JAR TESTING

Topics To be Discussed
 What is Jar Test
 Why we add chemicals
 Types of particles present in water
 What is coagulation & Flocculation
 Chemistry of coagulation & Flocculation
 Coagulation & Flocculation Diagram
 Why we do Jar Test/Benefits of Jar Test
 When we do Jar Test
 How We do Jar Test
 Materials required for jar test
 How to prepare stock solution
 What is stock solution
 Jar test analysis procedure
 Calculation for chemical required/dosage
 Common Coagulation & Flocculation Problems & Solutions
 What is Jar Test?
 The jar test is a common laboratory procedure
used to determine the optimum operating
conditions for water or wastewater treatment
 The jar test is a common laboratory procedure
used to determine dosage requirements for
chemicals added to remove small particulates from
water or wastewater
 Why we add chemicals?
 The turbid water have impurities in suspension & also in
solution
 Most suspended particles carry a negative electrostatic
charge which means that they repulse each other and thus
stay in suspension
 If their electrostatic charge can be neutralized, they would
become destabilized, attract each other, agglomerate and
settle
 Chemical coagulants or flocculants are added to the impure
water and for a brief period rapid mixing is carried out,
having produced the micro flocs
 The objective is then to produce a flocs of adequate size that
will settle under gravity
 Types of Particles in Water
 There are three types of objects which can be found in water. In order from smallest
to largest, these objects are chemicals in solution, colloidal solids, and suspended
solids. Coagulation/flocculation will remove colloidal and suspended solids from
water.
 Chemicals in solution have been completely dissolved in the water. They are
electrically charged and can interact with the water, so they are completely stable
and will never settle out of the water. Chemicals in solution are not visible, either
using the naked eye or using a microscope, and are less than 1 Mu in size. (A Mu, or
mill micron, is equal to 0.000000039 inches.) An example of a chemical in
solution is sugar in water.
 Colloidal solids, also known as nonsettleable solids, do not dissolve in water
although they are electrically charged. Still, the particles are so small that they will
not settle out of the water even after several years and they cannot be removed by
filtration alone. Colloidal solids range between 1 and 500 Mu in size and can be
seen only with a high-powered microscope. Examples include bacteria, fine clays,
and silts. Colloidal solids often cause colored water, such as the "tea color" of
swamp water.
 Finally, suspended, or settleable, solids will settle out of water over time, though
this may be so slow that it is impractical to merely allow the particles to settle out in
a water treatment plant. The particles are more than 1,000 Mu in size and can be
seen with a microscope or, sometimes, with the naked eye. Examples of suspended
solids include sand and heavy silts.
 What is coagulation?
 Coagulation is the destabilization of colloids by
neutralizing the forces that keep them apart. Cationic
coagulants provide positive electric charges to reduce
the negative charge (zeta potential) of the colloids. As
a result, the particles collide to form larger particles
(flocs). Rapid mixing is required to disperse the
coagulant throughout the liquid. Care must be taken
not to overdose the coagulants as this can cause a
complete charge reversal and restabilize the colloid
complex.
 What is flocculation?
 Flocculation, is the action of polymers to form bridges
between the flocs. and bind the particles into large
agglomerates or clumps. Bridging occurs when
segments of the polymer chain adsorb on different
particles and help particles aggregate. An anionic
flocculant will react against a positively charged
suspension, adsorbing on the particles and causing
destabilization either by bridging or charge
neutralization. In this process it is essential that the
flocculating agent be added by slow and gentle mixing
to allow for contact between the small flocs and to
agglomerate them into larger particles.
Chemistry of coagulation & Flocculation
The chemistry of coagulation and flocculation is primarily based on electricity. Electricity is the behavior of
negative and positively charged particles due to their attraction and repulsion. Like charges (two negatively
charged particles or two positively charged particles) repel each other while opposite charges (a positively
charged particle and a negatively charged particle) attract.

Negatively charged particles repel each other due to electricity

 Most particles dissolved in water have a negative charge, so they tend to repel each other. As a result, they
stay dispersed and dissolved or colloidal in the water, as shown above.
 The purpose of most coagulant chemicals is to neutralize the negative charges on the turbidity particles to
prevent those particles from repelling each other. The amount of coagulant which should be added to the
water will depend on the zeta potential, a measurement of the magnitude of electrical charge surrounding
the colloidal particles. You can think of the zeta potential as the amount of repulsive force which keeps the
particles in the water. If the zeta potential is large, then more coagulants will be needed.
 Coagulants tend to be positively charged. Due to their positive charge, they are attracted to the negative
particles in the water, as shown below.
(CONTD…)
 Positively charged coagulants attract to negatively
charged particles due to electricity.

The combination of positive and negative charge results in a neutral, or lack, of charge. As a result, the particles no
longer repel each other.
The next force which will affect the particles is known as van der Waal's forces. Van der Waal's forces refer to the
tendency of particles in nature to attract each other weakly if they have no charge

Neutrally charged particles attract due to van der Waal's forces

Once the particles in water are not repelling each other, van der Waal's forces make the particles drift toward each
other and join together into a group. When enough particles have joined together, they become floc and will settle
out of the water.

Particles and coagulants join

together into floc.
Coagulation & Flocculation Diagram
 Why we do Jar Test/Benefits
 A jar test simulates the coagulation and flocculation
processes that encourage the removal of suspended
colloids and organic matter which can lead to turbidity,
odor and taste problems.
 Better finished water quality
 Longer filter runs
 Overall prolonged filter life
 Lower chemical costs-: One of the common problems in
water treatment is overfeeding or overdosing,especially
with coagulants. This may not hurt the quality of water, but
it can cost a lot of money
What is Turbidity & How we measure
it?
 Turbidity is an optical characteristic or property of a liquid
which describes the clarity, or haziness of the liquid.
 Turbidity, in the context of water and wastewater treatment,
refers to the light-scattering properties of a water sample. It is
measured in a turbidimeter and reported in turbidity units (TU).
There are a variety of methods for measuring turbidity, but the
instrument most commonly used is the nephelometer. A water
sample is poured into a clear glass cuvette and inserted into a
darkened sample holder. A light beam is passed through the
cuvette, and a photocell oriented at a 90 deg angle to the beam
path is used to detect any scattered light. The more particles
present, the more light will be scattered and detected.
Measurements are reported as Nephelometric Turbidity Units
(NTU).
 When we do Jar Test?
 The jar test should be done whenever there is an abrupt
change in the turbidity value of impure water which is
to be treated
 If the addition of chemical is increased, it doesn’t mean,
the treated water quality will also be increased

Addition of chemical Improve water

more than optimum value quality
 How we do Jar test
 The jar test is performed on a “gang stirrer”. Six axial
mixing blades are operated by a single motor, so mixing
conditions can be replicated in six one liter samples
simultaneously. Each beaker is filled with a one liter
sample of the turbid water. Alkalinity and pH
adjustments are made, if required, and a range of
coagulant doses is tested. At time zero, the coagulant
doses are quickly added, and samples are mixed at about
100 rpm for one minute. Then, the mixing speed is
reduced to only 30 rpm, and flocculation is allowed to
proceed for about 30 minutes. Finally, all mixing is
discontinued, and the floc is allowed to settle for 30-60
minutes. A plot of turbidity readings versus dosage
reveals the optimum dose.
 MATERIALS REQUIRED
 CHEMICAL TO BE ANALYSED
 TURBID WATER TO BE TREATED
(RAW WATER, EFFLUENT)
 JAR TEST APPARATUS WITH JARS
 TURBIDITY METER WITH CUVETTE & STANDARD
SOLUTION FOR CALIBRATION
 PH METER
 PIPPETTE
 MEASURING CYLINDER
 A Stock Solution is a concentrated solution that will be diluted to some lower
concentrated for actual use. Stock solutions are used to save preparation time,
conserve materials, reduce storage space, and improve the accuracy with which
working lower concentration solutions are prepared.

In chemistry, a stock solution is a large volume of a common reagent, such as

hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide, at a standardized concentration. This term is
commonly used in analytical chemistry for procedures such as titrations, where it is
important that exact concentrations of solutions are used. Stock solutions do not
necessarily come in concentrations of simple numbers; for example a solution could be
0.10082 M HCl.
in biochemistry, the term is often used to refer to a concentrated solution,from which
one can dilute into a working concentration. One milligram in a kg is 1 ppm (by mass).
One liter (L) of pure water at 4ºC and 1 standard atmosphere pressure weighs exactly 1
kg, so 1 mg/L is 1 ppm
 Stock solution
 To prepare the stock solution, add X ml of chemical to Y
ml of pure water in a jar
 Concentration C= ((X/Y)*100) %
 Example:
If you add 1ml of chemical to 1000ml pure water, it’s
concentration = ((1/1000)*100) %
C = 0.1%
 Fix the jar in the jar test apparatus & agitate it for
5mins
 Remove the jar & keep it away separated
 JAR TEST ANALYSIS-procedure
 Check the Turbidity & pH of the turbid water which is to be
treated
 Fill the jars with the turbid water(Raw water or Effluent) &
fix it to the jar test apparatus with the mixer inside
 Add different amount of stock solution to the jars which are
fixed
 Switch on the light & mixer buttons available at the centre
of the bottom
 Adjust the RPM of stirrers to 100 & agitate for 1min, then
adjust to 25-30 RPM & agitate for 15-20mins, then switch off
the mixer & allow 15-20mins for settling
 Pipette out the top layer of jar to the cuvette-10 ml & read
the turbidity, pH
 Repeat it for all the jars & tabulate it as shown in the below
example
EXAMPLE-procedure
 Add 2ml,3ml,4ml 5ml & 6ml of stock solution to
jar1,jar2,jar3,jar4 & jar5
 After measuring the turbidity, tabulate as below

JAR 1000 AMOUNT OF TURBIDITY

(ml) CHEMICAL ADDED (NTU) Increasing
(ml)
1. 2 42

2. 3 22
Optimum value
3. 4 18

4. 5 26

5. 6 35
Increasing
Contd. . .
 Check & select the jar which produced big size flocs &
lesser turbidity value
 The optimum value is the amount of chemical added to
the selected jar
 Also verify the result through naked eye
 If jar3 is better, then proceed with the calculation
 But if suppose jar1 is better than other jars, then repeat
the jar test again with 0.2,0.4,0.6,0.8
 If jar5 is better than other jars, then repeat the jar test
again with 6,7,8,9,10 ml of stock solution & find the
optimum value
 CALCULATION OF CHEMICAL
REQUIRED
 For 1L of turbid water, x ml of stock solution is the optimum
value
 So, for y m3/hr,
Amount of chemical required, Z
Z = (x*(C/100)*y*1000*) (ml*L)
1000 (ml*Hr)
= (x*C*y) L/Hr
100
Therefore, Z Liter of chemical should be added per hour
 Example-Calculation
 For 1L of turbid water, 4 ml of stock solution is the
optimum value
 So, for 400 m3/hr,
Amount of chemical required,
Z = (4*(0.1/100)*400*1000*) (ml*L)
1000 (ml*Hr)
=1.6 L/Hr

Therefore, 1.6 L of chemical should be added per hour

CONCENTRARION OF chemical in
dosing tank
 Measure the dosing pump flow rate
 Find the concentration-A % value using the below balance
equation
Dosing flow rate * A = Chemical Required(Z)
(LPH) 100 (LPH)
 Example-suppose if the dosing flow rate is 300LPH &
chemical required is 1.2L,then
300 * (A/100) = 1.2
A = 0.4%
 Then prepare (A) concentration of chemical in the dosing
tank
 CHEMICAL DOSING
 As per the tank capacity, the amount of chemical
should be added

 Concentration(A) in % = Amount of chemical (L) *100

Tank capacity (L)
 Amount of chemical = A*Tank capacity (L)
100
 Then add the calculated amount of chemical to the
dosing tank to produce the concentration(A)
Common Coagulation and Flocculation
Problems & Solutions
Thanks…...