Impact of Booster Chlorination on Chlorine Decay and THM Production: Simulated Analysis
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 135, Issue 10
Abstract
The effect of conventional and booster chlorination on chlorine residuals and trihalomethane (THM) formation in drinking water distribution systems was modeled using the EPANET hydraulic modeling software. The model results suggest that booster chlorination may allow utilities to meet disinfection goals better by carrying chlorine residuals to remote points in the distribution system while lowering the total mass of chlorine applied to the system. The model results suggest that booster chlorination may provide the greatest advantages to points in the distribution system located near storage tanks by providing a more consistent chlorine residual and possibly reducing THM formation. A new version of the EPANET model, the EPANET Multispecies model, was also used to compare chlorine decay due to reactions in the bulk fluid and reactions occurring at the pipe wall. The results suggest that chlorine decay due to wall reactions can be very significant at remote points in the distribution system. Additionally, if THMs are assumed to form primarily through reactions in the bulk fluid, use of the new EPANET Multispecies software allows for calculation of THM formation based solely on chlorine reactions in the bulk fluid rather than on overall chlorine decay.
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Acknowledgments
The writers thank Dominic Boccelli of the EPA, Feng Shang of the University of Cincinnati, and Vanessa Speight of Malcolm Pirnie for their assistance on this project.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 135 • Issue 10 • October 2009
Pages: 928 - 935
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Aug 7, 2007
Accepted: Jan 20, 2009
Published online: Sep 15, 2009
Published in print: Oct 2009
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