Optimización de la planta de tratamiento de agua potable del cantón Cevallos

Abstract

The optimization of the drinking water treatment plant of the Cevallos canton, province of Tungurahua, aims to redesign and seek new alternatives to advance the current treatment system. In this research, the experimental and analytical method was used, performing physical-chemical and microbiological analyses in the laboratory on samples of collected and treated water, as well as the necessary tests to technically dose chemical coagulants with specific equipment for pH, temperature; gravimetric for solids; spectrophometric for chlorine; incubation for coliforms, and specific materials such as test tubes, racks, pipettes, beakers and petri dishes. Glass bottles and sterile flasks and gloves were used for water sampling. The results obtained establish that there are phosphate problems, referring to INEN 1108, and that the technical dosage of 1% aluminum polychloride is necessary, together with pre-chlorination, which requires a 70% calcium hypochlorite solution, The system also requires a rectangular weir for the rapid mixing of coagulants with a mixing time of 0.471 s, in addition to fixing sedimentation tubes in the conventional settling tank, transforming it into a high rate settling tank with a sedimentation speed of 0.02 cm/s. By implementing this system through process simulations and pilot tests, it was concluded that the proposed treatment allows optimizing the current system, obtaining phosphate values in accordance with the corresponding standard and increasing the operational performance. It is recommended that the study be applied to improve the treatment system by implementing the pre-chlorination process, technical and adequate dosing of coagulants, rapid mixing of coagulants, as well as a high rate settler with sedimentation tubes to improve the water supply to the population of the Cevallos canton.