Stephen has 25 years of experience in process engineering for industrial and municipal water systems. Stephen joined Hach as an Application Development Manager in 2019 to provide additional, in-depth support for Hach’s new Claros software offering which helps eliminate uncertainty and increase confidence in water management and operations. Stephen holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the University of Alabama and he resides in Tuscaloosa, AL.

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Kathryn is currently the North American Supervisor for the Claros application development management team. Kathryn has a bachelor of science degree in Mechanical Engineering and a MBA and she has over 20+ years of experience in water treatment. Kathryn resides in Madisonville Louisiana.

Coagulation and flocculation are an essential part of drinking water treatment since all waters, especially surface waters, contain both dissolved and suspended particles. Coagulation and flocculation processes are used to separate the suspended solids portion from the water. The suspended particles vary considerably in source, composition charge, particle size, shape, and density. Correct application of coagulation and flocculation processes depend upon understanding the interaction between these factors. The small particles are stabilized (kept in suspension) by the action of physical forces on the particles themselves. One of the forces playing a dominant role in stabilization results from the surface charge present on the particles. Most solids suspended in water possess a negative charge and, since they have the same type of surface charge, repel each other when they come close together. Therefore, they will remain in suspension rather than clump together and settle out of the water.

Pre-oxidation is used, before the treatment plant, to improve the removal of some chemical substances during treatment, reduce TOC and biological growths in the treatment plant.  Oxidants are used to convert soluble forms of iron and manganese to insoluble forms. Other uses for oxidants include tastes and odor control and to oxidize organic matter in the water, to improve the coagulation/flocculation process.

The first half of this presentation will cover the basics of coagulation and peroxidation as well as challenges in managing these processes. The second half will cover how Hach has leveraged their expertise in water analysis and data analytics to optimize these treatment processes.