1

A REPORT ON
INPLANT TRAINING
At
On
Water
Treatment and Control
Systems

Submitted by
Cleetus K Koshy
Roll no- 24
S5 CHE
Table of Contents
S.no
1.
2.
3.
4.

Topic
Introduction
Abstract
Important Chemicals used in water treatment
Submerged aerated filter

Page
3
4
5
6

5.

Moving Bed Bio Reactor

6.
7.

Continuous Feed Sequential Batch Reactor

Membrane Bio Reactor

11
13

8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

Reverse Osmosis Unit

Demineralized Water Plant
Mix Bed Plant
LAKOS Separator
CorrShield NT4207

16
18
19
20
21
22

14.
15.

Conclusion
References

Spectrus NX1100

24
24

Introduction

The International Gulf Trading Company(IGTC) was established in the year 1974 in
Doha as a subsidiary of Chubb-Qatar to provide the local and regional
market with water and waste water treatment components.
Products includes all types of commercial, industrial and municipal
water and waste water treatment packages and plants.
IGTC has provided several 100s of packages to serve accommodation
compounds, factories, remote camps including river water treatment
plants, brackish and seawater Reverse Osmosis plants for drinking and
industrial applications, sewage and industrial waste water treatment
plants for treatment of waste water and reuse in landscaping and
industrial applications. IGTC has built also several UF and MF plants
for various applications including latest Membrane (MBR) Bioreactor
technology and has several branches in the region to insure proper
after sales services to its products.
Water Purification Products include
Municipal water treatment packages
Suspended solids filters
Activated Carbon Filters
UV or Ozone sterilizing
Reverse Osmosis step (TWRO)

River water treatment packages (RiverPure)

Chlorine disinfection equipments
Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis (BWRO)
Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO)

Abstract
The In plant Training consisted of the detailed description of Water Treatment Systems, equipments and
chemicals. It also included a complete line of water softener control valves, drinking water filters, residential
Reverse Osmosis membranes and a unique line of dry-pellet chlorine disinfection devices. These products
also include solenoid, staging, bonnet and other valves for industrial and commercial use.
The Following Systems were studied

Water Purification Systems

Sewage Treatment Plants
Water Treatment Chemicals
Water Treatment Components
Water recycle systems
Air Purification systems
Vacuum Sewerage System
Scientific & Laboratory Equipment

IMPORTANT CHEMICALS USED IN WATER TREATMENT

SODIUM HYDROXIDE (CAUSTIC SODA)

Sodium hydroxide is a popular strong base used in industry.
Around 56% of sodium hydroxide produced is used by industry,
25% of which is used in the paper industry. Sodium hydroxide is

also used in the manufacture of sodium salts and detergents,

pH regulation, and organic synthesis. It is used in the Bayer
process of Aluminium production. In bulk, it is most often
handled as an aqueous solution, since solutions are cheaper
and easier to handle.

CHLORINE
Chlorine is used for producing safe drinking water. Chlorinated
compounds are mainly used for sanitation, tile processing,
pulp bleaching and disinfectants. It is also used in making
organic compounds like carbon tetrachloride, chloroform,
polyvinyl chloride etc. Chlorine and its compounds have been
extensively used in warfare.
BOILED OXYGEN WATER SCAVENGER SYSTEM
A chemical oxygen scavenger is used to remove the residual oxygen from the boiler feed water in order
to protect not only the boiler but also control corrosion in the hotwell (or feed tank) and the condensate
return lines.
Corroban 25 FDA-approved partially neutralised sodium sulfite (uncatalysed and also suitable for
chlorine removal in drinking water and RO make-up)

Corroban 26 FDA-approved partially neutralised sodium suphite oxygen scavenger (catalyzed)

Corroban 27 FDA-approved highly concentrated sulphite for maximum cost effectiveness.

TANNIN CHEMICALS

Tannins dont add to the boiler TDS so reduce the need for blow down and save energy

They are brown in colour so are easy to detect and test.

They have a dual corrosion protection mechanism since they not only remove the oxygen but also
form a corrosion resistant tannate film on the boiler steel
They are particularly suitable for low or variable feed water temperatures and very good at protecting
idle and intermittently used boilers.
Boilertan 4 A liquid tannin oxygen scavenger which is a direct replacement for DM 4 in 1.

Polytan 4F A mildly alkaline multifunctional tannin chemical incorporating two polymer sludge

conditioners.

Polytan 4C A strongly alkaline multifunctional tannin chemical incorporating two polymer sludge
conditioners.

Polytan 8F A highly concentrated liquid tannin treatment incorporating a polymer sludge

conditioner (FDA approved).

Submerged Aerated Bio Filter(SAF)

CONSTRUCTION

The SAF has few moving parts, requires very little

maintenance, and is easy to operate. SAFs require no

regular operator attendance, and are generally used for

installations up to 3,000 P.E.
The SAF could be described as a box of media utilizing
a rigid, corrugated, structured polypropylene media to
give a high surface area for biomass attachment (200 ft2
per ft3 ).
The media is arranged into cells-in-series where effluent
is contacted with the fully submerged media in the
presence of co-current aeration.
The external walls of the SAF are manufactured in 1/4
inch steel or 1/8 inch 304 stainless steel, with pressed
ribs for stiffening.
The surface is coated and may also be insulated for
extreme environments.
All plumbing is polished stainless steel and ABS or PVC
plastic as standard.
Air is supplied by two low-maintenance regenerative
blowers (Duty-Standby). These are housed in a fiberglass
kiosk along with the controls.The kiosk may be soundproofed for sensitive urban environments.

OPERATION
Air enters the process below the media via fine bubble
membrane diffusers.
A secondary clarifier tank follows the SAF for removal of
any biomass that sloughs off the media during operation.
Biological phosphorus and nitrogen removal can be
achieved with the SAF since the design incorporates
sequential staged operations as required for BNR flow
schemes.
Phosphorus removal utilizes the anaerobic, balance tank
(septic tank) used prior to the SAF.
Recycled sludge from the final clarifier is mixed with the
influent in this stage. Nitrogen removal is then achieved
via denitrification in the first cell of the SAF where, with
no air injected, and the introduction of recycled nitrified
effluent from the end of the process, the process
becomes anoxic.

The latter SAF cells are fully aerated and BOD removal
and nitrification are achieved in these. Full BNR requires a
four cell SAF, minimum.
Typically effluent from a full BNR scheme will be:
BOD less than 10 mg/l
Total nitrogen less than 5 mg/l
Ammonia nitrogen less than 1 mg/l
Total phosphorus less than 0.5 mg/l
Regular operation requirements include weekly inspection
and de-sludging (less than an hour) and monthly inspection
of aeration pattern. Maintenance is minimal as there are no
moving parts in contact with the waste water. Typically the
air filter for the blowers needs to be replaced every six
months (a five-minute job), and the diffusers need to be
replaced every seven years (approximately 1/2-day
operation).

Moving Bed Bio Reactor(MBBR)

A bioreactor may refer to any manufactured or engineered device or system that supports a biologically
active environment. In one case, a bioreactor is a vessel in which a chemical process is carried out which
involves organisms or biochemically active substances derived from such organisms. This process can either
be aerobic or anaerobic.
CONSTRUCTION
These bioreactors are commonly cylindrical, ranging in size from litres to cubic meters, and are often made
of stainless steel.
MBBR technology employs thousands of polyethylene bio film carriers operating in mixed motion within an
aerated waste water treatment basin. Each individual bio carrier increases productivity through providing
protected surface area to support the growth of heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria within its cells. It is
this high-density population of bacteria that achieves high-rate biodegradation within the system, while also
offering process reliability and ease of operation. This technology provides cost-effective treatment with
minimal maintenance since MBBR processes self-maintain an optimum level of productive bio film.
Additionally, the bio film attached to the mobile bio carriers within the system automatically responds to load
fluctuations.
OPERATION
Under optimum conditions, the microorganisms or cells are able to perform their desired function with
limited production of impurities. The environmental conditions inside the Bioreactor, such as temperature,
nutrient concentrations, pH, and dissolved gases (especially oxygen for aerobic fermentations) affect the
growth and productivity of the organisms. The temperature of the fermentation medium is maintained by a
cooling jacket, coils, or both. Nutrients may be continuously added to the fermenter, as in a fed-batch system,
or may be charged into the reactor at the beginning of fermentation. The pH of the medium is measured and
adjusted with small amounts of acid or base, depending upon the fermentation. For aerobic (and some
anaerobic) fermentations, reactant gases (especially oxygen) must be added to the fermentation. Since
oxygen is relatively insoluble in water (the basis of nearly all fermentation media), air (or purified oxygen)
must be added continuously. In practice, bioreactors are often pressurized; this increases the solubility of
oxygen in water. In an aerobic process, optimal oxygen transfer is sometimes the rate limiting step. Oxygen
transfer is usually helped by agitation, which is also needed to mix nutrients and to keep the fermentation
homogeneous. Gas dispersing agitators are used to break up air bubbles and circulate them throughout the
vessel.
MBBR processes are an excellent solution for common waste water applications including:
BOD Reduction
Nitrification
Total Nitrogen Removal
Moving Bed Bio film Reactor systems deliver a flexible, cost-effective, and easy-to-operate means to address
current waste water requirements and the expandability to meet future loads or more stringent discharges.
Continuous Feed Sequential Batch Reactor(CSF-BR)

Sequencing batch reactors (SBR) are industrial processing tanks for the treatment of wastewater. SBR
reactors treat waste water such as sewage or output from anaerobic digesters or mechanical biological
treatment facilities in batches. Oxygen is bubbled through the waste water to reduce biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) to make suitable for discharge into sewers or for use on
land.
CONSTRUCTION
The installation consists of at least two identically equipped tanks with a common inlet, which can be
switched between them. The tanks have a raw wastewater (influent) coming in at one end and treated water
(effluent) flowing out the other. While one tank is in settle/decant mode the other is aerating and filling. At
the inlet is a section of the tank known as the bio-selector. This consists of a series of walls or baffles which
direct the flow either from side to side of the tank or under and over consecutive baffles. This helps to mix
the incoming Influent and the returned activated sludge, beginning the biological digestion process before the
liquor enters the main part of the tank.
The essential components of SBRs are:
reactor basin
waste sludge draw-off mechanism
aeration equipment
effluent decanter
process control system.
OPERATION
Conventional screening and grit removal are usually provided as preliminary treatment. Settled sewage may

10

also be treated if the SBR is installed downstream of existing primary settlement tanks. The volume of liquid
at bottom water level is sized to provide sufficient mass of activated sludge to complete the biological
treatment processes. Waste activated sludge (WAS) is typically withdrawn by pump or actuated valves from
the settled sludge blanket during the decant or idle phase of the cycle. Typical WAS concentrations are
usually in the range 8,000 15,000 mg/l. Waste activated sludge can be further treated by aerobic or
anaerobic processes, or thickened and dewatered before disposal. Jet aeration systems can also be used
without air to provide a formal anoxic mixing phase in biological nutrient removal plants. Removable fine
bubble aeration equipment may be used to facilitate maintenance of the diffusers, where the tank cannot
easily be drained. Operating any SBR process, the air can only be supplied during the fill, aerate and react
periods. Air flow is directed to the correct tank by motorized valves controlled by the process control centre.
Additional fine-tuning of the aeration system can be achieved through installing a dissolved oxygen probe
within the basin, and controlling the air output with a variable speed blower. Nitrification and denitrification
can be achieved through turning the air on and off during the filling and react phases, and can also be
simultaneously achieved during the aerobic phases of the cycle by controlling the aeration intensity (and
hence the process dissolved oxygen concentration) to ensure macro anoxic conditions within the activated
sludge flocs. Denitrification also takes place within the sludge blanket during the air-off phase. Typically,
biological phosphorus removal can be achieved by incorporating an anaerobic phase within the process
cycle, usually at the beginning during filling. Treated effluent can be removed from the SBR tank after the
settle period. Enough time must be allowed during the settle phase to enable the solids interface to reach a
low enough position in the tank to avoid entrainment and scouring during the effluent decanting. The most
important aspect to the decanter design is to ensure that effluent is withdrawn uniformly from within the
tank. Decanter designs usually incorporate guard mechanisms to prevent scum and other floating material
from causing deterioration in effluent quality.
Membrane Bio Reactor(MBR)

11

Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) is the combination of a membrane process like microfiltration or ultrafiltration
with a suspended growth bioreactor, and is now widely used for municipal and industrial wastewater
treatment with plant sizes up to 80,000 population equivalent (i.e. 48 million liters per day).
When used with domestic wastewater, MBR processes can produce effluent of high quality enough to be
discharged to coastal, surface or brackish waterways or to be reclaimed for urban irrigation.
Two MBR configurations exist: internal/submerged, where the membranes are immersed in and integral to
the biological reactor; and external/sidestream, where membranes are a separate unit process requiring an
intermediate pumping step.
Membrane bioreactors can be used to reduce the footprint of an activated sludge sewage treatment system by
removing some of the liquid component of the mixed liquor. This leaves a concentrated waste product that is
then treated using the activated sludge process.
Internal/submerged
The filtration element is installed in either the main bioreactor vessel or in a separate tank. The membranes
can be flat sheet or tubular or combination of both, and can incorporate an online backwash system which
reduces membrane surface fouling by pumping membrane permeate back through the membrane. In systems
where the membranes are in a separate tank to the bioreactor, individual trains of membranes can be isolated
to undertake cleaning regimes incorporating membrane soaks, however the biomass must be continuously
pumped back to the main reactor to limit MLSS concentration increase. Additional aeration is also required
to provide air scour to reduce fouling. Where the membranes are installed in the main reactor, membrane
modules are removed from the vessel and transferred to an offline cleaning tank.

12

External/sidestream
The filtration elements are installed externally to the reactor, often in a plant room. The biomass is either
pumped directly through a number of membrane modules in series and back to the bioreactor, or the biomass
is pumped to a bank of modules, from which a second pump circulates the biomass through the modules in
series. Cleaning and soaking of the membranes can be undertaken in place with use of an installed cleaning
tank, pump and pipework.
Many other anti-fouling strategies can be applied to MBR applications. They comprise, for example:
Intermittent permeation, where the filtration is stopped at regular time interval for a couple of
minutes before being resumed. Particles deposited on the membrane surface tend to diffuse back to the
reactor; this phenomenon being increased by the continuous aeration applied during this resting period.
Membrane backwashing, where permeate water is pumped back to the membrane, and flow through
the pores to the feed channel, dislodging internal and external foulants.
Air backwashing, where pressurized air in the permeate side of the membrane build up and release a
significant pressure within a very short period of time. Membrane modules therefore need to be in a
pressurized vessel coupled to a vent system. Air usually does not go through the membrane. If it did, the
air would dry the membrane and a re-wet step would be necessary, by pressurizing the feed side of the
membrane.
Proprietary anti-fouling products, such as Nalco's Membrane Performance Enhancer Technology.
In addition, different types/intensities of chemical cleaning may also be recommended:
Chemically enhanced backwash (daily);
Maintenance cleaning with higher chemical concentration (weekly);
Intensive chemical cleaning (once or twice a year).
Intensive cleaning is also carried out when further filtration cannot be sustained because of an elevated
transmembrane pressure (TMP).
Nutrient removal
Nutrient removal is one of the main concerns in modern wastewater treatment especially in areas that are
sensitive to eutrophication. Like in the conventional ASP, currently, the most widely applied technology for
N-removal from municipal waste water is nitrification combined with denitrification. Besides phosphorus
precipitation, enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) can be implemented which requires an
additional anaerobic process step.

REVERSE OSMOSIS UNIT

13

PROCESS
Reverse osmosis is a process that is used to remove a wide
range of salts to give water of a high purity. Pure water will
pass one way through the membrane in a process that is
easy to visualize as filtration where the filter will only let
through the small water molecules and retain almost all of
the other molecules. This means that water containing a
high level of natural salts can be purified without the need
for chemical regenerants such as the acid and alkali used in
demin plants. Reverse osmosis is therefore considered a
much safer route of producing pure water for many
commercial and industrial applications, and additionally the
plant doesnt need to be taken out of service for
regeneration as a demin plant does. Rejection rates of salts
from water is generally in the region of 95-99.5% dependant

14

upon the membrane type used and the raw water feed
quality. RO systems can be designed to utilise the wide
range of membranes available, which will give different
permeate water qualities. Standard designed ROs are
manufactured using the low energy membranes which will
give a permeate water quality of approx 10 microsiemens
from an input water of between 500-700 microsiemens.

OPERATION
Pre-Treatment

Post Treatment

Screening

ReMineralisation

Feed Water Tank

pH adjustment

Pre-Chlorination

Disinfection

Filter feed pumps

Product Water Transfer pumps

Reverse osmosis systems, in their most basic form, consist

of a pressure pump, housing and membrane. Water is forced
into the housing under pressure and the pure water (or
permeate) is collected and passed to service. Reject water
(or concentrate) is collected from another outlet and routed
to drain, with a portion of the concentrate water recycled
back to the inlet of the pump. This means that the portion of
water sent to drain is kept to a minimum, allowing a
recovery ratio of approx 75% to be achieved without
significant fouling of the membrane. The recirculation allows
a higher flow of water through the pump, reducing the load
on its bearings and keeping the pump running cooler. The
recirculation on all units is adjustable. The controller used on
the RO system constantly monitors the quality of the
permeate water and is also linked with safety controls on the
system, to ensure the unit cuts out on low & high pressure,
high & low conductivity, and full permeate tank signal. It will
also run various pre and post flush cycles to maximize the
life of the membranes. The constant monitoring is automatic
and the programming is all pre-set to ensure protection of
the system at all times and to maximize the quality of the

15

pure water Pre Treatment RO plants must be supplied with

softened and de-chlorinated water. A duplex softener is
recommended for continuous operation. Utilizing softened
water for the feed to the RO will reduce the scaling potential
on the membrane and therefore lengthen its working life.
De-chlorination of the feed will reduce oxidation damage to
the surface of the membrane. Membranes can also be fouled
by Iron, Manganese, organics and micro- organisms. For
boreholes and other private supplies a full water analysis is
advised before installing an RO so that a pre-treatment
system can be specified.
Demineralized water plant (DM)

16

It is based on ion exchange technology. It comprises two vessels filled with strong acid cation exchange resin
and strong base anion exchange resin. They are available in a range of diameters. The modular construction
permits flexibility in the selection of cation and anion units. Cation resin removes cation ion like calcium
magnesium, sodium, etc. Anion resin removes anion ion like chloride, silica, SO4 etc.

Mix Bed Plant

Mix
bed
plant
is

based on ion exchange technology. It contains single vessel filled with cation exchange resin and exchange
resin. This system works as a polisher unit and it is anion giving best quality of water.. System would
produce IP grade water.
Features:
Clean ability and hygiene in the processing of food, beverage and dairy products
Standards previously applicable only to pharmaceutical processing and plant are now commonplace
in food related industries
High levels of product consistency
Welding and fabricating procedures comply with internationally recognized standards.

17

LAKOS Separator(HYDROCYCLONES)

For
many
applications
the
LAKOS
Separator
represents
the ideal way
for removing
heavier than
water
particles from
a recirculating
system. It works by the cyclone principle where the
centrifugal effect of the water flowing through the unit is
used to filter out the suspended particles. It has no filter
media to block or replace; it has no moving parts and
doesnt require back-washing simply a periodic purge from
the collection chamber. It is a simple, safe and reliable way
of cleaning up a dirty water system and keeping it clean.
Typical Applications include Heating and Chilled Water
System. The LAKOS Separator is the ideal filtration system
to aid precommission or renovation cleaning of heating or
chilled water systems. When used in conjunction with a
FEEDWATER cleaning agent like Corrosperse 84 or Polyshield
300 it ensures the rapid removal of dispersed metal oxides
and minimize the flushing required. The unit can be installed
just for the cleaning phase or left on-line as a permanent
side-stream polisher to keep the system water crystal clear
and guard against the fouling of close tolerance control
valves. Glycol Recovery Systems Closed cooling systems
filled with a glycol based antifreeze are a particular problem
to clean because of the high cost of the antifreeze and
problem of disposing of it when you need to drain the

18

system. A skid mounted LAKOS Glycol Recovery System

resolves these problems by incorporating an additional bag
filter on the bleed from LAKOS Separator allowing practically
all the filtered glycol to be returned to the system Cooling
Tower System Stream Filtration Cooling towers are extremely
efficient air washers and are constantly being contaminated
by airborne particles. These can build up to impair heat
transfer or provide a breeding ground for bacteria. A LAKOS
separator can be installed either in a sidestream or ideally in
a separate pumped circuit across the tower pond and can be
incorporated into a COOLPLEX packaged dosage and bleedoff control system.

CorrShield NT4207
Corrosion Inhibitor for Closed Recirculating
Systems

19

Prevents scale and sludge

Compatible with
antifreeze solutions
Inhibits multi-metal systems
CorrShield NT4207 cooling water treatment provides

20

superior corrosion inhibition to multi-metal systems

operating at high or low temperatures. Recommended for
diesel and other internal combustion engines, hot water
heating systems, chilled water circuits and other closed
systems containing ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The
level of CorrShield NT4207 may be monitored by
chemical analysis of nitrite concentration in the treated
water. Nitrite may be determined by titration, except
when antifreeze is present. CorrShield NT4207 does not
affect non-metal components or seals. Its low toxicity
liquid nature permits convenient handling and minimal
disposal problems. Treatment and Feeding Requirements
in systems containing steel and copper or its alloys, a
treatment level of 2500 to 3500 ppm (mg/L) is normally
recommended. When aluminum is also present, a
concentration of 3500 to 5500 ppm (mg/L) will normally
be required. CorrShield NT4207 will elevate the pH of the
water, and in some cases, the pH may exceed 10. This is
not detrimental to steel or copper alloys. However, when
aluminum is present, the pH should be maintained below
9.0.
CorrShield NT4207 may be fed neat, or diluted with water
to a 10% solution. Tanks, pumps, piping and valves may
be made of mild steel or most common plastics.

Spectrus NX1100

Microbiological Control Agent

Spectrus NX1100 is a proprietary blend of antimicrobial
agents, specifically formulated for industrial water
applications. It may be used in open or closed
recirculating cooling water systems. Spectrus NX1100 is
also approved for use in auxiliary water systems as well
as waste water and waste material disposal applications.
The product label provides a complete listing of approved
end uses.
Spectrus NX1100 is EPA registered for control of a wide
range of microbial species, including aerobic bacteria,

21

anaerobic bacteria, algae, yeast, and fungi. Control of

microbiological populations in industrial water systems is
essential to prevent bio fouling. In cooling systems, bio
fouling of heat exchange equipment and tower fill
reduces heat transfer efficiency and can force
unscheduled shutdowns and extended turnarounds
leading to lost production. Bio fouling can also damage
equipment through microbiologically influenced corrosion
(MIC). As a result of these effects, bio fouling must be
prevented in order for operating units to achieve
profitability goals. The actives in Spectrus NX1100 consist
of
5.3% 2- bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol (BNPD) and
2.6% Isothiazolone (1.9% 5-chloro-2-methyl-4
isothiazolin-3-one and 0.68% 2-methyl-4-isothiazolone-3one). Compared to single-active, Isothiazolin-based
products, the combination of actives in Spectrus NX1100
gives better microbial control at lower dosages (see
chart). This blend of actives also limits the development
of resistant microbial
populations and eliminates the need to alternate products
to maintain microbiological control. Spectrus NX1100 is
synergistic with chlorine and bromine disinfection
programs. It demonstrates increased efficacy in the
presence of these oxidizing agents. This means that
continuous halogenation does not have to be interrupted
or suspended when this product is fed into a cooling
system. This is especially important when organic
contamination leads to rapid microbial growth. Spectrus
NX1100 is water-based to minimize impact on the
environment. It contains no metal based stabilizers, such
as copper or iron, thus simplifying customer compliance
with NPDES permits. Microbiological monitoring is
recommended to evaluate product requirements. Feed
point - Spectrus NX1100 should be applied to a point in
the cooling system where turbulence and flow patterns
assure good mixing with the water being treated.

22

CONCLUSION
The In-Plant Training at CHUBB-IGTC served a great exposure
to the working of an Industry. Different water treatment
equipments and chemicals were examined and analyzed.
Their functions and applications were carefully studied and
noted. The most important part was understanding the
working of the Reverse Osmosis Unit which plays a major
role in increasing the purity of water. Above all, it was a
privilege to undergo training in an Internationally well
acclaimed Company.

REFERENCES

23

www.igtcqatar.com
www.gewater.com
www.wikipedia.org