Process and apparatus for the chemical-mechanical treatment and purification of ground waters, surface waters and effluents

Process for the chemical-mechanical treatment and purification of ground water, surface waters and effluents, comprising the following steps:

• first passing the water being treated through a series of at least three initial process stages which are carried out in initial zones, including:
• (a) in a first initial process stage, which is carried out in a first initial zone, admixing at least one of the following materials with the water by means of stirring:
• (1) flocculants
• (2) flocculation aids
• (3) precipitants
• (4) agents conducive to sedimentations
• (5) agents for altering the pH value of the raw water in an amount effective in flocculating impurities from the water and forming sedimentable flocs;
• (b) in a second initial process stage, which is carried out in a second initial zone, admixing contact sludge by means of stirring with the water;
• and
• (c) in a third initial process stage, which is carried out in a third initial zone, admixing at least flocculant aids, using stirring energy input of more than 20 Watts per cubic meter of the reaction volume available in the zone of this initial process stage with a water retention time of no more than about 5 minutes;
• (d) in a fourth initial process stage, which is carried out in a fourth initial zone, completing the reaction of the previously added materials to bring about formation of sedimentable flocs and settleable conglomerations of particles together with absorbed and attached and occluded raw water components with moderate movement;
• then, after said initial process stages, a further process stage including separating the flocs and reaction products and raw water components from the clarified water in a further zone separate from the said initial zones with separate removal of the separated solids, as sludge, and the clarified water from said further zone, with the separation of flocs and reaction products and raw water components from the clarified water in said further zone being carried out employing inclined plate sedimentation equipment, and including concentrating at least a part of the sludge to a solids concentration of at least one percent weight volume and returning at least a part of the concentrated sludge as said contact sludge into said second initial process stage.