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Complete Glossary of Water and Wastewater Treatment Terms from Shubham India
Absolute: The micron rating of a filter. Any particle larger than this size will be trapped.
Absorption: When a solid takes up molecules into its structure.
Acidity: The quantitative capacity of water to neutralize a base, expressed in ppm or mg/L calcium carbonate equivalent.
Activated sludge: Oxygen-dependent biological process that converts soluble organic matter to solid biomass.
Adsorption: Separation of liquids, gases, colloids or suspended matter by adherence to a solid.
Advanced oxidation process: Combination oxidation processes (chemical oxidants, UV, ozone, peroxide) to reduce COD/BOD and remove organic/inorganic components.
Advanced water treatment: Tertiary treatment aiming for an 85% reduction in pollutant concentration.
Advanced Wastewater Treatment: Removal of nutrients like phosphorus/nitrogen and high suspended solids.
Aerated lagoon: Pond that speeds up biological decomposition by stimulating bacteria growth.
Aeration: Oxygen supply process to water for biological purification.
Aeration tank: Tank used to inject air into water.
Aerobic: Process in presence of oxygen, e.g., organic matter digestion.
Alkalinity: Buffering capacity of water to resist pH changes.
Anaerobic: Process in absence of oxygen, e.g., digestion in UASB reactor.
Anion: Negatively charged ion.
Anode: Site in electrolysis where metal goes into solution.
Attrition: Particle rubbing causing breakdown in media or ion exchange beds.
Available chlorine: Measure of chlorine present in materials for disinfection.
Backflow: Reverse flow of water into the system.
Back Pressure: Pressure that can cause water to flow backward.
Backwashing: Reversing water flow through filter media to clean it.
Bacteria: Microscopically small single-cell organisms.
Bacterial water contamination: Introduction of unwanted bacteria.
Base: Alkaline substance with pH > 7.5.
Bed Load: Sediment particles resting on a surface.
Cation: Positively charged ion.
Cation Exchange Resin: Resin that exchanges positive ions to soften water or remove hardness.
Chlorination: Disinfection of water using chlorine.
Clarifier: Tank for settling suspended solids.
Coagulation: Chemical process to combine fine particles into larger ones.
Cooling Tower Make-Up Water: Water supplied to compensate for losses in cooling towers.
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD): Oxygen needed to oxidize chemical compounds in water.
Demineralization (DM): Removal of dissolved minerals from water using ion exchange.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO): Amount of oxygen dissolved in water, critical for aerobic treatment.
Disinfection: Process of killing pathogens using chlorine, ozone, or UV.
Drinking Water Treatment: Processes to make water potable.
Effluent: Treated or untreated wastewater discharged from plants.
Electrodeionization (EDI): Combines ion exchange and electricity to produce ultrapure water.
Enzyme treatment: Use of enzymes to degrade organic matter in wastewater.
Filtration: Removal of suspended solids via sand, carbon, or membrane filters.
Flocculation: Aggregation of particles into flocs for easier removal.
Filter Press: Mechanical device separating solids from liquids using plates and cloths.
Hardness: Concentration of calcium and magnesium ions.
Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT): Average time water spends in a treatment unit.
MBBR (Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor): Biological treatment with suspended media.
Membrane Filtration: Separation using semi-permeable membranes.
Mixed Bed Resin: Resin combining cation and anion resins for polishing DM water.
Ozonation: Disinfection using ozone gas.
Overflow Rate: Water volume per unit area per hour in clarifiers.
pH: Measure of acidity or alkalinity.
Pressure Sand Filter (PSF): Removes turbidity under pressure.
Polishing: Final filtration for clarity.
Reverse Osmosis (RO): Membrane process removing salts, TDS, and impurities.
Resin: Ion exchange material used in softeners and DM plants.
Sedimentation: Gravity-based solid separation.
Sludge: Solid byproduct of treatment.
Softening: Removal of hardness-causing minerals.
SBR (Sequencing Batch Reactor): Batch treatment for biological wastewater processing.
STP (Sewage Treatment Plant): Facility treating domestic wastewater.
Tertiary Treatment: Advanced process removing nutrients, pathogens, and fine solids.
TSS (Total Suspended Solids): Concentration of suspended particles.
Ultrafiltration (UF): Membrane filtration removing colloids, bacteria, and high molecular weight substances.
Velocity Settlers / Tube Settlers: Inclined plates or tubes increasing settling rate in clarifiers.
Water Softener: Device removing hardness ions.
Wastewater: Used water containing contaminants.
WTP (Water Treatment Plant): Facility treating raw water for potable or process use.