Influence of selected variables on trihalomethane removals by spray aeration

摘要

The widespread use of chlorine and the reluctance of drinking water providers to alter their disinfection systems have sparked increased investigation into posttreatment removal of trihalomethanes (THMs). One posttreatment method is spray aeration, in which water is sprayed through showerheads in storage tanks. In this research the influence of various parameters on THM removals was evaluated using a mass balance-based model and sensitivity analysis. THM formation and the configuration (droplet size, travel distance, and spray pattern) and magnitude (percent recycle) of the sprayed water flow were determined to be the most influential parameters, whereas temperature, spray angle for uniform cone flow distribution, and THM speciation were the least influential factors. Practitioners should find these results helpful in determining the most important design parameters for spray aeration systems. In addition, the study elucidates the advantages of spray aeration in removing brominated THM species.