having access to safe drinking water, hence all water sources must undergo some sort
of filtration before being used for human consumption. Water safety and consumer
appeal are achieved using a variety of techniques. The technique used is determined on
the characteristics of the raw water. The significant seasonal change in turbidity is one
issue in treating surface water.
Chemical coagulants like alum, ferric chloride, and polyelectrolyte have been used to
separate suspended solids (colloids) from water effectively. This procedure
demonstrates a water purification method that encourages the aggregation of
suspended particles into settleable flocs by destabilizing the charged colloids and
thereby negating the forces that keep them apart. Temperature, pH, effluent quality,
dosage, and coagulant type are a few of the variables that affect coagulation-
flocculation.

OBJECTIVES

1. To conduct jar tests.

2. Determine optimal dose of the coagulant.
3. Evaluate different settling regimes.
THEORTICAL BACKGROUND

The technique of jar testing is utilized to replicate a complete water treatment

procedure, which enables system operators to gain a realistic understanding of the
performance and behavior of a treatment chemical with a specific type of untreated
water. As it emulates full-scale operation, jar testing can aid system operators in
identifying the most effective treatment chemical for their untreated water. This process
involves modifying the quantity of treatment chemicals and the order in which they are
introduced to samples of untreated water contained in jars or beakers.
Next, the specimen is agitated in order to observe the creation, growth, and precipitation
of coagulated particles, which mimics the process in a complete treatment facility.
(Coagulation arises when treatment substances interact with substances in the
untreated water and merge.) Afterwards, the technician conducts a sequence of
assessments to contrast the impact of varying quantities of coagulating agents at
distinct pH levels, with the aim of identifying the optimal particle size for a specific plant.
Even when given a lot of time to settle by gravity, some solids in water and wastewater
may still be in suspension. These particles are known as colloids, and they are
distinguished by their light weight and the surface charge that keeps them from
aggregating. In order to encourage the settling of suspended materials, one of the
goals of water treatment is achieved. Aluminum, which is naturally acidic, is used as a
chemical coagulant during the coagulation process to neutralize the surface charge and
so increase particle agglomeration.
In order to create what is known as a micro floc, chemical coagulants are added to the
raw water and for a little duration, vigorous mixing is carried out. The next step is to
apply controlled turbulence to the micro floc solution in order to combine the micro flocs
and create a floc that is large enough to settle under gravity. We refer to this process as
flocculation. The type of colloids in suspension, the temperature, pH, and chemical
makeup of the water, the type and dose of coagulants, and the amount and duration of
mixing required for chemical dispersion and floc formation all play a role in the removal
of turbidity by coagulation.
APPARAUS AND PROCEDURE
APPARATUS
 Measuring cup
 Beakers
 Syringes
 Filter paper
 Turbidimeter
 pH meter

Figure 1 Flocculation testers

Figure 2 Turbidimeter

Figure 3 pH meter
PROCEDURE

1. First, we started by adding 500 ml of raw water into each jar test beaker using a 500 ml
graduated cylinder to add the amount of water required accurately.
2. Took the sample of the raw water to record the temperature using a thermometer, pH, turbidity
using both pH and turbidity machine as shown in the figures above.
3. We prepared a stock solution for each beaker (1ml, 1.5ml, 2ml, 2.5ml) and we placed it next to
the jar beakers.
4. We turned on the stirrers at a speed of 200 rpm and we set the time to be 2 minutes.
5. we used the prepared stock solution of coagulant to dose each beaker with increased amounts
of the solution.
6. The rapid mixing then began for up to 20 minutes.
7. After 18 minutes we reduced the speed to 40 rpm.
8. After the 18 minutes of slow mixing we stopped turned off the stirrers and the settling began for
10 minutes at 0 rpm.
9. When the settling process was done we took the sample of water in each beaker to measure the
pH in for each beaker and turbidity for each and the results we recorded.
10. A filter was used to filter the water from each beaker after settling.
11. We took a filter paper then folded it and insert it in a beaker, used a syringe to pour water in
each beaker with a filter paper. To filter the water.

Figure 4 Water filtration

12. After the filtered water was taken to measure the pH and turbidity for each beaker and the
results were recorded.
RESULTS

Beaker Dose of coagulant Stock solution Settling (NTU) Filtered turbidity

(ml) Turbidity (NTU)
1 4 1 6.17 1.29
2 6 1.5 4.56 0.82
3 8 2 2.14 0.82
4 10 2.5 1.29 0.60
Table 1 Table of recorded data after coagulation and flocculation

Settled and turbidity curve coagulation and floccu-

7 lation
6

5
TURBIDITY (NTU)

0
4 6 8 10
DOSE (ppm)
settled filtered

Figure 5 Graph of settling and filtered

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

From the table results recorded from the experiment we see that the filtered turbidity of
water decreases from beaker 1 to beaker 4. It is because the amount of the coagulant
added in each beaker was not equal. Beaker 4 filtered turbidity is 0.60 and the amount
of coagulant was 1 ml and for beaker 1 filtered turbidity is 1.29 and the amount of
coagulant was 2.5 ml, we can observe that when we increase the amount of coagulant
the filtered turbidity decreases. The amount of suspended materials in the water
decreases and water becomes clear. Filtration is the most crucial step in any water
treatment procedure. Filtration’s main goal is to physically remove pollutants from
drinking water. This is performed by passing the water through a water filter media,
which is a screen-like item as seen from figure 4. Water filtration systems are required
to clean the water and kill these microorganisms in order to provide people with safe
drinking water.
Turbidity affects water quality because the higher the turbidity levels, the higher the
likelihood of poor water quality. That is because many of the causes of turbidity, such as
algae and phytoplankton, influence water quality. The normal range for turbidity in water
is 0.1 to 1 NTU. Ideally, municipal water suppliers should aim to reduce turbidity levels
to an average of 0.2 or less in treated drinking water, regardless of the initial water
source or quality.
We can see from the table of results that the turbidity of water settling is higher. The
water still has suspended solids. Unfiltered water has high turbidity, unfiltered water may
comprise microorganisms causing diarrhea, vomiting and even death. From figure 5 the
graph we can observe that the curve for settled is above filtered curve. The turbidity of
the settled is higher than turbidity
The optimum dosage in flocculation and coagulation plays a crucial role in determining
the effectiveness of the treatment process. At the optimum dosage, coagulants or
flocculants will react with the suspended particles in the water to form flocs or clumps,
which will settle to the bottom of the container or be removed through filtration.
If the dosage is too low like the one in beaker 1, the coagulant or flocculant will not be
effective in removing the suspended particles, resulting in poor water quality as we can
see that beaker 1 filtered turbidity is 1.29. The dosage that produces the lowest turbidity
is beaker 4 and that is the optimum dosage. Using the optimum dosage of coagulant or
flocculant can result in significant improvements in water quality, including increased
clarity, reduced suspended solids, and removal of pathogens and other contaminants.
CONCLUSION

The jar test is a common laboratory test used to determine the optimal dosage and type
of coagulant or flocculant needed to achieve effective water treatment. The test involves
adding a sample of water to several jars and adding different doses of a coagulant or
flocculant to each jar. The contents of each jar are then stirred at a constant speed for a
set period of time, typically around 1 to 5 minutes, and allowed to settle for a set period
of time, usually around 30 to 60 minutes.
During the settling period, the coagulant or flocculant causes suspended particles in the
water to clump together, forming larger particles called flocs that settle to the bottom of
the jar. The clarity of the water above the settled floc is measured by taking a sample of
the water and measuring the turbidity, which is a measure of the cloudiness of the
water.
By comparing the turbidity measurements of each jar, the optimal dosage and type of
coagulant or flocculant can be determined for a given water source. The jar test can
also be used to test the effectiveness of different combinations of coagulants and
flocculants, as well as to determine the optimal mixing and settling times for a particular
water treatment system.
As conclusion, we have been achieved the objective of this experiment which to
conduct experiment of coagulation and flocculation and determine optimum dose
combination of coagulant which will produce the highest removal of turbid water sample
has achieved. After data analysis the optimum dosage of the experiment was
−4
9.834 × 10 lbs/minutes . Conclusion was reached base on the turbidity minimum at 0.82
from filtered water.
REFERENCES
 Anon., n.d. LibreTexts. [Online]
Available at:
https://workforce.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Water_Systems_Technology/
Water_151/01%3A_Chapters/1.04%3A_Coagulation_and_Flocculation
[Accessed 6 May 2023].
 Port, S., 2019. Studoca. [Online]
Available at: https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/central-philippine-
university/principles-of-physical-chemistry/jar-test-coagulation-and-flocculation-
using-jar-test-method/10104429
[Accessed 6 May 2023].
 V. Saritha, 2015. Springer. [Online]
Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13201-014-0262-y
[Accessed 6 May 2023].
NOMENCLATURE

Symbol Unit Description

V ml Volume
F ml/minutes Flow rate
t minutes Time
D ppm Dosage of coagulant
pH - Potential of hydrogen
NTU - Nephelometric turbidity unit
Table 2 Table of nomencluture
APPENDIX
RAW DATA
Water that was used is from the TUT dam.

Beaker 1 Beaker 2 Beaker 3

Raw water turbidity 7.46 7.09 5.92
(NTU)
pH 6.47 6.21 6.56
Table 3 Table of raw data for pH and turbidity

Beaker Dose of coagulant Stock solution Settling (NTU) Filtered turbidity

(ml) Turbidity (NTU)
1 4 1 6.17 1.29
2 6 1.5 4.56 0.82
3 8 2 2.14 0.82
4 10 2.5 1.29 0.60
Table 4 Table of recorded data after coagulation and flocculation
SAMPLE ANALYSIS AND CALCULATIONS

Sample computation

Parameter of water− parameter of water added with coagulent solution

%difference= ×100
Parameter of raw water
Using beaker 3 at 2 ml
5.92−2.14
%difference of water settling turbidity= ×100=71.46 %
5.29
It removes almost 71.46% of turbidity of raw water when it is left to settling for a period
of time.
5.92−0.82
%difference of filtered water turbidity= ×100=96.41 %
5.29
It removes almost 94.415 of turbidity of raw water when it is filtered.
6.56−6.44
%difference of water pH = ×100=1.83 %
6.56

Chemical dosage

Flow rate of beaker 3

m
V( )
l 2
Flow rate= = =0.067 ml /minutes
time ( minutes) 30
The flow rate in gallons/minutes = 0,000014737939636038882 gallons per minutes

Feed rate ( minutes

lbs
)=Dosage ( ppm) × Flow rate ( minutes
gallons
)× 8.34( gallons
lbs
)

Feed rate=8 ×0,000014737939636038882 ×8.34=9.834 × 10−4 lbs/minutes