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The Busytown drinking water treatment plant supplies 4 ML d^-1 of clean water to

ID: 477095 • Letter: T

Question

The Busytown drinking water treatment plant supplies 4 ML d^-1 of clean water to town residents. The plant uses ferric chloride (FeCl_3) coagulant to produce ferric hydroxide (Fe(OH)_3) floc according to this reaction: 2FeCl_3 + 3Ca^2+ + 6HCO_3^- rightarrow 2Fe(OH)_3 (s) downarrow, + 3Ca^2+ + 6Cl^- + 6CO_2 Source water to the plant contains total hardness of 150 mg L^-1 as CaCO_3 and alkalinity of 75 mg L^-1 as CaCO_3 and 15 mg L^-1 of total suspended solids. The plant operators dose 50 mg L^-1 of ferric chloride into the water to remove 60% of the suspended solids. Evaluate whether there is sufficient alkalinity in the water for the coagulation to proceed until all of the ferric chloride is consumed. Calculate the daily mass (kg) of treatment residual/sludge/solids produced by the ferric chloride coagulation process in the Busytown treatment plant.

Explanation / Answer

(a)

Total hardness=150mg/L as CaCO3

Alkalinity=150mg/L as CaCO3

Total suspended solids=150mg/L

2FeCl3+3Ca2++6HCO3   2Fe(OH)3+3Ca2++6Cl_+6CO2

[(2x55.845)+(3x35.5)g] that is 218.2g of FeCl3 is needed to remove 390g of HCO3-   as213.7 g of Fe(OH)3

                      Or

218.2mg of FeCl3 is needed to remove 390mg of HCO3  

Therefore 50mg can remove=390x50/218.2=89.368mg of HCO3-  

The alkalinity of hard water is due to the presence of HCO3  

Since all the HCO3-   is removed, there is not enough alkalinity in water for the coagulation to proceed.

(b)

2FeCl3+3Ca2++6HCO3   2Fe(OH)3+3Ca2++6Cl_+6CO2

From the above equation it is clear that only HCO3-   is removed as OH. Hence all the sludge produced by the addition of ferric chloride is due to the formation of Fe(OH)3

To 1 L of water 50mg of ferric chloride is added

Therefore to 4,000,000L (4 ML )= 200,000,000mg of ferric chloride is added

Since 1,000,000mg= 1Kg

200,000,000mg=200Kg of ferric chloride is added

218.2g of FeCl3 of ferric chloride removes 213.7 g of Fe(OH)3

Therefore 200g of FeCl3 of ferric chloride removes 195.875 g of Fe(OH)3

Therefore 200Kg of FeCl3 of ferric chloride removes 195.875 Kg of Fe(OH)3

195.875 Kg of Fe(OH)3 is daily produced as sludge

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