Flocculation The power required for the gentle agitation or stirring of the water during flocculation may be imparted by mechanical or pneumatic agitation, with mechanical agitation being the most common. Formerly, baffle basins were used for flocculation; however, since the available range of G and GT values limited, these are not employed at present to any extent. Most mechanical agitators are paddle wheels, as shown in Figure 8.18, although turbines and propellers are also used. The degree of completion of the flocculation process depends on the relative ease and rate by which the small microfloc aggregate into large floc particles and on the total number of particulate collisions during flocculation, Thus the degree of completion is dependent on the floc characteristics, the velocity gradient, G, and the value of GT (Culp and Culp, 1978). The magnitude of the dimensionless parameter, GT, is related to the total number of collisions during aggregation in the flocculation process. A high GT value indicates a large number of collisions during aggregation. A more accurate parameter is GCT, where C is the ratio of the floc volume to the total water volume being flocculated. If the velocity gradient in flocculation is too great, the shear forces will prevent the formation of a large floc. If the velocity gradient is insufficient, adequate interparticulate collisions will not occur and a proper floc will not be formed. If the water is difficult to coagulate, the floc will be fragile and a final velocity gradient less than Sfps/ft (mps/m) may be required. If, however, the water coagulates readily, a high-strength floc usually results and the final velocity gradient may be as large as 10fps/ft (mps/m) (awwa, 1969, 1990).Flocculation basins are frequently designed to provide for tapered flocculation in which the flow is subjected to decreasing G values as it passes through the flocculation basin. This produces a rapid buildup of small, dense floc, which subsequently aggregates at lower G values into larger, dense, rapidly scttling floc particles. Tapered flocculation is usually accomplished by providing a high G value during the first third of the flocculation period, a lower G value during the next third, and a much lower G value during the last third. For example, a typical series of G values could be 50, 20, and 10 fps/ft (mps/m). Although many basins are designed that do not have tapered flocculation, optimum flocculation usually necessitates its use.jot Blade =, Sy _| Shaft = Bearing— d NMG Yj y UJ ‘Motor and Si Gearbox | sq q [ke C__ st Pedestal a, Sth bs, S, 12 to 18 in. (305 to 460 mm) Sy S) 30 to 96 in, (760 to 915 mm) S, 9to12 in. 230 to 305 mm) Sy 12 in. (305 mm) (a) Section[}+— Blade Steel Angle +} fox q 1 SAAR (b) Profile FIGURE 8,18 Horizonial-Shaft Flocculation Paddle WheelsCIOISI {(b) Profile: Equal Depth Compartments (c) Profile: Increas- ing Depth Com- partments FIGURE 8.19 Horizental-Shaft Paddle-Wheel Flocculator (Cross-F low Pattern) Adapted from Water Treatment Plant Design, by permission. Copy- right 1969, the American Water Works Association.FIGURE 8.20 Horizontal-Shaft Paddle-Wheel Flocculator (Axial-Flow Pattern) Adapted from Water Treatment Plant Design, by permission. Copy- right 1969, the American Water Works Association.The power imparted to the water by paddle wheels may be determined using Newton’s law for the drag force exerted by a submerged object moving in a liquid. The drag force for a paddle-wheel blade is given by 2 Fo = Copy (8.15) Drive ] -—— Blades: (a) Vertical-Shalt (b) Vertical-Shaft Paddle Wheel Paddle Wheelwhere Fp = drag force of the paddle, Ib (N) Cp = coefficient of drag A = paddle-blade area at right angle to the direction of movement, ft? (m?) p = density of the water, p = y/g. v = velocity of the paddle blade relative to the water, fps (mps) Since the power is equal to the force times the velocity, the power is given by we ye P= Fov = CpAp- = CpAL D paps D: a 3 (8.16) where P = power, ft-lb/sec (N-m/s)(c) Plan FIGURE 8.21 Vertical Shaft Paddle-Wheel Floceulator Adapted from Water Treatment Plan: Design, by permission. Copy- right 1969, the American Water Works Association, TABLE 8.3 Drag Coefficient Values for Various Paddle Dimensions LENGTH-WIDTH RATIO. Co 3 1.20 20 1.50 co 1.90EXAMPLE 8.2 Flocculation A cross-flow, horizontal-shaft, paddle-wheel flocculation basin is to be designed for a flow of 6.5MGD, a mean velocity gradient of 26.7sec™' (at 50°F), and a detention time of 45 min. The GT value should be from 50,000 to 100,000. Tapered flocculation is to be provided, and three compartments of equal depth in series are to be used, as shown in Figure 8.19(b). The G values determined from laboratory tests for the three compartments are G, = 50sec~!, Gz = 20sec"! and G3 = 10sec™". These give an average G value of 26.7sec"!. The compartments are to be separated by slotted, redwood baffle fences, and the floor of the basin is level. The basin should be 50ft in width to adjoin the settling basin. The speed of the blades relative to the water is three-quarters of the peripheral blade speed. Determine: 1, The GT value. ‘The basin dimensions if increments of Lin. are used. . The paddle-wheel design. . The rotational speed of each horizontal shaft in rpm. 2 3 4. The power to be imparted to the water in each compartment. 5 6. The rotational speed range if 1:4 variable-speed drives are employed. 7. . The peripheral speed of the outside paddle blades in fps.SOLUTION The GT value is gr — 26:1 45min | 60sec sec min = [72,100 Since the GT value is between 50,000 and 100,000, the detention time of 45 min is satisfactory. Basin volume, V, is given by yu ox 10° gal | hr | 45min|_ ft* / 24hr 60 min 7.48 gal = 27,1568 Profile area = 27,156 t°/50 ft = 543 ft. Assume compartments are square in profile, and x is the compartment width and depth. Thus, Qx\() = 543f? or x= 13.46 or 13ft-6in, 3x = 3(13ft-6in.) = 40ft-6in. 3 ft-6in.; length Volume = (13.5)(40.5)(50.0) = 27,3384t?Assume a paddle-wheel design as shown in Figure 8.18(a), with D, = 11.0ft, D2 = 8.0ft, and D; = 5.0ft. Use four paddlewheels per shaft, and assume the blades are 6in. x 10ft. The space between blades is IZin. Blade area per shaft = (0.54t)(10 ft)(6)(4) = 12017 100 120 Percent of cross-sectional area = BS = 17.8% Since this is between 15 and 20%, make the trial design using the assumed paddle-wheel design. The power, P, is given by -,/? = 1G? G= wy ot P= aGv Power for first compartment, P, is given by p= 273 X107lb-sec | (50)? | 27,3388 a ft? sec 3 isec = 1.13 hpPower per wheel = (622felbisee 1/4 = 156 ft-lb/sec, and . 62.4 3 P= Coat v= cpa( 24 “)(5) = 0.97CpAv The length-width ratio is 10/0.5 = 20; thus Cp = 1.50. The blade velocity relative to water is _ ap) v= (eps (22 0.75 Thus, vi = (rps)(n)(11.040)0.75 = 25,92 (rps). In a like manner, v2 = 18.85 (rps) and v; = 11.78 (rps) The power per wheel is P = 0.97CpAv} + 0.97CpAw} + 0.97CpA3} Since Ay = Az = A; and all Cp values are equal, = (0.97Cp)(A,)[(25.92)°( rps)? + (18.85) (rps)? + (11.78)°(rps)"] or 156 = (0.97)(1.5)(0.5)(10)(2)(17,414 + 6698 + 1635)(rps)?From this, rps = 0.075 and {rpm 0.075)60 = 4.50 Peripheral speed = (2D)rps; thus, for the outside blade, vi} = (a)(L1.0t)(0.075) = [2.59 fps| Since vj < 3.0fps, the design of the paddle wheels is satisfactory. The maximum rotational speed is 4.50rpm; therefore, the minimum rotational speed is (1/4) X 4.50 = 1.13rpm. Thus, Rotational speed for 1:4 drive = 1.13 to 4.50rpm] In a like manner, the power, rotational speed, peripheral blade speed, and rotational speed range are computed for the second and third compart- ments. Following is a summary of the values.First compartment: | P = 622 ft-lb/sec = 1.13 hp rpm = 4.50; range = 1.13 to 4.50rpm fps=2.59 Second compartment: [P= 99.5 ft-lb/se rpm = 2.40; range {fps Third compartment: 0.045 hp 0.38 to 1.53 rpm —_____| ange