FLOCCULATION

Flocculation - Outline

• Types of flocculator
– Hydraulic Method
– Mechanical Devices

– Design of flocculation basin

Flocculation Process
 Flocculation

• Introduction:

• Physical process used to promote the growth of the

floc under slow mixing
• Objective: to provide increase in thenumber of
contacts between coagulated particles in water by
gentle and prolonged agitation

• Slow mix: Flocculation requires slow and gentle

agitation that will not create turbulence to break the
flocs formed
Flocculation
 Types of Flocculation Tanks

• The most common:

– Hydraulic method

– Mechanical devices
 Design of flocculation tanks

• Factors that should be considered:

• Flexibility – which should include alternative flocculant
aid application and the capability to vary velocity
gradient
• To minimise short circuiting
(minimum 3 compartments in series should be
provided)
• Type of coagulant used
• Provision of space for future increase in the number of
flocculation tanks when upgrading the treatment plant
Types of Flocculation Tanks: Hydraulic
Method

• Baffle channel flocculators

– Baffles are provided in the basins
– Induce the required velocity gradients for
achieving floc formation
Advantages Disadvantages
Simple to construct and operate Increases head loss
Effective flocculation system and Not easily adjusted
capable of producing good floc if
the flow rate is constant
 Hydraulic Method

• Baffle channel flocculators:

• Round-the end type up-and down type

Horizontal Vertical
• Example:

• Baffle channel flocculator

• (Round-end-type)

• The most popular type

• of flocculation tanks
• constructed in Malaysia
 Design detail

• The inlet velocity should be: 0.24 – 0.30 m/s

• The outlet velocity should not exceed 0.2 m/s
• (to make sure the water distributed uniformly into the
sedimentation tank)
• Width of the channel should be minimum of 45 cm
• Depth of flow should not be less than 1.0 m
• The usual detention time; 20-50 minutes
• (depend on the quality of raw water)
• Head loss; 15-60 cm
 Design detail
• In Malaysia:

• The optimum detention time – 25 min (1500 sec)

• The tank is customized to have three stage flow
velocities (500 sec/stage), the following “G”values
are

• Stage 1  25 s-1
• Stage 11  17.5 s-1
• Stage 111  12.5 s-1
 Hydraulic Flocculation
• Design criteria for flocculator velocity gradient
1 1
2 2
• G = 𝑄𝜌𝑔ℎ𝑓 = 𝜌𝑔ℎ𝑓
𝜇∀ 𝜇𝑡
G = velocity gradient, s-1
Ρ = density of water, kg/m3
h = head loss, m
μ = dynamic viscosity, kg/m3
t = detention time, Q/V, s
Q = flow, m3/s,
P = power input = 𝑄𝜌𝑔ℎ, watt or kgm2/s3
V= volume of tank, m3
g = 9.81 m/s2
 Mechanical Flocculation
Example:
• Horizontal shaft with paddle wheel
• Vertical shaft with paddle wheel
• Turbine
• Axial or radial flow propellers
 Mechanical Flocculation

Advantages Disadvantages

It prevents water from rotating

continuously in the same direction around Low velocity around the shaft
the shaft

Low head loss High operation and maintenance cost

Flexibility of control, better floc formation

Mechanical Flocculation
Example: How to design?
Design Details: Mechanical Flocculation
• EXAMPLE:

Agitation requirement;

• Power = Force X Velocity

• P = FD X VP Equation (1)

• P = power input, N-m/s or Watt

• FD = drag force on paddles, N
• VP = velocity of paddles (velocity relative to the
water) , m/s
 Design Details: Mechanical
Flocculation
• For paddle flocculator, the useful power input of an impeller is directly
related to the drag force of the paddle.

• The drag force on the paddle is given by;

• FD = CDAPv2Pρ Equation (2)

2

• Where;
CD = coefficient of drag of flocculator, 1.8 flat blade (paddles moving
perpendicular to the fluid, which varies with Length/Width ratio of
the paddles)
AP = area of paddle blades, m2
VP = velocity of the paddle relative to the water, m/s
Ρ = density of water, kg/m3