Water Treating

Introduction
Only rarely is water chemically pure. Wells and springs, usually referred to
as ground water, have dissolved impurities which come from the rock and
sand strata through which the water passes. Generally, ground-water
composition remains relatively constant.

Surface water, which comes from rivers and lakes, often contains silt
particles in suspension, in addition to the dissolved impurities. Dissolved
organic matter from pollution sources may also be present.
Surface water quality can vary widely.
Difficulties caused by constituents normally pre - sent in untreated water
supplies, along with treatment methods used to alleviate these problems, are
given in Table-1.
Constituent Chemical Formula Difficulties Caused Means of treatment
Imparts unsightly
appearance to water.
Deposits in water Coagulation,
None-expressed in lines, process settling and
Turbidity
analysis as units. equipment, filtration
boilers…etc.
Interferes with most
process uses.
Moy cause foaming in Coagulation and
boilers. Hinders filtration.
precipitation methods Chlorination.
None--expressed in
such as iron removal, Adsorption by
Color analysis
hot phosphate activated carbon.
as units
softening. Can stain
product in process
use.
Chief source of scale Softening,
in heat ex- change Distillation.
Calcium and equipment, boilers, Internal boiler
Hardness magnesium salts ex- pipelines, etc. Forms water treatment.
pressed as CaC03. curds with soap Surface
interferes with active agents.
dyeing…etc.
Lime and lime-soda
Bicarbonate (HC03), Foaming and softening. Acid
Alkalinity carbonate (CO3), and carryover of solids treatment.
hydrate (OH), ex with steam. Hydrogen zeolite

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 pressed as CoC03. Embrittlement of softening.
boiler steel. Demineralization.
Bicarbonate and Dealkalization by
carbonate produce onion exchange.
CO2 in steam, a Distillation.
source of corrosion.
Free Mineral
H2S04, HCl…etc. Neutralization with
Acid Corrosion
expressed as CaC03. alkalies.
Aeration.
Deoeration.
Corrosion in water
Neutralization
Carbon lines and particularly
CO2 with alkalies.
Dioxide steam and condensate
Filming and
lines.
neutralizing
amines.
pH varies according pH can be
Hydrogen Ion con- to acidic or alkaline increased by
pH centration defined as solids in water. Most alkalies and
pH = log(1/H+) natural waters have a decreased by acids.
pH of 6.0-8.0.
Adds to solids content
of water, but, in itself,
Demineralization.
- is not usually
Sulfide SO4 Distillation.
significant. Combines
with calcium to form
calcium sulfate scale.
Adds to solids content
and increases Demineralization.
Chloride Cl-
corrosive character of Distillation
water.
Adds to solids
content, but is not
usually significant
industrially. High
Demineralization.
Nitrate NO3- concentrations cause
Distillation
methemoglobinemia
in infants. Useful
for control of boiler
metal embrittlement.
Cause of mottled Adsorption with
enamel in teeth. Also magnesium
used for control of hydroxide, calcium
Fluoride F-
dental de- cay. Not phosphate, or bone
usually significant black. Alum
industrially. coagulation.

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 Hot process
removal with
Scale in boilers and
magnesium salts.
cooling water
Adsorption by
systems. Insoluble
Silica SiO2 highly basic anion
turbine blade deposits
exchange resins, in
due to silica
conjunction with
vaporization.
demineralization.
Distillation.
Discolors water on Aeration.
precipitation. Coagulation and
Source of deposits in filtration. Lime
Fe ++ (ferrous) water lines, softening. Cation
Iran
Fe +++ Ferric) Boilers…etc. exchange. Contact
Interferes with filtration. Surface
dyeing, tanning, paper active agents for
mfr…etc. iron retention.
Manganese Mn++ Same as iron. Same as iron.
Usually present as a
result of floc
carryover from
clarifier; can cause Improved clarifier
Aluminum AI3+
deposits in cooling and filter operation
systems and
contribute to complex
boiler scales
Scale, sludge and Baffle separators.
foaming in Strainers.
Expressed as ail or
boilers. impedes heat Coagulation and
Oil chloroform
exchange. filtration.
extractable matter.
Undesirable in most Diatomaceous earth
processes. filtration.
Corrosion of water
Deaeration. Sodium
lines, heat ex- change
Oxygen O2 sulfite. Corrosion
equipment, boilers,
inhibitors.
return lines…etc.
Aeration.
Hydrogen Cause of "rotten egg" Chlorination.
H2S
sulfide odor. Corrosion. Highly basic anion
exchange.
Cation exchange
Corrosion of copper
with hydrogen
and zinc alloys by
Ammonia NH3 zeolite.
formation of complex
Chlorination.
soluble ion.
Deaeration

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 Any process which
Conductivity is the
decreases dissolved
result of ioniz able
solids content will
Expressed as solids in solution.
decrease
Conductivity micromhos, specific High conductivity can
conductivity.
conductance. increase the corrosive
Examples are
characteristics of a
demineralization,
water.
lime softening.
"Dissolved solids" is
Various softening
measure of total
process, such as
amount of dissolved
lime softening and
mater, determined by
cation exchange
evaporation. High
by hydrogen
Dissolved concentrations of
None zeolite, will
solids dissolved solids are
reduce dissolved
objectionable because
solids.
of process
Demineralization
interference and as a
Distillation.
cause of foaming in
boilers.
"Suspended Solids" is
the measure
of undissolved matter, Subsidence.
determined Filtration, usually
Suspended grovimetrically. preceded by
None
solids Suspended solids coagulation and
plug lines, cause settling.
deposits in heat
exchange equipment,
boilers, etc.
"Total Solids" is the
sum of dissolved See "Dissolved
Total Solids None and suspended solids, Solids" and
determined "Suspended Solids.
gravimetrically.
Table-1 Common impurities found in water

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Definition of terms
pH: pH is the intensity measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of a system.
The pH scale runs from 0 (highly acidic) to 14 (highly basic), with 7.0
being neutral.
Alkalinity - Alkalinity is the acid-neutralizing capacity of a water. Usually,
expressed as "M" alkalinity (the methyl orange titration end point at a pH
of 4.3) and "P" alkalinity (the phenolphthalein titration end point at pH 8.3).
Several ions contribute to alkalinity. It is generally assumed to be due to
bicarbonate, (HC03-), carbonate (CO3=), and hydroxyl (OH-) ions.
Alkalinity and pH relationships - The alkalinity of natural water usually is
due to calcium and magnesium bicarbonate, and occasionally some sodium
bicarbonate. Carbonate or hydroxide alkalinity is rarely encountered in
untreated water.
"M" alk. = all bicarbonates + all carbonates + all hydroxides.
"P" alk. = 1/2 carbonates + all hydroxides.
If 2P<M, hydroxides are 0.
If 2P>M, bicarbonates are 0.
If P = O, all are bicarbonates (pH ≤ 8.3).
If P=M, all are hydroxides.
M - 2P = bicarbonates.
2P - M = hydroxides.
Hardness: Calcium and magnesium salts cause water hardness. Carbonate
hardness is usually due to magnesium and calcium bicarbonate, while
noncarbonated hardness is due to the sulfates and chlorides.
Solids (suspended-dissolved-total): Suspended solids are those that can be
removed by filtration.
Dissolved solids are in true solution, while total solids are the sum of the
suspended and dissolved solids.

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Conductivity: Conductivity is a measure of the ability of water to conduct
electrical current. As such, it is a good indicator of the ionizable solids in the
water. Units of measurement are micromhos, equal to: (1,000,000) /ohms.
Conductivity: dissolved solids relationship - Temperature is a factor in
conductivity measurement.
Most conductivity meters provide for temperature compensation. The
conversion factor from micromhos to dissolved solids well vary depending
on the constituents present.
Ground water - Water from wells and springs are classified as ground water.
Dissolved impurities are picked up as the water moves through various
rock strata. Due to the natural filtering effect of the rock and sand, ground
waters are usually free of suspended material. The overall composition of a
ground water source usually remains fairly constant with time.
Surface water: Water from lakes, rivers, and streams are considered surface
supplies. These often contain suspended organic matter and silt, along with
dissolved impurities. The composition of surface water tends to vary widely
with time.
Solubility of chemical compounds
ppm as Ca CO3
Calcium 32 OF 212 OF
Bicarbonate 1,620 Decomposes
Carbonate 15 13
Sulfate 1,290 1,250
Magnesium
Bicarbonate 37,100 Decomposes
Carbonate 101 75
Sulfate 170,000 356,000
Sodium
Bicarbonate 38,700 Decomposes
Carbonate 61,400 290,000
Chloride 225,000 243,000
Hydroxide 370,000 970,000
Sulfate 33,600 210,000

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General Rules: -
1. Hardness salts tend to: decrease in solubility as temperature rises;
decrease in solubility as alkalinity increases; decrease in solubility as
carbon dioxide increases.
2. Sodium salts tend to increase in solubility as temperature rises.
3. Silica (SiO2) solubility increases with increased alkalinity.
4. Iron and manganese solubility decrease with increased alkalinity.