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Research Paper & Presentation
 
Simplified Pretreatment Plant of 9.0 M.L.D. Capacity at BBIL Paper Mills, Bilaspur, M.P.
 
2. Design and Construction:
  Hydraulic & Process designs for the 9.0 mld capacity plant were adopted from high rate, non-mechanical, Simplified treatment technology developed by Dr. J.N. Kardile Fellow IWWA. The plant consistes of following units.
   
 
1] Stilling chamber and mixing channel.
2] Alum mixing and dosing tanks.
3] Non-mechanical flocculation tanks. Size 3.5m x 5.0m ht each, Two in number.
4] Tube settling tanks. Size 3.5m x 10.5m x 3.5m ht each, Two in number.
   
  Filters were not provided as the requirement of treated water turbidity was 20 ppm. Photograph of plant (no. 1) and detailed layout drawings (Fig. 1) are enclosed in the article.

All the processes from mixing upto sludge disposal are of non-mechanical type and no mechanical equipments used in the entire process. The plant is constructed in R.C.C. and is provided with raft foundation.
 
 
2.1 Stilling chamber and mixing channel:
   
  Raw water which is pumped from the river Arpa is introduced into a hopper bottom stilling chamber of size 1.0m x 2.0m. A mixing-cum-measuring weir of 0.4m ht is provided on the outlet side of chamber. Alum dose is introduced on the down-stream side of weir through a perforated PVC pipe in the maximum zone of turbulence to have effective hydraulic mixing. Mixing channel (1.0m wide) is provided with 75mm dia. A.C. pipe pieces (200 mm ht) embedded in bed concrete to enhance coagulation action.
   
2.2 Alum mixing and dosing tanks:
   
  Three alum mixing tanks of size 1.75m x 1.75m x 1.5m ht. of effective capacity 4000 litres each, are provided on a separate structure to feed the alum solution by gravity to the dosing tank and further to the mixing channel. Alum solution is prepared by a nonmechanical mixing arrangement and is then fed to the constant head dosing tank, from which it is introduced in the perforated PVC feeding pipe on the down-stream side of mixing weir.
   
 
 
   
2.3 Non-mechanical flocculation tanks:
   
  Two hopper bottom tanks of size 3.5m x 5.0m x 3.5m ht above hoppers are provided in parallel. Two hoppers are provided in each tank with minimum wall slope of 50 degrees to drain out deposited sludge periodically, by hydrostatic pressure. The coagulated water is introduced at the top from mixing channel through five numbers of 150mm dia openings in eachtank. The water flows in the downward direction through a recently developed flocculation media known as �K floc modules� for 2.0m depth and covering all the area. Floc modules are fabricated out of PVC angles of size 50mm x 50mm and are of 1.5mm thickness. Size of each module is kept 1.0m x 1.0m x 0.5m ht for easy fabrication and handling. One module consists of twelve layers of the PVC angles (Photograph below). Angles are arranged in parallel with certain gaps in a layer. Two adjacent layers are laid in cross-wise directions to each other. The angles in every alternate layer are arranged in such a way so as to cover the gaps in the alternate layers. All the angles are tied together by copper wire. Thus, a floc module is flexible in nature. It can be easily handled, transported and can be stacked above each other to gravel bed flocculator. It has following advantages over gravel bed flocculator.
   
 
a] Uniform porosity can be maintained throughout the depth of flocculation medaia.
b] Porosity of required dimensions can be designed by changing the size of PVC angles and gaps.
c] No sludge deposition takes place in the media because of steeply inclined smooth angle surface.
   
  Floc modules are supported by M.S. angles frame at the bottom, which in turn rests on side supports provided on top of hopper. Flocculated water is collected by means of 200mm dia perforated PVC pipes provided below the M.S. supporting grilles. The perforations are designed in such a way so that floc is collected uniformly over the plain area. The surface loading and detention time provided for this flocculator are 10.500 litres/sqm/hr and 20 minutes respectively.
   
2.4 Tube settling tanks:
   
  Two tube settling tanks of size 3.5m x 10.5m x 3.5m ht above hopper, are provided in parallel after non-mechanical flocculation tanks. The flocculated water is introduced from flocculation tanks just above the top of hopper level through five number of 200mm dia openings in each tank. The water flows in the upward directions through a layer of tube modules, resting on the side corbels which are provided 1.5m above hopper top. Tube module consists of 50mm x 50mm black PVC cement solvent at 60 degrees angle, while the adjacent layers are provided in alternate directions (photograph below.) Each module consists of five such layers having 0.5m ht and 3.5m span. Modules are simplysupported at ends over the corbels.

The clarified water is collected at the top, 1.0m above the tube modules by means of uniformly spaced perforated PVC pipes of 200mm dia. From these collector pipes settled water collection channel which is provided on the central partition wall. From the central collection channel the settled water is then taken to the storage reservoir.

The sludge gets effectively settled during then tube settling process in the ottom hoppers provided in the tanks. Three hoppers of size 3.5m x 3.5m each with 50 degree side wall slope are provided in each tank. The sludge drain valves are operated periodically to drain out the settled sludge by hydrostatic pressure. The surface loading provided for tube settling tanks is 5000 lits/sqm/hr to get desired settled water quality.
 
   
3. Performance:
   
  The raw water turbidity during the monsoon of 1987 was normally below 500 ppm with occasional rise upto 2000 ppm during flash flooding. The settled water turbidity was generally found below 20 ppm with occasional rise upto 30 ppm. The sludge drain valves were opened periodically, the opening interval depending on the raw water turbidity.
   
4. Treatment & Recycling of Backwater:
   
  During severe shortage of raw water from March 1987 to July 1987, in the bed of river Arpa, it was decided to reuse backwater from paper mills after clarification through tube settling tanks. The rate of backwater was about 100 cubm/hr and it contained flocculated paper fibres of bluish white colour. The turbidity of backwater was generally found to be 2000 ppm. In order to clarify this backwater, out of the two parallel flocculation-settling units, one unit was used for clarifying raw water from the river. For back water clarification the floc modules were removed from the flocculator, as the backwater was already flocculated in the paper making process. The clarified water from both the units was allowed to mix in the central settled water collection channel and was then taken to the storage reservoir.
   
5. Observations:
   
 
a] The settled water turbidity of backwater was generally observed in the range of 10 to 15 ppm. The process was simple to control from operation point of view as the backwater was already flocculated and it did not require any alum dosing. Further the turbidity of raw backwater did not vary to a great extent, during this period. The process was found to be completely stable.
b] Sludge from backwater unit was collected in the form of paper fibres. The quantity of paper fibre collected in this way was about 1.0 MT/day. The investigations are on to reuse this sludge in the paper process.
c] Sludge drain valves from backwater recovery compartment were opened at intervals of 1-2 hrs.
d] The quantity of waste water from the paper and pulp mills was reduced by half because of the reuse of backwater from paper mills. This resulted in improved quality waste water from the effluent treatment plant with reduced consumption of chemicals and electricity.
   
6. Conclusions:
   
 
a] The cost of the entire projectof 9.0 mld capacity pretreatment plant was Rs. 8,00,000/- only, which is about 60% - 70% that of a conventional unit.
b] As all the processes are completely non-mechanical, there is very little maintenance and operation cost compared to the conventional plant. This was one of the major reasons for adaptation of this type of plant by BBIL.
c] Highly qualified supervisors are not required as only alum dosing and sludge draining are to be watched periodically.
d] Due to compact nature of plant and higher surface loading rates, land requirement was reduced by 50% as compared to the conventional plant.
e] Due to the feasibility of backwater recovery, entire new aspect was provided to the tube settling process. The process can be now employed to treat many industrial effluents cost effectively by this non-mechanical means.
f] Because of the recovery and reuse of backwater following advantages were achieved by the BBIL.
   
 
I] It was possible to operate paper and pulp mill at full production level in the water shortage period as there was less draw from river.
II] Considerable quantity of paper fibre can be recovered from backwater with good chance of its reusability in the paper making process.
III] Reduced qualitative and quantitative loading improved the performance of water treatment plant of BBIL factory with reduced consumption of electricity and chemicals.
   
g] It has been decided by BBIL management to operate the entire plant for treatment of raw water from the river during three to four months of monsoon. For rest of the year one half of the river & other half will be used for treating back-water from the paper mills.
h] The single simplified pretreatment unit can now be used to treat :-
   
 
I] Raw water from the river.
II] Back water from the paper mills.
III] Partially backwater and partially raw water from the river.
IV] Mix flow of raw water and backwater.
   
  (Experiments are still continued in this aspect.)
   
  The plant which was mainly constructed to treat raw water from the river also served the cause in conservation of water from Industry at relatively very low cost, thus showing the inherent flexibility in simplified, non-mechanical technology. This experiment may lead to an altogether new concept in economic “water treatment and conservation package” leading to reduction of pollutional imact on the environment.
   
7. Acknowledgements:
   
 
I] The author acknowledges the contribution of BBIL technical team especially in water conservation aspect. The team was headed by Dr. V.V. Karnik, General Manager, Shri. U.B. Bhattacharya Asst. Factory Manager, Shri. G.S. Chowdhary Quality Control Manager, Shri. A.C. Somani Engineering Manager and Civil Engg. Dept. Author also acknowledges the contribution of Shri. B.V. Phadke, structural consultant to the work.
   
  References:
   
 
1. “Simple Methods in Water Purification” by Dr. J.N. Kardile
2. New concepts in water purification” by Culp & Culp
3. Surface water treatment for communities in developing countries” by Schulz & Okum.
 
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