Table of Contents
What is flock in water treatment?
Flocculants, or flocculating agents (also known as flocking agents), are chemicals that promote flocculation by causing colloids and other suspended particles in liquids to aggregate, forming a floc. Flocculants are used in water treatment processes to improve the sedimentation or filterability of small particles.
What is coagulation in water?
Coagulation is the chemical water treatment process used to remove solids from water, by manipulating electrostatic charges of particles suspended in water. This process introduces small, highly charged molecules into water to destabilize the charges on particles, colloids, or oily materials in suspension.
How does alum coagulate?
When alum is added to water, it reacts with the water and results in positively charged ions. Coagulation removes colloids and suspended solids from the water. These particles have a negative charge, so the positively charged coagulant chemicals neutralize them during coagulation.
What is water flocculation?
Flocculation is a water treatment process where solids form larger clusters, or flocs, to be removed from water. This process can happen spontaneously, or with the help of chemical agents. It is a common method of stormwater treatment, wastewater treatment, and in the purification of drinking water.
What is meant by floc?
Floc is a flocculent mass formed in a fluid through precipitation or aggregation of suspended particles. For example, treatment chemicals such as alum cause small particles to clump together (coagulate). Gentle mixing brings smaller clumps of particles together to form larger groups called floc.
What is water flocculant?
Why is coagulant added to water?
Chemicals (coagulants) are added to the water to bring the nonsettling particles together into larger, heavier masses of solids called floc. Aluminum sulfate (alum) is the most common coagulant used for water purification. Other chemicals, such as ferric sulfate or sodium aluminate, may also be used.