Clarification of spent filter backwash water in water treatment plants by coagulation, flocculation and dissolved air flotation

Abstract

This article presents studies on coagulation, flocculation and dissolved air flotation that were conducted with the aim of promoting the clarification of spent filter backwash water (SFBW) in a Water Treatment Plant (WTP) based on bench and pilot experiments. The effectiveness of coagulation-flocculation was analyzed according to the buoyancy of the aggregates obtained from different levels of pH and dosage of polyaluminium chloride, whereas flotation tests were investigated based on bench saturation efficiency and recirculation rate. According to the results, the pH and the concentration of the coagulant represented critical conditions in the coagulation. The pH variation of the SFBW conditioned with 8 mg.L-1 of Al + 3 highlighted the formation of hydrolyzable species, and the high activity of the colloid indicated the occurrence of different mechanisms for neutralization in the coagulation. The maximum clarification of the SFBW occurred with a dosage of 12 mg.L-1 of Al+3, recirculation rate of 10%, flocculation time of 15 min, and pH 6.5. In an optimized configuration, the technique achieved removal of 88% turbidity and 86% total solids, which can result in more than 11 kilograms of solids removed from the WTP in each backwashing cycle compared with sedimentation. This would imply an increase of 33% in the backwashing interval and, consequently, in the reduction of costs and in the better performance of the WTP.