Bubble performance of a novel dissolved air flotation(DAF) unit

ES-DAF, a novel DAF with low cost, high reliability and easy controllability, was studied. Without a costly air saturator, ES-DAF consists of an ejector and a static mixer between the pressure side and suction side of the recycle rotary pump. The bubble size distribution in this novel unit was studied in detail by using a newly developed CCD imagination through a microscope. Compared with M-DAF under the same saturation pressure, ES-DAF can produce smaller bubble size and higher bubble volume concentration, especially in lower pressure. In addition, the bubble size decreases with the increase of reflux ratio or decrease of superficial air-water ratio. These results suggested that smaller bubbles will be formed when the initial number of nucleation sites increases by enhancing the turbulence intensity in the saturation system.

Strategy for Controlling the Level in a Dissolved Air Flotation Chamber

The aim of the present study was to implant an efficient strategy for controlling the level of the effluent-oily foam interface in a DAF （dissolved air flotation） chamber of a pilot-scale prototype. DAF has been successfully used in the treatment of oily water, which is one of the main environmental problems in different industrial facilities. Along with important operational parameters, such as microbubble size and flow rate, the control strategy for the automation of a DAF chamber may be an important tool for increasing efficiency. Controlling the level was the strategy chosen to enhance the separation efficiency in a pilot-scale DAF prototype, with monitoring performed using a computational program in LabVIEW （laboratory virtual instrument engineering workbench）. The findings demonstrate that it is possible to maintain the level of the fluid at a reference value established by the operator using the software program through the application of classic proportional integral derivative controllers. Using this control tool, the efficiency of water-oil separation in the pilot flotation chamber prototype was increased to nearly 98%.

Surface characteristics of microalgae and their effects on harvesting performance by air flotation

Flotation is considered as an effective and energy efficient method for harvesting microalgae.However,the interaction mechanism between bubble-algae cell and cell-cell interfacial boundaries in microalgae flotation is not completely clear.To better understand the effects of surface characteristics on microalgae flotation performance,the hydrophobicity and the zeta potential of two different microalgae species were quantified based on experimental measurements and the extended DLVO(Derjagin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek)theory.Flotation experiments were then carried out and the effects of surface characteristics on microalgae flotation performance were analyzed.Algae Chlorella vulgaris and Anabaena vasriabilis show naturally hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties,respectively.The addition of a cationic surfactant(C16TAB)can modify hydrophilic microalgae cells into hydrophobic and further Chlorella hydrophobicity is enhanced with increased C16TAB concentrations.The zeta potentials of both algae strains are negative in the tested pH range.Compared with Chlorella vulgaris,the magnitude of zeta potential of Anabaena vasriabilis is found larger at the same pH,resulting in a more dispersed distribution in the suspension.In addition,flotation experiments demonstrated that microalgae hydrophobicity and zeta potential have significant impacts on the harvesting efficiency and concentration factor.The hydrophobic attraction is found to play a more important role in determining the harvesting performance than electrostatic repulsion between the interacting surfaces,especially for hydrophobicity algae in the present study.Finally,the highest flotation efficiency and the highest concentration factor could not be concurrently obtained for both algae strains,suggesting that optimized flotation conditions should be selected as a compromise.

Feasibility of bubble surface modification for natural organic matter removal from river water using dissolved air flotation

A novel, functionalized bubble surface can be obtained in dissolved air flotation （DAF） by dosing chemicals in the saturator. In this study, different cationic chemicals were used as bubble surface modifiers, and their effects on natural organic matter （NOM） removal from river water were investigated. NOM in the samples was fractionated based on molecular weight and hydrophobicity. The disinfection byproduct formation potentials of each fraction and their removal efficiencies were also evaluated. The results showed that chitosan was the most promising bubble modifier compared with a surfactant and a synthetic polymer. Tiny bubbles in the OAF pump system facilitated the adsorption of chitosan onto microbubble surfaces. The hydrophobic NOM fraction was preferentially removed by chitosan-modified bubbles. Decreasing the recycle water pH from 7.0 to 5.5 improved the removal of hydrophilic NOM with low molecular weight. Likewise, hydrophilic organic compounds gave high dihaloacetic acid yields in raw water. An enhanced reduction of haloacetic acid precursors was obtained with recycle water at pH values of 5.5 and 4.0. The experimental results indicate that NOM fractions may interact with bubbles through different mechanisms. Positive bubble modification provides an alternative approach for OAF to enhance NOM removal.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation： Influence of External Electric Field on Bubble Interface in Air Flotation Process

Molecular dynamics（MD） simulation was performed to investigate the influence of external electric field on the vapottr-liquid interface of the bubble during the process of toluene separation by air flotation. The physico- chemical properties of vapour-liquid interface, surface tension, probability of a hydrogen bonding near the vapour- liquid interface and the viscosity of liquid phase caused by external electric field were analyzed. The results show that the angle between the water molecule dipole moment and the normal z axis in the vapour phase changes smaller when the external electric field is applied. The surface tension and the probability of hydrogen bonding near the vapour-liquid interface increase with the increase of electric field strength. And the viscosity also increases tinder an external electric field. The results confirm that the external electric field has a positive effect on the performance of bubbles in air flotation, which may provide useful guidance for the combination of electric field and air flotation technology.

Treatment of Wastewater Containing Heavy Metals Using Dissolved Air Released Flotation Column

A new type of dissolved air released flotation column is developed to treat wastewater containing Cr（Ⅵ） based on advantages of both dissolved air floatation and column floatation. By using a column with a diameter of 50 mm and a specially made dissolved air releaser, micro-bubbles inside the column can be formed. N2H4H2O was used as reductant, AlCl3 as flocculant, C12H25SO3Na（SDS） as surfactant in the experiment. The effects of pH of wastewater, pressure of dissolved air, ratio of return water, and concentration of flocculant and surfactant on the removal efficiency are studied. The results show that the efficiency of dissolved air released flotation column is much higher than that of other approaches after the operation parameters are optimized, with the reduction ratio of Cr（Ⅵ ） in wastewater reaching 98%. So this technique can be widely used in wastewater treatment

Experimental Study on Towing Characteristics of Composite Bucket Wellhead Platform

With the rapid development of large-scale development of marginal oilfields in China,simple wellhead platforms that are simple in structure and easy to install have become an inevitable choice in the process of oilfield development.However,traditional simple wellhead platforms are often discarded after a single use.In pursuit of a more costeffective approach to developing marginal oilfields,this paper proposes a new offshore oil field development facility—an integrated bucket foundation for wellhead platform.To verify the safety of its towing behavior and obtain the dynamic response characteristics of the structure,this paper takes a bucket integrated bucket foundation for wellhead platform with a diameter of 40 m as the research object.By combining physical model tests and numerical simulations,it analyzes the static stability and dynamic response characteristics of the structure during towing,complete with the effects of the draft,wave height,wave period,and towing point height,which produce the dynamic responses of the structure under different influence factors,such as roll angle,pitch angle,heave acceleration and towing force as well as the sensibility to transport variables.The results show that the integrated bucket foundation for wellhead platform is capable of self-floating towing,and its movement is affected by the local environment,which will provide a reference for actual projects.

Research on DAF-BAF process in textile wastewater treatment

This experiment researches textile wastewater, adopts a BAF process that has developed quickly in recent years, and makes use of dissolved air flotation as a pretreatment process that can effectively make up for BAF’s lack of removing Chromaticity color. Performance effect, influencing factor, control condition have been reviewed and parameters of correlation have been analyzed in this experiment. The experiment and actual performance results indicate that this process is an effective way to remove the COD, suspended solid and colority with the value of 100 mg/L, 50 mg/L and 70 multiple respectively. The effluent meets the requirement of the standards of national sewage discharge. This process features a simple schematic, small location, continuous, reliable performance, strong shock and loading resistance and easy operation. Experimental data can provide scientific evidence and technical support for engineering practice of this process.

Pre-oxidation enhanced cyanobacteria removal in drinking water treatment: A review

Cyanobacterial bloom has many adverse effects on source water quality and drinking water production. The traditional water treatment process can hardly achieve satisfactory removal of algae cells. This review examines the impact of pre-oxidation on the removal of cyanobacteria by solid-liquid separation processes. It was reported that the introduction of chemical oxidants such as chlorine, potassium permanganate, and ozone in algae-laden water pretreatment could improve algae removal by the subsequent solid-liquid separation processes. However, over dosed oxidants can result in more serious water quality risks due to significant algae cell lysis and undesirable intracellular organic matter release. It was suggested that moderate pre-oxidation may enhance the removal of cyanobacteria without damaging algae cells. In this article, effects of moderate pretreatment on the solid-liquid separation processes(sedimentation, dissolved air flotation, and membrane filtration) are reviewed.

Liquid-phase hydrodechlorination of trichloroethylene driven by nascent H_(2)under an open system:Hydrogenation activity,solvent effect and sulfur poisoning

Hydrodechlorination is a promising technology for the remediation of water body contaminated with trichloroethylene(TCE).In this work,the liquid-phase hydrogenation of TCE by Raney Ni(R-Ni)and Pd/C under an open system have been studied,in which nascent H_(2)(Nas-H_(2))generated in situ from the cathode acted as a hydrogen source.Experimental results showed that TCE was completely eliminate from the solution through the synergistic effects of hydrodechlorination and air flotation due to the formation of continuous micro/nano-sized Nas-H_(2)bubbles from the cathode.Furthermore,the effects of inorganic anions and organic solvents on R-Ni and Pd/C hydrogenation activity were investigated,respectively.The results showed that NO_(3)^(-) and acetonitrile can form a competitive reaction with TCE;Sulfur with lone-pair electrons will cause irreversible poisoning to these two catalysts,and have a stronger inhibitory effect on Pd/C.This work helps to realize the separation of volatile halogenated compounds from water environment and provides certain data support for the choice of catalyst in the actual liquid-phase hydrogenation system.