Evaluación de la dosificación de policloruro de aluminio sobre el rendimiento de la coagulación – floculación en la planta potabilizadora de la Junta Administradora de Agua Potable Regional Bayas

Abstract

The present work was carried out at the Bayas Regional Drinking Water Board (JAAPRB) drinking water treatment plant, the study was aimed towards at evaluating the dosage of aluminum polychloride (PAC) on the coagulation-flocculation performance, for which jar tests were conducted with the use of this coagulant in conjunction with cationic polymer (PC) during the months of August and September 2021 and February and March 2022, covering a wide range of raw water turbidity. With the results obtained in the jug tests, the PAC dosage curve was elaborated based on three analyzed criteria, which corresponded to the analysis of the complete range of turbidity recorded, range less than 500 NTU and range greater than 500 NTU, and the optimum PC dosage was also determined. For the evaluation of the coagulation-flocculation process, a mathematical model was determined to describe the turbidity of the water after the sedimentation process as a function of the parameters turbidity, pH and temperature of the raw water entering the treatment process, by applying the response surface methodology (RSM). The results obtained indicated that the average percentage of turbidity removal of the raw water in the development of the jug tests was 93.73% in a turbidity range of 6.23 to 6030 NTU. In addition, it was found that there is an annual economic benefit to the JAAPRB of approximately $872.10 associated with the reduction in the purchase of the PAC chemical for the potabilization of raw water. Similarly, the dosage curve allows operators to establish the optimal PAC dosage for a specific turbidity value, which ensures and improves the water purification system, as well as allows compliance with the requirements established in the INEN 1108 water quality standard.