This study was performed to determine the optimum coagulant dosing amount for effective treatment of raw water. The removal rate of turbidity and the variations of water qualities according to various dosage of coagulants such as Alum, PAC and PACS were investigated. The optimum coagulant dosing amount to make the lowest turbidity of water were 35㎎/ℓ of Alum, 30㎎/ℓ of PAC and l0㎎/ℓ of PACS in case of 5 NTU of raw water turbidity, and 30㎎/ℓ of Alum, 25㎎/ℓ of PAC and l0㎎/ℓ of PACS in case of 10 NTU of that, respectively. The removal rates of turbidity at 4 min. and 8 min. of settling time were 10 and 72% of Alum, 44 and 62% of PAC and 25 and 55% of PACS in case of 5 NTU, and 52 and 70% of Alum, 90 and 95% of PAC and 10 and 28% of PACS in case of 10 NTU, respectively. Judging from the settling capability of floc., the reaction time of floc. formation and removal efficiency of turbidity, PAC was evaluated as more effective coagulant than Alum and PACS. Also PAC was regarded as the most effective coagulant when the water supply was changed sharply and the fluctuation of the surface loading occured with wide and sharp in seettling basin. pH and alkalinity of the water were decreased with increasing coagulants dosage. But pH and alkalinity were not decreased below 5.8 which is the standard for drinking water quality, and l0㎎/ℓ which is the limit concentration of floc. breakage, respectively. Residual Al of the treated water was decreased with increasing coagulants dosage in case of 5 and 10NTU of raw water turbidity. KMnO_4 consumption of the water was decreased with increasing coagulants dosage. The reduction rate of KMnO_4 consumption at the optimum coagulants dosage were 39% of Alum, 18% of PAC and 11% of PACS in case of 5 NTU of raw water turbidity, and 42% of Alum, 27% of PAC and 36% of PACS in case of 10 NTU of that, respectively. Any relationship was not found between the removal rate of turbidity and KMnO_4 consumption. TOC of the water was a bit decreased with increasing coagulants dosage up to 30㎎/ℓ but not changed above 30㎎/ℓ of coagulants dosage. The degree of TOC reduction was increased in the order of Alum, PAC and PACS treatment. Zeta potential of the colloidal floc. at the optimum coagulants dosage was in the range of -20∼-15mV in case of 5 NTU of raw water turbidity and 0∼0.5mV in case of 10 NTU of that, respectively. Although the kinds and dosages of coagulants were different, zeta potential range were fixed under the conditions of the best coagulation efficiency.

The study of flocculation kinetics is of fundamental interest in the field of water treatment, because rational study of the factors affecting the coagulation process should be based on the rate of particle growth. The effect of sulfate on flocculation kinetics were examined using ferric nitrate as a coagulant to coagulate kaolin clay in water under several experimental conditions. Both the particle size distribution data obtained from the AIA and the on-line measurement of turbidity fluctuation by the PDA were used to measure flocculation kinetics. Results show that sulfate ion added to the kaolin suspension played an important role in the flocculation process, not only improving flocculation kinetics at more acidic pH levels but also changing surface charge of particles. The kinetics of flocculation were improved mainly by the enhanced rate and extent of Fe(Ⅲ) precipitation attributed to the addition of sulfate, and thereby, better interparticle collision frequency, but little by the charge reductions resulting from the sulfate addition. The increase in sulfate concentration beyond 3×10 exp (-4)M (up to 2×10 exp (-3)M) did not induce further improvement in flocculation kinetics, although the higher concentrations of sulfate ion substantially increased the negative ZP value of particles.

Flocculation kinetics using ferric nitrate as a coagulant to coagulate kaolin clay in water was examined as a tool to investigate the effect of low temperature under tightly controlled treatment conditions. Both the particle size distribution data obtained from Automatic Image Analysis (AIA) system and the on-line measurement of the degree of turbidity fluctuation in a flowing suspension by Photometric Dispersion Analyzer (PDA) were used to measure flocculation kinetics. Results show that cold water temperature had a pronounced detrimental effect on flocculation kinetics. For improving flocculation kinetics at low water temperature, maintaining constant pOH to adjust water chemistry for temperature changes was found to be partially effective only in the more acidic pH range studied.