UNIT- 1

IMPORTANCE OF WATER

Importance of Water
Water is a transparent compound of hydrogen and Oxygen. It is very
essential part of human life. Its many uses like – drinking, Domestic acts, Power generation,
Agriculture, waste deposal and many industries.
In the chemical process industries water is used as a reaction medium, as a Heat
Transfer medium, sources of light plant and other form of light. It can be recycled.

SOURCES OF WATER: The chief sources of water supply for industrial use are the
following-
1. Surface Water; Which are of two kinds-
(a) Flowing Water, such as in rivers, stream etc.
(b) Still Water, such as in lakes, ponds etc.

2. Ground Water; Which are of the following kinds-

(a) Water from springs
(b) Water from shallow wells. In case of shallow wells, the boring is done only through
geological stratum
(c) Water from deep wells. Here the boring is done through many geological strata.

3. Sea Water- Its use is very limited as its use entails very great problems of chemical-
engineering.
4. Rain Water- Rain water is collected on the roof and tanks etc., But the method is
seldom adopted in industry. Rain is a major component of water cycle is responsible for
depositing most of the fresh water on Earth.
NOTE -
(i) 3% of earth water is fresh water.
(ii) 69% of glassier/icecaps.
(iii) 30% ground water.
(iv) 0.3% river.
All of this water only about 2.5% is Fresh Water & 97.5% is Salt Water.
Water Storage
Water storage is a broad term referring to storage of both potable water for
consumption and non-potable water for used in agriculture. In both developing countries and
some developed countries found in tropical climates, there is a need to storage potable
drinking water during the dry season.
In agriculture water storage, water is stored for later use in natural water source, such as
ground water aquifers, soil water, natural wetlands and small artificial ponds, tank and
reservoirs behind major dams. Storing water invites a host of potential issues regardless of
that water intended purpose, including commination through organic and inorganic means.

Water Quality
Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, biological and radiological
characteristics of water. It is a measure of condition of water relative to the requirements of
one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose.
It is more frequently used by reference to set of standards against which compliance,
generally achieved through treatment of water, can be assessed. The most common standards
used to assess water quality relate to health of ecosystem safety of human contact and
drinking water.

QUALITY PARAMETERS OF WATER

1) Hardness
When measured with any of the tests available on the market, hardness is a
measure of the Concentration of Magnesium (Mg) and Calcium (Ca) ions in solution,
expressed in mg/L or parts per million (PPM). Both of these metals (that’s right:
Calcium is a metal) carry an ionic charge of +2, thus making them multivalent cations.
While ‘Hard Water’ (>320 mg/L) might cause scaling or the buildup of white
precipitates on faucets, pipe and other water fixtures. It is not a human health concern
and hardness, particularly the calcium fraction, decreases the toxicity of most metals in
solution to aquatic organism.
2) Suspended Solids (SS)
Suspended solid refers to small solid particles which remain in
suspension in water as a colloid or due to the motion of water. It is used as one indicator
of water quality.
It is sometimes abbreviated suspended solid, but is not be confused with
settleable solids, also abbreviated SS, which contribute to blocking of sever pipes.

3) Turbidity
Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large number of
individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in
air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality.
Turbidity is also applied to transparent solid such as glass or plastic. In plastic
production haze is defined as the percentage of light that is deflected more than 2.5 0C
from the incoming light direction.

4) Temperature
Water’s temperature is measured by means of ordinary thermometers
density, viscosity, Vapour pressure, surface tension of water is all depended upon the
temperature.

5) Colour
The colour is easily due to the presence of organic matter in collide condition &
due to the presence of minerals dissolve, organic and inorganic impurity transparent water
with a low accumulation of dissolve material appear blue dissolve organic matter such as
humus peat, decane plant matter etc.

6) Chloride
Sodium chloride is the main substance of chloride water. The natural water
near the mines and sea has dissolve NaCl. Similarly, the presence of Cl2 may be due to
mixing of sewage and sea line water excess the chloride.
Chloride is considered is dangerous and makes the water unfit to many uses.

7) Odor
 Pure water is odorless.
 When water dissolves other substances, the odor is determined by them.
 Mostly decayed organic substances give fouling smell.
 Inorganic substances give earthy smell.
8) Alkalinity
Alkalinity of water is due to presence of Carbonate, Bi-carbonate and
Hydroxide ions. Alkalinity of water simple is the measure of its acid neutralizing
capacity.
The alkali measurement of a water sample is important to determine Carbonate,
Bi-Carbonate, and Hydroxide content of water and its solubility for drinking and
irrigation purpose and in water treatment process to determine the chemical dosage.

9) Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)

TDS is a measure of the combined content of all organic and
inorganic substance contain in liquid ionized microgranular suspended parts. TDS are
generally discussing only fresh water system.

10) Acidity
An acidity of water is its base neutralizing capacity. Acidity of water
due to presence of minerals acids and dissolve CO2. Its important to measure in
treatment plant to determine exact dosages of neutralizing agents. Acidic water pore
problem of corrosion.

11) pH Value
pH of any solution or liquid present whether it is acidic or alkaline and
to what extent pH of any solution is the measure of Hydrogen ion concentration on
‘gm-ion/Ltr’. It is equivalent to negative ‘logarithm’ of Hydrogen ion concentration at
base 10.

pH= -log10[H+]

pH Values

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Acidic basic(alkaline)
Neutral (Pure Water)
 12) Hardness
The hardness of water is caused by dissolved Bi-Carbonates, Sulphates
and Chlorides of Calcium and Magnesium metals. The hardness of water is of two
kinds-
(i) Temporary hardness
(ii) Permanent hardness

(i) Temporary Hardness

It is caused by the presence of Bi-Carbonates of metals
such as Calcium and Magnesium etc. these bicarbonates decompose on prolonged
heating.
(ii) Permanent Hardness
It is caused by the presence of sulphates, chlorides, nitrates
etc. of Calcium, Magnesium and other metals.
 Alkaline Hardness- Carbonates, Hydroxides, Bi-Carbonates.
 Non-Alkaline Hardness- Sulphates, Nitrates, and Chloride.

HARD WATER & SOFT WATER

Hard water is water that contains an appreciable
quantity of dissolved minerals (As Calcium, Magnesium etc.). It tastes salty and is sometimes
not suitable for drinking. It does not give ready and permanent lather with soap. Eg: Sea
Water, River Water, Tap Water etc.
Soft water is treated water in which the only ion is sodium. It gives ready and
permanent lather with soap. Eg: Rain Water, Distilled Water.

REQUISITES OF INDUSTRIAL WATER AND ITS USES

I. Pulp and Paper Industries- water used in the industries should not contain Ca,
Mg, salts, silica, iron salts, turbidity producing materials and color should be absent.

II. Beverages Industries- Alkalinity should be absent in pure water.

III. Laundries- water should be used which is free from hardness producing materials. It
should be free from Manganese (Mn) and Iron.
IV. Boiler Feed Water- It should have zero hardness and free from Oxygen and
dissolved gases.

V. Textile Industries- Water should be used which is soft and free from organic
compounds. It should be free from turbidity, color, Iron (Fe) and Manganese (Mn).
WATER TREATMENT
Water is used for industrial purposes and for municipal supply,
for the supply of water for any purpose, the following factors are taken into consideration-
a. The quantity of water available and the seasonal variation in quantity and quality.
b. Analysis of water with regard to its chemical, physical, microscopical and
bacteriological characteristics.
c. Cost of getting continuous water supply in required quantity and quality.

METHODS OF WATER TREATMENT

Water purification is the process of
removing undesirable chemicals, biological, contaminants, suspended solids and gases from
water. The methods used include physical, chemical, and biological processes. Such as-

 BOILING
Boiling is the cheapest and safest method of water purification. Water sources
and or channels of distribution may render your water unsafe. Example- Parasites and
germs are things you may not see by bare eyes, but their can be life threatening.

 FILTRATION
The suspended matter which can not be remove during sedimentation
are remove with the help of filtration. The water is allowing to pass through a bed of
fine sand. After separating most of the floc the water is filter as the find to remove or
graded sand, then the gravels of layer.

When sludge after coagulation has settled

down, filtration is carried out. Filtration is
accompanied by passing water through
sand bed. The filtration equipment consists
of air tight basin. The filtering medium in
it consists of 3 feet of fine sand below
which is one feet thick coarser sand which
in turn is supported by 18-inch-thick bed
of graded gravel are drains for taking out
water. When lot of precipitate is deposited
in sand and further filtration is very little,
sand bed is removed, washed and is than
again replaced.
For industrial uses water should not contain soluble impurities such as- calcium, magnesium,
and iron salts. Removal of such soluble impurities is called softening of hard water.

 Rapid Sand Filter

The most common type of filter is

rapid sand filter water moves vertically
through sand which often have a layer of
activated Carbon or anthracite coal above
the sand most particles passes through the
surface layer, but are trapped in the pour
space and filtrate is come out through the
filter medium.

 SEDIMENTATION
Water existing the flocculation basin may be entering to the
sedimentation. It is also called Classifier.

It is a large tank with low water velocity allay the floc to settle to bottom.
Sedimentation basin may be rectangular where water flows from end to end inclined
flat plate or tube can be added to traditional sedimentation basin to improve particle
removal performance and velocity and inclined plates and tubes the surface available
for particle removal.
 COAGUALTION
First step in the water purification process in the addition of
chemical for the removal of particles suspended in the water.
The particle can be inorganic such as clay (dust), organic such as algae, bacteria.
Inorganic and organic particles contribute the turbidity and color of water. The addition
of inorganic coagulants such as aluminum sulphate or alum or potassium with a second
negative charges on the particle a neutralized by inorganic coagulants and by the rate
of sedimentation increases.
The coagulants generally used are salts of iron and aluminum. Coagulation by
coagulants takes place according to ionic and electro-chemical reactions and
coagulation is also guided by colloidal and polar chemistry.

 SOME COAGULATS THAT ARE USED IN COAGULATION-

 Aluminum Sulphate, {Al2(SO4)3.18H2O}

 Sodium Aluminate, {Na2Al2O4}
 Ferrous Sulphate {FeSO4.7H2O}
 Ferric Chloride, {FeCl3 or FeCl3.6H2O}
 Ferric Sulphate, {Fe2(SO4)3}
 Alum, {K2SO4.Al2(SO4)3.24H2O}
NOTE- Sodium aluminates is very useful when magnesium content of water is
high.

 CHEMICAL SOFTENING

 LIME AND SODA PROCESS

When water is treated with lime, Ca(OH)2
lime supplies hydroxyl ions (OH). These hydroxyl ions react with free acids,
bicarbonates, magnesium, iron and aluminum as given below-

OH- + H+ H2O
3OH- + Al+++ Al(OH)3
2OH- + Fe++ Fe(OH)2
2OH- + (HCO3)+ H2O+ (CO3)--
2OH- + Mg++ Mg(OH)2
 COLD LIME SODA PROCESS
In cold lime soda process the reaction takes
place at normal temperature. The raw water is passed into a tank with a static
continuous flow, at the same time a calculated amount of chemical mixture of lime
soda are also added a static continuous flow and then thoroughly mixed with a stirrer in
this mixture tank. Afterward this water is allowed to settle. The cold lime soda process
is not suitable for all purpose.
USE -
The cold lime soda process is used for municipal water and cooling water
softener systems.

HOT LIME SODA PROCESS

In the hot lime soda process the reactions takes
place at higher temperature near about boiling point of water. The chemical mixing
process is same as the cold lime soda process, but steam is applied in mixture tank.
This process is more effective than cold lime soda process.

USE -
The hot lime soda process water softener systems are exclusively used for
boiler purpose.

NOTE
 In hot lime soda process, it is possible to remove magnesium water hardness
completely and calcium hardness may be remains very low.
 In cold lime soda process, it is possible to remove magnesium water hardness
nearly completely but calcium hardness nearly completely but calcium hardness
may be remains more than 40 PPM.

RESINS USED FOR WATER SOFTENING

 Polystyrene divinyl benzene

 Sulphonated Phenolic Aldehyde Polymers
 Polyamine
 Phenol
 Formaldehyde
 Styrene
 Divinyl benzene etc.
DEMINERALISATION
Demineralization process is also known as Ion-Exchange
Process or DM Plant. In this process water is free of all the dissolved salts. Hydrogen ion or
cation exchange materials is used to produce an acid water containing no cations. This is
followed by an anion exchange material. Softened water obtained by this process is as good as
distilled water.

 Cation Exchange Material (Resin)

Synthetic resins such as sulfonated
copolymers of styrene and divinyl benzene and sulphonated phenolic aldehyde polymers act
as cation exchange resins. If such as resinous substance is expressed as H2R, the chemical
action can be written as follows-

H2.R+CaSO4 Ca.R + H2SO4

H2.R + MgCl2 Mg.R + 2HCl

H2R + CaH(CO3)2 Ca.R + 2H2O + 2CO2

 Anion Exchange Material (Resin)
Synthetic resins which are produced by-
 The interaction of polyamine, phenol and formaldehyde.
 The nitration and subsequent reduction of copolymers of styrene and divinyl
benzene act as anion exchange resins. If we represent these resins as OH.R, the
chemical reaction can be represented as follows-
OH.R + HCl Cl.R + H.OH

2OH.R + H2SO4 SO4.R + 2H.OH

REGENRATION
Such a type of resin when exhausted can be regenerated by treatment
with alkalization.
So, by treating of water with both types of resins, dissolved impurities of water are
converted into H.OH, that is more water. By de-ionization or demineralization of water
obtained gives specific resistance of 10 Million ohms or more.
Ion exchange materials do not remove carbon dioxide which removed in De-gasifier.

{Ca/Mg}.R` + H2SO4 {Ca/Mg}.SO4 + H2.R`

{Ca/Mg}.R` + 2NaCl {Ca/Mg}.Cl2 + 2Na.R`
REVERSE OSMOSIS

Reverse osmosis is a technology that is used to

remove a large majority of contaminate from
water by pushing the water under pressure
through a semipermeable membrane.
Reverse osmosis is the process or technology
which is used to remove ions, minerals, chemical
and other impurities from drinking water.

Principle
Reverse osmosis works by reversing the principle of osmosis. Here, the applied
pressure is greater than the osmotic pressure. Thus, the molecule moves from a highly
concentrated to a less concentrated solution.
Stages of RO System
RO system is the focal point of a reverse osmosis system. Reverse osmosis water
system contains a sedimentation filter, carbon filter and RO Membrane.

I. Spun Filter- In RO system, spun filter removes all sediments, visible particles, sand,
dust, dirt and muck down of 1 micron.
 II. Sediment Filter- Sediment filter are designed to remove suspended solids which are
also known as sediment, turbidity or particulate matter.
A sediment filter essentially functions like a net that catches unwanted dirt
particles as water flow through a system.

III. Pre-carbon Filter- pre-carbon filter, which consists of granular or black activated
carbon. These have very high surface area and remove contaminants through
adsorption.

IV. Pump- A booster pump is to increase water pressure going into the RO unit.

V. Pressure Switch- it monitors the water pressure in the RO unit’s storage tank and
thus the ump on and off in response to storage tank pressure.

VI. RO Membrane- the reverse osmosis membrane filters the dissolved solid including
Radium, Lead, Arsenic and many others. It removes 95% of total dissolved solids down
to 0.0001 microns.

VII. Post Carbon- post carbon filter also known as polisher and enhances the taste of
water.

VIII. U-V Filter- UV filter kills all the pathogens present in the water. However, the dead
bacterial remains suspended in the water. Hence RO purified water is more hygienic.

IX. Alkaline- Alkaline water enhances the pH level of drinking water.