Process and apparatus for treating water

A process for treating water containing contaminants comprising the sequential steps of:

• (a) in a first vessel a first oxidation step comprising contacting water to be treated with an inorganic oxidising salt containing manganese for a time effective for oxidising a portion of said contaminants;
• (b) contacting water treated in oxidation step (a) with at least a chlorine containing agent for disinfection and to generate, in situ and through reaction with chemical compounds produced in oxidation step (a), a coagulant for coagulating oxidised contaminants present in the water;
• (c) separating coagulated contaminants from the water;
• and
• (d) in a second vessel subjecting water from step (c) to a further oxidation step for oxidising residual oxidisable contaminants, said oxidation being catalytic oxidation catalysed, in combination, by:
• (i) manganese left in solution after oxidation step (a);
• and
• (ii) a solid phase catalyst comprising a granular catalytic material for oxidizing residual oxidizable contaminants,
• further comprising sulphate removal and wherein said inorganic oxidising salt in step (a) is selected from barium permanganate, and calcium permanganate
• wherein the amount of inorganic oxidising salt added in step (a) is such that, following separating step (c), sufficient manganese remains in solution to act as a catalyst in step (d);
• and
• wherein step (d) is carried out using a bed reactor, column reactor and/or a filter bed.

A process for treating water containing contaminants comprising the sequential steps of:

• (a) in a first vessel a first oxidation step comprising contacting water to be treated with an inorganic oxidising salt containing manganese or iron for a time effective for oxidising a portion of said contaminants;
• (b) contacting water treated in oxidation step (a) with at least a chlorine containing agent for disinfection and to generate, in situ and through reaction with chemical compounds produced in oxidation step (a), a coagulant for coagulating oxidised contaminants present in the water;
• (c) separating coagulated contaminants from the water;
• and
• (d) in a second vessel subjecting water from step (c) to a further oxidation step for oxidising residual oxidisable contaminants, said oxidation being catalytic oxidation catalysed, in combination, by:
• (i) manganese or iron depending on the selected inorganic oxidising salt left in solution after oxidation step (a);
• and
• (ii) a solid phase catalyst comprising a granular catalytic material for oxidizing residual oxidizable contaminants,
• and said process is conducted at ambient temperature and ambient or about ambient pressure,
• wherein the amount of inorganic oxidising salt added in step (a) is such that, following separating step (c), sufficient manganese or iron remains in solution to act as a catalyst in step (d);
• and
• wherein step (d) is carried out using a bed reactor, column reactor and/or a filter bed.