Treatment FAQ

how should chlorine dioxide be produced on a large scale for treatment of large volumes of water?

by Korey Haley III Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

In order to use chlorine dioxide to treat water systems, the compound is made by generators. A chlorine dioxide generation system will usually use two or three chemicals to produce the compound and then dissolve it into the water system being treated on demand.

Chlorine dioxide must be produced commercially via the chemical reduction of sodium chlorate in acidic medium for large-scale processes, such as the bleaching of pulp for paper production or via sodium chlorite in smaller-scale chlorine dioxide production, such as those used in oil and gas water treatment.

Full Answer

What is chlorine dioxide used for in water treatment?

Chlorine dioxide offers water treatment utilities a simple solution to meet primary disinfection requirements. Potable water plants may experience unpleasant tastes and odors in finished waters. Chlorine dioxide is effective in oxidizing low-threshold odor compounds at typical treatment dosages and has the advantage of not chlorinating organics.

What is the maximum concentration of chlorine dioxide in treated water?

In the UK a limit for combined residual concentrations of chlorine dioxide, chlorite and chlorate has been set at 0.5 mg L −1 as ClO 2 in treated water, with a corresponding maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 1.0 mg L −1 set by the USEPA.

How does chlorine dioxide kill bacteria in water?

Without getting too complicated, the oxidizing agent in chlorine dioxide separates electrons from reactive molecules, effectively neutralizing bad tastes and odors when used for water treatment. As a strong bleaching agent, CIO2 works quickly to kill microorganisms, different bacteria, viruses, funguses, and spores.

What is the difference between chlorine and chlorine dioxide?

Although chlorine dioxide is a compound and chlorine is a naturally occurring element, chloride is often less harmful chlorine than when used appropriately. More and more, chemical water treatment technology tends to favor using chlorine dioxide over chlorine and iodine.

How do you make chlorine dioxide?

To produce chlorine dioxide gas, hydrochloric acid (HCl) or chlorine is brought together with sodium chlorite. (Acidified hypochlorite can also be used as an alternative source for chlorine.)

How does chlorine dioxide work as a water treatment?

In air, sunlight quickly breaks chlorine dioxide apart into chlorine gas and oxygen. In water, chlorine dioxide reacts quickly to form chlorite ions. When chlorine dioxide reacts with dissolved organic compounds in water-treatment systems, it forms disinfection by-products, such as chlorite and chlorate ions.

Why chlorine is used in large filtration plants?

As a halogen, chlorine is a highly efficient disinfectant, and is added to public water supplies to kill disease-causing pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoans, that commonly grow in water supply reservoirs, on the walls of water mains and in storage tanks.

How is chlorine dioxide removed from water?

An AquaOx whole house water filter system can eliminate chlorine dioxide and other water additives from tap water. If you want to protect your family from the health risks associated with contaminants in your drinking water, install a good water filter system today!

How is chlorite formed in drinking water?

Occurrence: The byproducts chloride (Cl–), chlorite (ClO2–) and chlorate (ClO3–) are formed when chlorine dioxide is used to disinfect water and to oxidize some taste and odor components. About 70 percent of the applied chlorine dioxide is eventually converted to chlorite and about 10 percent to chlorate.

How much chlorine do you add to drinking water?

To disinfect water, add one part of the chlorine solution to each 100 parts of water you are treating. This is about the same as adding 1 pint (16 ounces) of the chlorine solution to 12.5 gallons of water.

How is chlorine produced?

Chlorine can be manufactured by the electrolysis of a sodium chloride solution (brine), which is known as the Chloralkali process. The production of chlorine results in the co-products caustic soda (sodium hydroxide, NaOH) and hydrogen gas (H2). These two products, as well as chlorine itself, are highly reactive.

How is chlorine used in water treatment?

How does chlorine disinfection work? Chlorine kills pathogens such as bacteria and viruses by breaking the chemical bonds in their molecules. Disinfectants that are used for this purpose consist of chlorine compounds which can exchange atoms with other compounds, such as enzymes in bacteria and other cells.

What is the process of chlorination in water treatment?

What is chlorination? Chlorination is the process of adding chlorine to drinking water to kill parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Different processes can be used to achieve safe levels of chlorine in drinking water.

How does chlorine evaporate from tap water?

Ultraviolet light, water circulation, and aeration will speed up the evaporation process dramatically. Chlorine will last between 6 and 8 minutes in 10 gallons of boiling tap water. Boiling is the fastest method to remove Chlorine from water.

Safer Byproducts

High concentrations of sulfide (a byproduct of bacteria) and iron sulfide (an added stabilizer) are also typically present in produced water. Many chlorine dioxide alternatives are amines, which may absorb (rather than “destroy”) sulfide.

Microbial Control

Chlorine dioxide is highly advantageous compared with alternative biocides that may be present in produced water.

Emulsion Control

During storage and transport, produced water is often under ideal conditions for the formation of emulsions that are costly to clean. Iron sulfide, an added stabilizer, results in costly disposal of byproducts and often further exacerbates formation of microbial growths.

Easy to Monitor

Measuring efficacy of chlorine dioxide is also easier than other biocides. Because chlorine dioxide oxidizes (or “transforms”) cellular components and byproducts of bacteria, the “effective dose” is easily identified. Presence of residual chlorine dioxide following a reaction indicates successful bacterial disinfection.

What is the purpose of chlorine dioxide?

Without getting too complicated, the oxidizing agent in chlorine dioxide separates electrons from reactive molecules, effectively neutralizing bad tastes and odors when used for water treatment. As a strong bleaching agent, CIO2 works quickly to kill microorganisms, different bacteria, viruses, funguses, and spores.

What is chlorine dioxide used for?

There are many uses for chlorine dioxide. The primary use for chlorine dioxide is as a bleach in pulp and paper factories. However, it’s also used in ammonia plants, oil fields, the textile industry, and the electronic industry and is often applied to medical waste.

How does chlorine dioxide compare to chlorine?

So, how do chlorine and chlorine dioxide compare? When used at temperatures above 11°C, carbon dioxide is approximately ten times more soluble than chlorine. It is safer for the human body as it doesn’t form THMs. When used for water treatment, chlorine dioxide is also more effective at removing cryptosporidium and giardia, the two most common parasites in water that cause diarrhea.

Is chlorine dioxide a compound?

Although it is usually used for bleaching, it’s also sometimes used for water treatment. In scientific terms, chlorine dioxide is a chemical compound: CIO 2. Although chlorine dioxide is a compound and chlorine is a naturally occurring element, chloride is often less harmful chlorine than when used appropriately.

Can chlorine dioxide cause chest pain?

According to the Australian government’s Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population, and Communities, over-exposure to chlorine dioxide may irritate the nose and throat, coughing, chest pain, and eye sensitivity, especially around the light. Over-exposure to chlorine dioxide as gas can cause severe irritation to the lungs.

Is chlorine a carcinogen?

When reacting with organic matter present in water, chlorine can create chlor oform, which some argue is a carcinogen. Chlorine dioxide, however, cannot form chloroform and is known to be less irritating to the human body.

Can chlorine dioxide cause pulmonary edema?

Over-exposure to chlorine dioxide as gas can cause severe irritation to the lungs. According to the Australian government, too high exposure to CIO2 can cause pulmonary edema, a severe, life-threatening illness caused by fluid in the lungs.

What is Chlorine Dioxide?

Chlorine Dioxide is a highly reactive compound – made from chlorine and oxygen molecules – that acts as a sterilant and disinfectant. It is not only EPA-approved but also FDA & USDA-approved for use in food processing plants to control bacteria. It has powerful properties that eliminate pathogens, such as listeria, salmonella, legionella, and more.

Chlorine Dioxide Generation System

In order to use chlorine dioxide to treat water systems, the compound is made by generators. A chlorine dioxide generation system will usually use two or three chemicals to produce the compound and then dissolve it into the water system being treated on demand.

Benefits of Chlorine Dioxide Water Treatment

Now that you understand the what and how of chlorine dioxide, let’s discuss the why. This is why chlorine dioxide should be used to treat water systems.

Achieve Pure Water With PureLine

PureLine has been in the chlorine dioxide industry for over 20 years. As such, our organization is well-versed in the treatment of water systems using chlorine dioxide, with a variety of effective solutions.

What is nitrification in a microbial system?

Nitrification is a microbial process by which reduced nitrogen compounds (primarily ammonia) are sequentially oxidized to nitrite and nitrate. To maintain compliance with DBP rules, chlorine dioxide, in extremely low dosages, is very effective in controlling episodes of nitrification.

Is chlorine dioxide a biocide?

Chlorine dioxide (ClO 2) is a versatile, broad-spectrum biocide with a 75-year track record of safe and effective drinking water treatment, industrial water treatment, and wastewater treatment.

Does chlorine dioxide oxidize water?

Potable water plants may experience unpleasant tastes and odors in finished waters. Chlorine dioxide is effective in oxidizing low-threshold odor compounds at typical treatment dosages and has the advantage of not chlorinating organics.

Is chlorine dioxide a disinfectant?

Chlorine dioxide is one of four EPA-approved disinfectants for drinking water with CT values second only to ozone in biocidal efficacy, but without the ozonation by-products, high capital expense, or residual limitations. It also offers water treatment entities a quick and simple solution to DBP regulatory compliance without costly plant upgrades.

Does chlorine dioxide preoxide control genotoxicity?

Addresses Genotoxicity. Even in low-bromide waters, using Chlorine Dioxide pre-oxidation provided the best control for overall genotoxicity. This is evidence that ClO 2 can increase the quality of any surface water treatment facility where precursors for DBPs are present.

What is water treatment?

Water treatment is the process of removing all those substances, whether biological, chemical or physical, that are potentially harmful in water supply for human and domestic use. This treatment helps to produce water that is safe, palatable, clear, colourless and odourless.

What is the most common disinfectant used in water?

The most commonly used disinfectant (the chemical used for disinfection) is chlorine, in the form of a liquid (such as sodium hypochlorite, NaOCl) or a gas. It is relatively cheap, and simple to use.

What is the name of the particles that come together when coagulant is added?

Since their charges are now neutralised, the fine particles come together, forming soft, fluffy particles called ‘flocs’.

What is backwashing in water?

When the filters are full of trapped solids, they are backwashed. In this process, clean water and air are pumped backwards up the filter to dislodge the trapped impurities, and the water carrying the dirt (referred to as backwash) is pumped into the sewerage system, if there is one.

How does aerated water work?

After screening, the water is aerated (supplied with air) by passing it over a series of steps so that it takes in oxygen from the air. This helps expel soluble gases such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide (both of which are acidic, so this process makes the water less corrosive) and also expels any gaseous organic compounds that might give an undesirable taste to the water. Aeration also removes iron or manganese by oxidation of these substances to their insoluble form. Iron and manganese can cause peculiar tastes and can stain clothing. Once in their insoluble forms, these substances can be removed by filtration.

Why do we need screens in a treatment plant?

To protect the main units of a treatment plant and to aid in their efficient operation, it is necessary to use screens to remove any large floating and suspended solids that are present in the inflow. These materials include leaves, twigs, paper, rags and other debris that could obstruct flow through the plant or damage equipment. There are coarse and fine screens.

Is it necessary to treat water?

Even with source protection it is often necessary to treat water to ensure it is safe. This is the case at household level, which is discussed in Study Session 10, and when supplying water for towns and cities. In this study session, you consider the need for large-scale water treatment and the stages of treatment for urban water supply.

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