MODULE 3

THE CONCEPT OF EFFECTIVE CONTACT TIME (Ct) FOR THE VERIFICATION OF CHEMICAL DISINFECTION

CONCEPT OF EFFECTIVE CONTACT TIME (Ct)

Nominal contact time ()
WHO recommend Ct of 15 mg.min/l at pH <8.0 for primary disinfection using chlorine

= tank volume/flowrate

Chlorine dose (mg/l)

Ct = mg/l x minutes = mg.min/l where t is the Effective Contact Time

Free chlorine residual concentration (C)

How is t (effective contact time) defined?

DEFINING EFFECTIVE CONTACT TIME (t)

t 90 t 50
Tracer concentration

tp

t 0 = tim e to initial detection of tracer t 10 = tim e for 10% of tracer to pass t p = tim e to m axim um tracer concentration t 50 = tim e for 50% or tracer to pass

t10 = t10 x = Df Df (t10/) is the measure of

effective mixing within a contact tank configuration

= hydraulic retention tim e t 90 = tim e for 90% of tracer to pass

t 10
1

t0
Tim e

0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 C/C0 0.5 0.4 0.3 t10/ = 0.436 0.2 0.1 0 0 0.5 1 1.5 t/ 2 2.5 3

Allow for contact tank hydraulics Identify tx value time for fastest x% of flow to pass through tank usually with tracer tests

Manual uses USEPA value t10 i.e. Time for which 90% of the flow has longer residence

EFFECTIVE CONTACT TIME

Effective contact time (minutes) = Tank volume (m3) x 60 x Df / flow (m3/h) Condition Unbaffled Description None, agitated basin, very low length to width ratio, high inlet and outlet flow velocities. Single or multiple unbaffled inlets and outlets, no intra-basin baffles. Baffled inlet or outlet with some intra-basin baffles. Perforated inlet baffle, serpentine or perforated intra-basin baffles, outlet weir or perforated launders. For pipe, assume Df = 1 Df 0.1

Poor Average Superior

0.3 0.5 0.7

BAFFLING ARRANGEMENTS
POOR AVERAGE BAFFLING

Df = 0.3

Df = 0.5

BAFFLING ARRANGEMENTS
SUPERIOR BAFFLING

Df = 0.7

Tuam RWSS Luimnagh Water Treatment Works Baffling within Clear Water Tank

Df = 0.5 - 0.6

CHLORINE CONCENTRATION IN WATER

Chlorine demand - due to reaction of Cl2 with

contaminants
Instantaneous reaction with ammonia Gradual reaction with natural organic matter in water Irrespective of type of chlorine used, chlorination

always produces mix of free chlorine constituents:

HOCl (Hypochlorous Acid) Strong Disinfectant OCl - (Hypochlorite ion) - Weaker Disinfectant

DEPENDENCY OF HOCl to OClEQUILIBRIUM ON pH AND TEMP

1 0.9 0.8 0.7

HOCl

OCl

Fraction (molar)

0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 5 6 7 8 9 10

5oC 15oC 35oC 5oC 15oC 35oC

pH

ADJUSTMENT OF Ct FOR pH AND TEMPERATURE

New Disinfection Manual recommends that Ct for chlorination be adjusted as follows for variations in pH and temperature

Adjusted Ct = 15mg.min/litre x pHd x Tempd

pH range 8.26 8.50 8.01 8.25 7.76 8.00 7.50 7.75 <7.50 pHd factor 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.0

Temperature (C) Tempd factor <5 1.5 5-10 1.2 >10 1

RECOMMENDED Ct VALUES FOR 99% (2-log) INACTIVATION (Chlorine)

Temperature (C) Bacteria 1-2 1-2 Viruses <5 10 Giardia 0.5 10 25 7 8.5 7 7.5 7 7.5 7 7.5 7 7.5 7 7.5 pH Ct (mg.min L-1) 0.08 3.3 12 8 230 100 41

Ct FOR 2 LOG INACTIVATION (USEPA/WHO) USING ClO2

Temperature Cryptosporidium Giardia Viruses 1C 1220 5C 858 17 5.6 10C 553 15 4.2 15C 357 13 2.8 20C 232

Bacterial inactivation needs lower Ct than viruses (e.g. < 1 mg.min/l) Generally at least as good as chlorine, probably better at higher pH

DISINFECTION PERFORMANCE OF OZONE CRYPTOSPORIDIUM

Ct values (mg.min/l) for inactivation of Cryptosporidium Log Inactivation 0.5 1.0 (90%) 2.0 (99%) 3.0 (99.9%) Temperature, oC 1 12 24 48 72 5 7.9 16 32 47 10 4.9 9.9 20 30 15 3.1 6.2 12 19 20 2.0 3.9 7.8 12