Determinación de la cantidad óptima de coagulante de origen vegetal como coadyuvante en el proceso de coagulación floculación para la planta de tratamientos de agua potable de ECAAAS-ESP.

Abstract

This investigation consisted of characterizing the physicochemical parameters of color, turbidity and pH of the water from the Satocá river, located in the Saravena municipality, Arauca. In addition to this, a step was taken to analyze the efficiency of a vegetable coagulant, obtained from banana starch, to be used as an aid in the coagulation-flocculation process of a drinking water treatment plant (PTAP). This was carried out in the aforementioned municipality, in the company ECAAAS-ESP (community aqueduct, sewer and toilet company), for 4 months. This was divided into two parts, the first one was to extract the banana starch. The second was to perform the starch tests, which resulted in the use of this as an adjuvant achieving removal efficiencies of 95.65% and 96.92%, in color and turbidity respectively, this referring to Aluminum Hydroxychloride, in relation to aluminum sulfate, removal efficiencies of 99.23% in color and 90.49% in turbidity were obtained. It should be noted that the use of chemical coagulants is reduced by 20%, generating a positive impact on operating costs for the drinking water treatment plant, in addition to helping to reduce the environmental footprint left by the extraction of aluminum. Banana starch already as a coagulant achieves a removal of 55% in color and 55.13% in turbidity. Finally, the treatment plant was designed to meet the needs of banana starch, as an aid in the flocculation coagulation process, taking into account the design methodology established by ras 2017.