Water Treatment
Water treatment is a form of treatment that is mentally and physically directed at modifying the quality of water and the useful life of the hardware used in the provision of water. Therefore, water treatment chemicals stand as important reagents as well as materials that change the characteristics of water. Water treatment systems, on the other hand are total technical and mechanical innovations through which water can be subjected to the above processes.
Water Treatment Chemicals
Water treatment chemicals enhance or modify certain characteristics of water to either nullify or minimize certain impacts. These chemicals have an important position in industrial water treating administration and are available in various sorts for distinct material.
- Corrosion Inhibitors: These chemicals are used to maintain functional properties on the structure of metals. Irony and steel materials can also be damaged by corrosion leading to low effectiveness in system operations. These include phosphates, silicates or nitrogen containing compounds are used a corrosion inhibitors.
- Biocides: Biocides are products that are utilized in order to control or destroy microorganisms in water. The control of microorganism is also very important in order to have efficient systems in place effective, especially in cooling towers and other industrial water system. Biocides are of chlorine based, bromine based or can be any other halogen compounds, organic and inorganic in nature.
- pH Regulators: To control the precipitation of calcium carbonate or sulfate, solid prescribes the suitable pH of water that should be always maintained, anyone lower than this can lead to corrosion or formation of scales, pH regulators are used to alter the pH of a specific water by use of acids or bases. The commonly used chemicals substances are: Sulfuric acid used for the synthesis of alkyl and aryl esters Hydrochloric acid used in the production of esters Sodium Hydroxide used in the synthesis of esters.
- Scale Inhibitors: Lime scale is a problem that exists when dissolved minerals in water solidify and build up in pipes and equipment. Scale inhibitors help to reduce risk of formation of calcium carbonate and other mineral scales. Polyphosphates, acrylic polymers and other compounds are added for this purpose.
- Flocculants and Coagulants: These chemicals enable small suspended particles in water to coagulate to a larger particle so that they can sediment or be filtered. Substances in this category include aluminum sulfate (alum) and ferric chloride.
What is Water Treatment?
Water treatment refers to a process or processes of utilizing, removing, adding or modifying the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. These processes are used in order to improve the drinking water quality, degree of suitability for water in various manufacturing processes, as well as considering the effect on the environment. Water treatment is essential for home use, commercial, and irrigation uses.
The method of treating water, in most cases, differs with the source of the water for treatment, the intended use, and quality of the water to be treated. Overall, water treatment includes the following steps:
- Pretreatment: One that involves the physical process of eliminating major suspendings, sand and other solid substances from water normally by mechanical filtration or sedimentation.
- Chemical Treatment: Process by which dissolved substances are eliminated or rendered harmless using chemicals. This comprises of processes like; hard water softening, and purification, control of acidity, and protection against corrosion.
- Biological Treatment: Common in wastewater treatment this process involves the degradation of particulate and dissolved organic matter in water by microorganisms.
- Disinfection: Removing pathogens from water, as it is done in chlorination, ozonation or UV disinfection. This step is most important in enhancing the quality of drinking water as well as reducing the incidences of adverse health effects.
- Final Treatment: Water treatment that prepares water in the desired form and quality fit for its intended use or final use. Some other functions to enhance taste etc may also be incorporated in this steam.
Water Treatment Systems
Water treatment systems are mechanical and technical methods employed in treatment water. These systems are employed for purposes of enhancing water quality, lengthening equipment life as well as efficiency on energy. Some of the treatment procedures can be dependent on the source of water, the purpose of finding the water and quality of the water to be treated.
- Filtration Systems: Filtration is the process of removing particles, sand and anything that is consider to be in a solid form in the water. There are mechanical filters, sand filters, or activated carbon filter.
- Softening Systems: Water softening systems purify water by eliminating hardness- content ions which include calcium and magnesium. Water softeners working through ion exchange remove such ions and replace them with sodium or potassium ions.
- Disinfection Systems: Equipment and procedures applied in the elimination or destruction of microorganisms in water. In this category fall chlorination, ozonation and UV disinfection system. Such systems are crucial with regard to the protection of drinking and industrial water.
- Reverse Osmosis Systems: Reverse osmosis membrane filtration process is another way used to help to filter dissolved substances and salts out of water. As pressure is applied, water is forced through a semi permeable membrane where unwanted substance remain trapped on the membrane.
- Chemical Dosing Systems: These systems make the right amount of addition to water of these chemicals in order to enhance its qualities. The water treatment process increases in efficiency when controlled dosing is used for chemicals such as corrosion inhibitors, pH regulators and biocides.
Therefore, water treatment plays a central role in enhancing water quality to meet certain application requirements. There are water treatment chemicals and systems which help in the efficient accomplishment of this process. Water treatment in both domestic and industrial uses can simply not be overemphasized as an important procedure in enhancing water quality and the management of this natural resource.