What is referred to as the process of adding chlorine to effluent until all chlorine demand is removed and a residual is generated?

Breakpoint chlorination is the process in which chlorine is added to wastewater effluent until all the chlorine demand is satisfied, resulting in a chlorine residual. This process involves dosing chlorine until the nitrogenous compounds—such as ammonia—are oxidized and all the reactions consuming chlorine have been completed.

At the point known as breakpoint, additional chlorine results in a measurable increase in chlorine residual because all previous demands for chlorine (such as those from organic matter and ammonia) have been met. This is critical as it ensures that sufficient chlorine is present for effective disinfection while also minimizing the formation of potentially harmful chlorinated byproducts.

Continuous chlorination refers to the practice of continuously adding chlorine to a system; however, it does not specifically denote the concept of reaching a demand breakpoint. Chlorination disinfection is a broader term that encompasses various methods of using chlorine for disinfection purposes, not just the breakpoint aspect. Flushing chlorination refers to a technique used to clear out systems, often involving a surge of chlorine to cleanse the lines rather than focusing on the breakpoint process for effluent treatment.