Lab-scale Study of Water Turbidity Removal Using Aluminum Inorganic Polymer

Today, coagulants used for water treatment in Iran are predominantly inorganic salts of iron and aluminum while in many countries like Canada, Italy, U.S., China, France and England, and newly in Iran, In Baba Sheikh Ali Water Treatment Plant in Isfahan, a new coagulant named Polyaluminum Chloride (PACl) is used as the alternative coagulant. The present investigation mainly aims to evaluate: (1) the use of Polyaluminum Chloride in place of Ferric Chloride and Alum used as coagulants, (2) the effect of temperature conditions, and (3) the effectiveness of using PACl doubled with starch as a coagulant aid, for turbidity removal of a simulated turbid water with Kaolin. The results showed the trend of floc settlement and higher settling velocity for PACl flocs as well. Coagulation efficiency of PACl proved not to be sensitive to temperature changes, while Ferric Chloride and Alum did. Starch showed to be an effective coagulant aid only at low doses of PACl.