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What Is the Coagulant for Water Treatment?

Browse the Projesan Blog
13/11/2024
Approximate reading time:
3 minutes

Do you know what coagulant does to treat water? Whether for industrial use or for common consumption, it is very important to ensure the quality of this resource. And for this, it needs to go through a few steps, one of which is coagulation.

In this phase, coagulants are added to the water, some chemicals that integrate small dirt particles. In this way, the removal of impurities is made easier.

This subject may be a bit more complicated to understand, but here at Projesan we simplify it for you. Continue reading the article and ask questions about:

  • what is coagulation in water treatment;
  • what is the purpose of coagulant for water treatment;
  • what are the main types of coagulants for water treatment.

What is coagulation in water treatment?

To understand the usefulness of a coagulant in water treatment, it is necessary to know what the coagulation step is in the cleaning process of this input.

Briefly, in this phase, some physico-chemical changes are caused in the colloidal particles of the water, which can be understood as very small solid impurities (with an average diameter between 1 and 1000 nm) and which cannot be removed by sedimentation.

It is essential that these dirt be removed from the water, as they add color and leave the resource with a cloudy appearance. This is why coagulation is so important, because it is precisely it that will make it easier to remove these wastes.

What is the purpose of coagulant for water treatment?

After all, what is coagulant for water treatment?

In the previous topic, you saw that there are some very small dirt that is more difficult to remove from this liquid, right? And that's precisely where the coagulant will help. When added to an aqueous system, this chemical destabilizes impurities.

Once this is done, these small dirt can aggregate and form larger clots, allowing them to settle. That is, from the very action of gravity, these flocs settle at the bottom of the water tank, separating themselves from the clean part of the water.

What are the main types of coagulants for water treatment?

Now that you know what coagulant is used for water treatment, it's time to learn about some of the options for this product available on the market.

There is a wide range of coagulants on the market, both organic and inorganic. Inorganics based on iron and aluminum salts are usually more commonly used, as they are known for their high efficiency and for being easier to store.

Some examples of this product that deliver high efficacy are:

1. Polyaluminium Chloride 32%

This type of coagulant for water treatment can be used in stations, sewers, industrial effluents and also in sludge from the most diverse segments - including those intended for human consumption.

This compound is made from aluminum salts, and provides high efficiency and agility in the decanting process. It is especially suitable for removing agents such as phosphorus, trihalomethane and DBO/DQO, which in excess can impact the amount of oxygen present in the water and harm aquatic life.

2. Polyaluminium Chloride 18%

Aluminum Polychloride 18% is another type of inorganic coagulant. It works over a wide pH range (scale that determines the acidity of an aqueous solution) and also offers great agility in decanting, and can be used in various segments, for human and industrial consumption.

A differential of this bulk compound is that it allows the use of a direct dosage, simplifying its use when diluting with water.

3. Polyaluminium Chloride 9-12%

This coagulant for water treatment, as its name implies, is based on aluminum salts. Like previous coagulants, it can be used for municipal (human use) and industrial waters.

In addition to combining the same advantages of 18% Aluminum Polychloride and 32% Aluminum Polychloride, it also has a high basicity, which gives it the advantage of significantly reducing the need for pre-alkalization in the treatment of drinking water (a process that aims to adjust the pH of this liquid for the other preparation steps).

4. Liquid iron-free aluminum sulfate 50%

This product, also based on aluminum salts, is widely used, as are the others. However, it is especially suitable for applications involving iron-free products, presenting an excellent cost-benefit ratio.

Now you know what it is for and what is the importance of coagulants for water treatment, right? Making a good choice of this compound is very important to ensure the elimination of substances harmful to human and animal health. Take advantage and also learn how industrial effluent treatment works.

The future has quality water because the present has innovative chemical solutions.

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