O.J.I. Kramer
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25 records found
1
Operational control strategy on optimal calcium removal in drinking water treatment processes
Insights from reactor experiments, modelling and particle characterization
Drinking water softening is an essential treatment step that provides multiple benefits, including public health, reduction of environmental impact, decrease in clogging potential and improvement in heating efficiency. With approximately 35 billion cubic meters of water being softened annually worldwide, the predominant methods are conventional lime/soda-ash softening, nanofiltration, ion exchange, and seeded crystallization through pellet-water softening. This study addresses the limitations in existing predictive models for calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation kinetics in industrial-scale pellet-water softening by experimentally investigating the integral and multivariate effects of particle-, fluid-, water matrix- and reactor properties, on CaCO₃ precipitation kinetics. Fluid characterization experiments were conducted at lab-scale continuous-stirred tank reactors (CSTR), pilot-scale plug-flow reactors (PFR), and full-scale fluidized bed reactors (FBR) at the Waternet Weesperkarspel treatment plant in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In parallel, solid characterization was performed with image analysis software on pellets and SEM on fines extracted from water samples, where both pellet and water samples were collected during FBR experiments. The calcium removal data obtained from experiments were compared with modeled CaCO3 precipitation rates using and extending the most recently developed water softening model for pellet-water softening. The results predominantly highlight the critical role of mixing dynamics — between softening chemicals, hard influent water and seeding material — for accurate CaCO3 precipitation predictions across various reactor types and other reactor-specific properties such as the residence time of influent hard water. Additional enhancements can be achieved by targeting fluid properties, followed by water matrix properties, and finally particle properties, though these factors exhibit a progressively smaller impact on overall water softening improvement. By implementing these prioritized optimization strategies, the operational control strategy for calcium removal will be enhanced, leading to improvements in cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and reliability in drinking water treatment processes.
Mechanistic model advancements for optimal calcium removal in water treatment
Integral operation improvements and reactor design strategies
Drinking water softening has primarily prioritized public health, environmental benefits, social costs and enhanced client comfort. Annually, over 35 billion cubic meters of water is softened worldwide, often utilizing three main techniques: nanofiltration, ion exchange and seeded crystallization by pellet softening. However, recent modifications in pellet softening, including changes in seeding materials and acid conditioning used post-softening, have not fully achieved desired flexibility and optimization. This highlights the need of an integral approach, as drinking water softening is just one step in the drinking water treatment chain, which includes ozonation, softening, biological active carbon filtration (BACF) and sand filtration among others. In addition, pellet softening is often practiced based on operator knowledge, lacking practical key reactor performance indicators (KPIs) for efficient control. For that reason, we propose a newly and improved integral mechanistic model designed to accurately predict (1) calcite removal rates in drinking water through seeded crystallization in pellet softening reactors, (2) the saturation of the filter bed in the subsequent treatment step, (3) values for the KPIs steering the softening efficiency. Our new mechanistic model integrates insights from hydrodynamics, thermodynamics, mass transfer kinetics, nucleation and reactor engineering, focussing on critical variables such as temperature, linear velocity, pellet particle size and saturation index with respect to calcite. Our model was validated with data from the Waternet Weesperkarspel drinking water treatment plant in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, but implies universal applicability for addressing industrial challenges beyond drinking water softening. The implementation of our model proposes five effective KPIs to optimize the softening process, chemical usage, and reactor design. The advantage of this model is that it eliminates the application of numerical methods and fills a significant gap in the field by providing predictions of the carry-over (i.e., the produced CaCO3 fines leaving the fluidized bed) from water softening practices. With our model, the calcium removal rate is predicted with an average standard deviation (SD) of 40 % and the consequential clogging prediction of the BACF bed with an average SD of 130 %. Ultimately, our model provides crucial insights for operational management and decision-making in drinking water treatment plants, steering towards a more circular and environmentally sustainable process.
In this work, a sensor is developed to obtain the hydraulic state gradient, based on Archimedes’ principle. A cylindrical heavy object is submerged in the fluidised bed and lowered gradually while its weight is measured at various heights using a sensitive force measuring device.
Based on accurate fluidisation experiments with calcite grains, the voidage is determined and a straightforward empirical model is developed to estimate the particle size as a function of superficial fluid velocity, kinematic viscosity, suspension density, voidage and particle density. The surface area and specific space velocity can be estimated accordingly, which represent key performance indicators regarding the hydraulic state of the fluidised bed reactor. The prediction error for voidage is 5 ± 2 % and for particle size 9 ± 4 %.
The newly developed soft sensor is a more time-effective method for obtaining the hydraulic state in full-scale liquid-solid fluidised bed reactors. ...
In this work, a sensor is developed to obtain the hydraulic state gradient, based on Archimedes’ principle. A cylindrical heavy object is submerged in the fluidised bed and lowered gradually while its weight is measured at various heights using a sensitive force measuring device.
Based on accurate fluidisation experiments with calcite grains, the voidage is determined and a straightforward empirical model is developed to estimate the particle size as a function of superficial fluid velocity, kinematic viscosity, suspension density, voidage and particle density. The surface area and specific space velocity can be estimated accordingly, which represent key performance indicators regarding the hydraulic state of the fluidised bed reactor. The prediction error for voidage is 5 ± 2 % and for particle size 9 ± 4 %.
The newly developed soft sensor is a more time-effective method for obtaining the hydraulic state in full-scale liquid-solid fluidised bed reactors.
We found that unstable packed beds in moderate up-flow conditions are pseudo-fixed and in a setting state. This results in a decreasing bed voidage and simultaneously in a decreasing drag coefficient, which seems quite contradictory. This can be explained by the collapse of local channels in the bed, leading to a more uniform flow distribution through the bed and improving the available surface for flow-through. Our experimental measurements show that the drag coefficient decreases considerably in the laminar and transition regions. This is most likely caused by particle orientation, realignment and rearrangement in particles’ packing position.
A thorough hydraulic analysis shows that up-flow filtration in rapid sand filters under backwash conditions causes the particle bed to collapse almost imperceptibly. In addition, an improved expression of the drag coefficient demonstrated that the Carman–Kozeny model constant, however often assumed to be constant, is in fact not constant for increasing flow rates. Furthermore, we propose a new pseudo-3D image analysis for particles with an irregular shape. In this way, we can explain the successful method using optimisation of the extended terminal sub-fluidisation wash (ETSW) filter backwashing procedure, in which turbidity and peaks in the number of particles are reduced with a positive effect on water quality. ...
We found that unstable packed beds in moderate up-flow conditions are pseudo-fixed and in a setting state. This results in a decreasing bed voidage and simultaneously in a decreasing drag coefficient, which seems quite contradictory. This can be explained by the collapse of local channels in the bed, leading to a more uniform flow distribution through the bed and improving the available surface for flow-through. Our experimental measurements show that the drag coefficient decreases considerably in the laminar and transition regions. This is most likely caused by particle orientation, realignment and rearrangement in particles’ packing position.
A thorough hydraulic analysis shows that up-flow filtration in rapid sand filters under backwash conditions causes the particle bed to collapse almost imperceptibly. In addition, an improved expression of the drag coefficient demonstrated that the Carman–Kozeny model constant, however often assumed to be constant, is in fact not constant for increasing flow rates. Furthermore, we propose a new pseudo-3D image analysis for particles with an irregular shape. In this way, we can explain the successful method using optimisation of the extended terminal sub-fluidisation wash (ETSW) filter backwashing procedure, in which turbidity and peaks in the number of particles are reduced with a positive effect on water quality.
This work aims to analyse and explain the different causes of this spread. To this end, terminal settling experiments were conducted in a quiescent fluid with particles varying in density, size, and shape. For the settling experiments, opaque and transparent spherical polydisperse and monodisperse glass beads were selected. In this study, we also examined drinking-water-related particles, like calcite pellets and crushed calcite seeding material grains, which are both applied in drinking water softening. Polydisperse calcite pellets were sieved and separated to acquire more uniformly dispersed samples. In addition, a wide variety of grains with different densities, sizes, and shapes were investigated for their terminal settling velocity and behaviour. The derived drag coefficient was compared with well-known models such as the one of Brown and Lawler (2003).
A sensitivity analysis showed that the spread is caused, to a lesser extent, by variations in fluid properties, measurement errors, and wall effects. Natural variations in specific particle density, path trajectory instabilities, and distinctive multi-particle settling behaviour caused a slightly larger degree of the spread. In contrast, a greater spread is caused by variations in particle size, shape, and orientation.
In terms of robust process designs and adequate process optimisation for fluidisation and sedimentation of natural granules, it is therefore crucial to take into consideration the influence of the natural variations in the settling velocity when using predictive models of round spheres. ...
This work aims to analyse and explain the different causes of this spread. To this end, terminal settling experiments were conducted in a quiescent fluid with particles varying in density, size, and shape. For the settling experiments, opaque and transparent spherical polydisperse and monodisperse glass beads were selected. In this study, we also examined drinking-water-related particles, like calcite pellets and crushed calcite seeding material grains, which are both applied in drinking water softening. Polydisperse calcite pellets were sieved and separated to acquire more uniformly dispersed samples. In addition, a wide variety of grains with different densities, sizes, and shapes were investigated for their terminal settling velocity and behaviour. The derived drag coefficient was compared with well-known models such as the one of Brown and Lawler (2003).
A sensitivity analysis showed that the spread is caused, to a lesser extent, by variations in fluid properties, measurement errors, and wall effects. Natural variations in specific particle density, path trajectory instabilities, and distinctive multi-particle settling behaviour caused a slightly larger degree of the spread. In contrast, a greater spread is caused by variations in particle size, shape, and orientation.
In terms of robust process designs and adequate process optimisation for fluidisation and sedimentation of natural granules, it is therefore crucial to take into consideration the influence of the natural variations in the settling velocity when using predictive models of round spheres.
Expansion Column Virtual Lab
Laboratory manual for liquid-solid fluidisation experiments
Students are informed with short lectures (films): https://doi.org/10.4121/12881009 and a manual (document). Several assignments must be completed based on recorded laboratory experiments. ...
Students are informed with short lectures (films): https://doi.org/10.4121/12881009 and a manual (document). Several assignments must be completed based on recorded laboratory experiments.
One of the most popular and frequently used models for describing homogeneous liquid-solid fluidised suspensions is the model developed by Richardson & Zaki in 1954. The superficial fluid velocity and terminal settling velocity together with an index makes it possible to determine the fluid porosity in a straightforward way. The reference point for the Richardson-Zaki model is the terminal settling velocity at maximum porosity conditions. To be able to predict porosity in the proximity of minimum fluidisation conditions, either the minimum fluidisation velocity must be known or the Richardson-Zaki index must be very accurate. To maintain optimal process and control conditions in multiphase drinking water treatment processes, the porosity is kept relatively low. Unfortunately, the Richardson-Zaki index models tends to overestimate the minimum fluidisation velocity and therefore also results in less accurate predictions with respect to porosity values. We extended the Richardson-Zaki model with proven hydraulics-based models. The minimum fluidisation velocity is acquired using the model proposed by Kozeny (1927), Ergun (1952) and Carman (1937). The terminal settling velocity is obtained through the model developed by Brown & Lawler (2003), which is an improved version of the well-known model developed by Schiller & Naumann (1933). The proposed models are compared with data from expansion experiments with calcium carbonate grains, crushed calcite and garnet grains applied in drinking water softening using the fluidised bed process. With respect to porosity, prediction accuracy is improved, with the average relative error decreasing from 15% to 3% when the classic Richardson-Zaki model is extended with these hydraulics-based models. With respect to minimum fluidisation velocity, the average relative error decreases from 100% to 12%. In addition, simplified analytical equations are given for a straightforward estimation of the index n.
Gezond drinkwater - een doorkijk door de tijd van gezond drinkwater
Masterclass M2 (PPT)
Het milieu wordt zwaarder belast met een scala aan chemische stoffen die op hun beurt een bedreiging vormen voor de volksgezondheid. Onze eerste primaire levensbehoefte is gezond drinkwater en dit vinden we in de westerse wereld heel vanzelfsprekend. Echter, op iets meer dan twee uur vliegen is het maar de vraag of het verstandig is om uit de kraan te drinken. In toenemende mate moeten er steeds complexere stoffen uit het water worden gehaald en dit vraagt steeds meer van de chemische zuiveringen bij de bereiding van drinkwater.
In deze masterclass wordt aan de hand van de geschiedenis van Nederlands eerste waterleidingbedrijf uitgelegd hoe betrouwbaar drinkwater door de tijd heen werd bereid en hoe Nederland heden ten dage in staat is om het beste drinkwater van de wereld te bereiden. Ons drinkwater heeft vergelijkbare kwaliteit als flesjeswater alleen is het drinkwater uit de kraan veel goedkoper en duurzamer. Nederland als Deltaland, is een waterexpert en deelt en verspreidt deze kennis internationaal. Kennis dient te stromen.
Deze masterclass gaat tevens in op het onderwerp duurzaamheid en drinkwater. Als wij willen dat volgende generaties ook zorgeloos uit de kraan kunnen blijven drinken moeten we duurzamer gaan werken. Waterbedrijven dragen hier al aan bij en vinden steeds betere oplossingen om de waterzuiveringsprocessen duurzaam te maken. De ontharding van drinkwater is hier een goed voorbeeld van. Bij het zachter maken van drinkwater worden er ook reststoffen geproduceerd. Van deze reststoffen worden nu weer nuttige grondstof van gemaakt en zo dragen we bij aan een circulaire economie.
Naast de geschiedenis en de duurzaamheid gaat deze masterclass ook in op de processen van drinkwaterbereiding. De drinkwaterbereiding is een combinatie van zowel chemische, fysische als biologische processen en naast een circulaire aanpak ook een kwestie van een interdisciplinair aanpak.
De masterclass “Gezond drinkwater - Een doorkijk door de tijd van gezond drinkwater” biedt u als docent kennis in diverse facetten van gezond drinkwater. De kennis die u bij deze masterclass op doet is heel geschikt om in uw eigen lespraktijk op uw eigen school uit te dragen.
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Het milieu wordt zwaarder belast met een scala aan chemische stoffen die op hun beurt een bedreiging vormen voor de volksgezondheid. Onze eerste primaire levensbehoefte is gezond drinkwater en dit vinden we in de westerse wereld heel vanzelfsprekend. Echter, op iets meer dan twee uur vliegen is het maar de vraag of het verstandig is om uit de kraan te drinken. In toenemende mate moeten er steeds complexere stoffen uit het water worden gehaald en dit vraagt steeds meer van de chemische zuiveringen bij de bereiding van drinkwater.
In deze masterclass wordt aan de hand van de geschiedenis van Nederlands eerste waterleidingbedrijf uitgelegd hoe betrouwbaar drinkwater door de tijd heen werd bereid en hoe Nederland heden ten dage in staat is om het beste drinkwater van de wereld te bereiden. Ons drinkwater heeft vergelijkbare kwaliteit als flesjeswater alleen is het drinkwater uit de kraan veel goedkoper en duurzamer. Nederland als Deltaland, is een waterexpert en deelt en verspreidt deze kennis internationaal. Kennis dient te stromen.
Deze masterclass gaat tevens in op het onderwerp duurzaamheid en drinkwater. Als wij willen dat volgende generaties ook zorgeloos uit de kraan kunnen blijven drinken moeten we duurzamer gaan werken. Waterbedrijven dragen hier al aan bij en vinden steeds betere oplossingen om de waterzuiveringsprocessen duurzaam te maken. De ontharding van drinkwater is hier een goed voorbeeld van. Bij het zachter maken van drinkwater worden er ook reststoffen geproduceerd. Van deze reststoffen worden nu weer nuttige grondstof van gemaakt en zo dragen we bij aan een circulaire economie.
Naast de geschiedenis en de duurzaamheid gaat deze masterclass ook in op de processen van drinkwaterbereiding. De drinkwaterbereiding is een combinatie van zowel chemische, fysische als biologische processen en naast een circulaire aanpak ook een kwestie van een interdisciplinair aanpak.
De masterclass “Gezond drinkwater - Een doorkijk door de tijd van gezond drinkwater” biedt u als docent kennis in diverse facetten van gezond drinkwater. De kennis die u bij deze masterclass op doet is heel geschikt om in uw eigen lespraktijk op uw eigen school uit te dragen.
Drinking water pellet softening
Prediction the terminal settling velocity of natural particles