Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF): Commissioning and Operations at the White Tanks Regional Water Treatment Plant

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF): Commissioning and Operations at the White Tanks Regional Water Treatment Plant Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF): Commissioning and Operations at the White Tanks Regional Water Treatment Plant Jeremiah Mecham, Agua Fria District Operations Superintendent Timothy J. White, P.E., Project Engineer Agenda Plant Background Dissolved Air Flotation Process Overview White Tanks Design Operational Experience Q&A 2 Background Overuse of groundwater in Agua Fria district Declining water levels, ground subsidence Water quality issues Surface Water Plant recommended by WESTCAPS AAW takes lead for WTRWTP Planning 2001 Advertise Design Concept / RFP 2003 Design 2003 through 2005 Groundbreaking 2007 Startup 2009 3 White Tanks Regional Water Treatment Plant Treats CAP water from Beardsley Canal in Surprise, AZ Capacity 13.4 MGD initial 80 MGD ultimate Major Treatment: DAF GAC filtration UV Cl2 Disinfection 4 Clarification Options Conventional Sedimentation Plate and Tube Settlers Solids Contact / Solids Blanket Clarifiers Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) Ballasted Flocculation (Actiflo) Direct Filtration Clarification Raw Water Flocculation Settle / GAC/Sand UV Light Clearwell Pump Station Flotation Filtration Disinfection Storage 5 DAF Selection Overview Based upon raw water quality and overall treatment goals, process selection recommended using Dissolved Air Flotation Fundamentals of DAF treatment similar to conventional treatment (coag/floc/sed) Small footprint / high loading rates Effective on low turbidity water, highly efficient at removing algae 6 What is Dissolved Air Flotation? Why chose it? Separation process similar to gravity sedimentation Target is Small, Uniform Floc That Readily Floats Uses thousands of microbubbles to attach and lift particles / floc Chemistry critical to maximize particle attachment to bubbles More Concentrated Solids with DAF Clarified Water Turbidity Often Lower than Conventional/ Filtered Water Turbidity Typically Similar Treatment of <1 NTU, 99% algae count reduction, and 15% TOC removal Flexibility to Improve Performance by Adjusting Recycle Lower Capital Cost for DAF/Higher Power Cost 7 Process Coagulant Usage 50 Gravity Clarification 40 30 DAF 20 10 Direct Filt. 0 Coagulant Dose, Coagulant mg/l 0 15 25 50 75 100 125 150 Turbidity, NTU 8 DAF Components Saturator tanks – air and water are combined under pressure to super saturate the water with air Recycle pumps – uses clarified water to generate super saturated stream Nozzles – create pressure drop to release supersaturated air as microbubbles. Pressure drop critical in providing correct size bubble False floor – promotes hydraulics Sludge removal – sludge floats and collects at top of basin – basins are periodically flooded hydraulically to remove solids 9 White Tanks DAF Schematic 10 AquaDAF Flow Diagram 11 White Tanks DAF Flow Limits Plant Flow Two in Service Three in Service Four in Service Loading Q Loading Loading Rate, total, Q Rate, Q Rate, Q gpm/ft2 mgd mgd gpm/ft2 mgd gpm/ft2 mgd 5.0 2.5 3.0 1.7 2.0 1.3 1.5 10.0 5.0 6.0 3.3 4.0 2.5 3.0 13.4 6.7 8.0 4.5 5.3 3.4 4.0 20.0 - - 6.7 8.0 5.0 6.0 12 Operational Experience Background Experience Plant Supervisor experienced with DAF Well Field Operators Plant Maintenance Training Lab Classroom Field Other Facilities Operations Results 13 Facility Layout Raw PS DAF/ Chemical Admin Filters Storage Building Raw Reservoirs Screening Structure Intake WW Basins UV Finished Water Basin 14 Training Lab Training/Testing Team Management/Vendors 15 Training Classroom Training Provided by vendors 16 Training Field Training Provided by vendors/Project management team 17 Training Field Training Provided by vendors/Project management team 18 Site Visit Site Visits to Operating American Water Facilities 19 Operations Challenges Staffing Nozzles Training 20 Raw & Settled Water Turbidities 4.00 3.50 3.00 2.50 2.00 Turbidity (NTU) Turbidity 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 11/5/2009 0:00 11/5/2009 12:00 11/6/2009 0:00 11/6/2009 12:00 11/7/2009 0:00 11/7/2009 12:00 Date WT_AIT_21001 WT_AIT_22010 WT_AIT_31101 WT_AIT_31201 WT_AIT_31301 21 Operations CHEMICAL USAGE DURING VALIDATION TESTING 11/05/09 11/06/09 11/07/09 CHEMICAL[1 Dose Dose Dose ] Gallons Gallons Gallons (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) Ferric 18.0 18.0 125.7 141.3 15.0 42.7 Chloride 13:00 = 15 08:00= 10.0 Sodium 10:30= 0.0 0.0 17.1 0 0 Hydroxide 8.0 (offline) (offline) 13:00= 0.0 (offline) Sodium 0.70 20.8 0.70 25.4 0.70 8.5 Hypochlorite [1] FeCl3 at 41% strength, S.G. 1.43. NaOH at 33% strength, S.G. 1.36. NaOCl at 12.5% strength, S.G. 1.10 22 Results 11/5/2009 11/6/2009 11/7/2009 Analyte Raw Finished Raw Finished Raw Finished OPERATOR MEASUREMENTS Turbidity (NTU)[1] 0.40 0.13 0.42 0.13 0.36 0.17 Chlorine, Free Inf: 0.44 Inf: 0.46 Inf: 0.58 N/A N/A N/A (mg/L) Eff: 0.38 Eff: 0.36 Eff: 0.46 Alkalinity (mg/L as 123 N/A 114 111 118 109 CaCO3) TDS (mg/L) 169 N/A 161 160 161 159 GRAB SAMPLES E. Coli N/A Negative N/A Negative N/A Negative[2] Total Coliform N/A Negative N/A Negative N/A Negative2 2.94 (RW)[3] 2.88 (RW) 2.89 (RW) TOC (mg/L) 0.90 0.67 0.70 2.52 (SW)[4] 2.50 (SW) 2.53 (SW) TOC Removal N/A 69% N/A 77% N/A 76% [1] Finished Water turbidity samples were taken from Combined Filter Effluent Sample measurements [2] Samples were only required for 2 days of testing. Additionally, 11/7/09 was a Saturday when the laboratory was closed, meaning analysis of this sample would have been delayed until outside of the allowable hold time. [3] RW = Raw Water as collected from the Screening Structure Sample tap. [4] SW = Settled Water as collected from the DAF Effluent Sample tap. 23 .
Recommended publications
  • Making Decisions About Water and Wastewater for Aqueous Operation
    Making Decisions about Water and Wastewater for Aqueous Operation John F. Russo Chapter 2.17 Handbook for Critical Cleaning Editor-in-Chief Barbara Kanegsberg Reprinted with permission from CRC Press www.crcpress.com INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................3 TYPICAL CLEANING SYSTEM............................................................................................................3 OPERATIONAL SITUATIONS OF TYPICAL USER ...............................................................................4 Determining the Water Purity Requirements .........................................................................................4 Undissolved Contaminants............................................................................................................4 Dissolved Contaminants...............................................................................................................4 Undissolved and Dissolved Contaminants........................................................................................5 Other Conditions...........................................................................................................................5 Determining the Wastewater Volume Produced .....................................................................................6 Source Water Trea tment .....................................................................................................................6 No
    [Show full text]
  • Sedimentation and Clarification Sedimentation Is the Next Step in Conventional Filtration Plants
    Sedimentation and Clarification Sedimentation is the next step in conventional filtration plants. (Direct filtration plants omit this step.) The purpose of sedimentation is to enhance the filtration process by removing particulates. Sedimentation is the process by which suspended particles are removed from the water by means of gravity or separation. In the sedimentation process, the water passes through a relatively quiet and still basin. In these conditions, the floc particles settle to the bottom of the basin, while “clear” water passes out of the basin over an effluent baffle or weir. Figure 7-5 illustrates a typical rectangular sedimentation basin. The solids collect on the basin bottom and are removed by a mechanical “sludge collection” device. As shown in Figure 7-6, the sludge collection device scrapes the solids (sludge) to a collection point within the basin from which it is pumped to disposal or to a sludge treatment process. Sedimentation involves one or more basins, called “clarifiers.” Clarifiers are relatively large open tanks that are either circular or rectangular in shape. In properly designed clarifiers, the velocity of the water is reduced so that gravity is the predominant force acting on the water/solids suspension. The key factor in this process is speed. The rate at which a floc particle drops out of the water has to be faster than the rate at which the water flows from the tank’s inlet or slow mix end to its outlet or filtration end. The difference in specific gravity between the water and the particles causes the particles to settle to the bottom of the basin.
    [Show full text]
  • Crystallization of Oxytetracycline from Fermentation Waste Liquor: Influence of Biopolymer Impurities
    Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 279 (2004) 100–108 www.elsevier.com/locate/jcis Crystallization of oxytetracycline from fermentation waste liquor: influence of biopolymer impurities Shi-zhong Li a,1, Xiao-yan Li a,∗, Dianzuo Wang b a Environmental Engineering Research Centre, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China b Chinese Academy of Engineering, Beijing 100038, China Received 28 January 2004; accepted 17 June 2004 Available online 29 July 2004 Abstract Organic impurities in the fermentation broth of antibiotic production impose great difficulties in the crystallization and recovery of antibi- otics from the concentrated waste liquor. In the present laboratory study, the inhibitory effect of biopolymers on antibiotic crystallization was investigated using oxytetracycline (OTC) as the model antibiotic. Organic impurities separated from actual OTC fermentation waste liquor by ultrafiltration were dosed into a pure OTC solution at various concentrations. The results demonstrated that small organic molecules with an apparent molecular weight (AMW) of below 10,000 Da did not affect OTC crystallization significantly. However, large biopolymers, especially polysaccharides, in the fermentation waste caused severe retardation of crystal growth and considerable deterioration in the pu- rity of the OTC crystallized. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that OTC nuclei formed in the solution attached to the surfaces of large organic molecules, probably polysaccharides, instead of being surrounded by proteins as previously thought. It is proposed that the attachment of OTC nuclei to biopolymers would prevent OTC from rapid crystallization, resulting in a high OTC residue in the aqueous phase. In addition, the adsorption of OTC clusters onto biopolymers would destabilize the colloidal system of organic macromolecules and promote particle flocculation.
    [Show full text]
  • Refinery Wastewater Management Using Multiple Angle Oil-Water Separators
    REFINERY WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT USING MULTIPLE ANGLE OIL-WATER SEPARATORS Kirby S. Mohr, P.E. Mohr Separations Research, Inc. 1278 FM 407 Suite 109 Lewisville, TX 75077 Phone: 918-299-9290 Cell: 918-269-8710 John N. Veenstra, Ph.D., P.E., Oklahoma State University Dee Ann Sanders, Ph.D., P.E. Oklahoma State University A paper presented at the International Petroleum Environment Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1998 ABSTRACT In this work, an overview of oil-water separation, as used in the petroleum refining industries, is presented along with case studies. Discussions include: impact of solids, legal aspects, and differing types of systems currently in use, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Performance information on separators is presented with an emphasis on new multiple angle coalescing plate technology for refinery wastewater management. Several studies are presented including a large (20,000 US GPM flow rate) system recently installed at a major US refinery. The separator was constructed by converting two existing API separators into four separators, and adding multiple angle coalescing plates to increase throughput and efficiency. A year of operating experience with this system indicates good performance and few problems. Other examples provide information on separators installed in the United States and other countries. Keywords: Oil-water separator, multiple angle, coalescence, refinery, wastewater management, petroleum, coalescing plate technology BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION Oil has been refined for various uses for at least 1000 years. An Arab handbook written by Al-Razi, in approximately 865 A.D., describes distillation of “naft” (naphtha) for use in lamps and thus the beginning of oil refining (Forbes).
    [Show full text]
  • State-Of-The-Art Water Treatment in Czech Power Sector
    membranes Article State-of-the-Art Water Treatment in Czech Power Sector: Industry-Proven Case Studies Showing Economic and Technical Benefits of Membrane and Other Novel Technologies for Each Particular Water Cycle Jaromír Marek Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Humanities and Education, Technical University of Liberec, Studentská 1402/2, 461 17 Liberec, Czech Republic; [email protected]; Tel.: +420-732-277-183 Abstract: The article first summarizes case studies on the three basic types of treated water used in power plants and heating stations. Its main focus is Czechia as the representative of Eastern European countries. Water as the working medium in the power industry presents the three most common cycles—the first is make-up water for boilers, the second is cooling water and the third is represented by a specific type of water (e.g., liquid waste mixtures, primary and secondary circuits in nuclear power plants, turbine condensate, etc.). The water treatment technologies can be summarized into four main groups—(1) filtration (coagulation) and dosing chemicals, (2) ion exchange technology, (3) membrane processes and (4) a combination of the last two. The article shows the ideal industry-proven technology for each water cycle. Case studies revealed the economic, technical and environmental advantages/disadvantages of each technology. The percentage of Citation: Marek, J. State-of-the-Art technologies operated in energetics in Eastern Europe is briefly described. Although the work is Water Treatment in Czech Power conceived as an overview of water treatment in real operation, its novelty lies in a technological model Sector: Industry-Proven Case Studies of the treatment of turbine condensate, recycling of the cooling tower blowdown plus other liquid Showing Economic and Technical waste mixtures, and the rejection of colloidal substances from the secondary circuit in nuclear power Benefits of Membrane and Other plants.
    [Show full text]
  • Coagulation-Flocculation As a Submerged Biological Filter Pre-Treatment with Landfill Leachate
    Coagulation-flocculation as a submerged biological filter pre-treatment with landfill leachate A. Gálvez Perez1,2, A. Ramos1,2,3, B. Moreno1,2,3 & M. Zamorano Toro1,2 1Department of Civil Engineering, Granada University, Spain 2MITA Research Group 3Institute of Water Research Abstract Landfill leachate may cause environmental problems if it is not properly managed and treated. An appropriate treatment process of landfill leachate often involves a combination of physical, chemical and biological methods to obtain satisfactory results. In this study, coagulation-flocculation was proposed as a pre- treatment stage of partially stabilized landfill leachate prior to submerged biological filters. Several coagulants (ferric, aluminium or organic) and flocculants (cationic, anionic or non-ionic) were assayed in jar-test experiments in order to determine optimum conditions for the removal of COD and total solids. Among the cationic flocculants, that of highest molecular weight and cationicity (CV/850) showed highest removal efficiencies (15% COD and 8% TS). Organic and aluminium coagulants showed better results than ferric coagulants. Coagulant removal efficiencies were between 9% and 17% for COD and between 10% and 15% for TS. Doses of 1 ml/l of coagulant were preferred. Some combinations of coagulant and flocculant enhanced the process. The best combinations obtained were FeCl3+A30.L, Ferriclar+A20.L, SAL8.2+A30.L and PAX-18+A30.L, which presented COD removal efficiencies between 24% and 37% with doses between 10 and 18 ml/l. Keywords: landfill leachate, coagulation-flocculation, submerged biological filter pre-treatment. Waste Management and the Environment II, V. Popov, H. Itoh, C.A. Brebbia & S.
    [Show full text]
  • New Technologies for Water and Wastewater Treatment: a Survey of Recent Patents Berrin Tansel*
    Recent Patents on Chemical Engineering, 2008, 1, 17-26 17 New Technologies for Water and Wastewater Treatment: A Survey of Recent Patents Berrin Tansel* Florida International University, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Engineering Center 3600, Miami, Florida 33174, USA Received: July 31, 2007; Accepted: September 19, 2007; Revised: November 12, 2007 Abstract: The concern over increasing needs for drinking water and awareness for development of systems to improve water quality both for drinking purposes and for effluents from wastewater treatment and industrial facilities have provided incentives to develop new technologies and improve performance of existing technologies. In this paper, the patents on treatment of water and wastewater approved during the period from 1999 to 2007 were reviewed. The patents surveyed were classified into two groups as technologies for water purification systems for drinking water, and technologies for treatment of wastewater. An assessment of the current and future outlook for development of new technologies, methods of treatment, equipment and instruments which can be used for water and wastewater treatment applications are presented. Keywords: Water treatment, water filtration, ultrapure water, wastewater treatment, ion exchange, disinfection, sorption, membrane filtration, nanofiltration, wastewater. 1. INTRODUCTION 2. WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS FOR DRINKING Water is an essential substance for living systems as it WATER allows the transport of nutrients and waste products in living The general treatment of drinking water takes place in systems. Research shows a clear correlation between several steps to remove dissolved and suspended solids. The diseases and the amount and types of fluids consumed, treatment processes may include processes such as floccu- health-promoting properties of nutrients which can be added to water, optimal intake levels, and consumption patterns.
    [Show full text]
  • Integration of Aqueous Two-Phase Extraction As Cell Harvest and Capture Operation in the Manufacturing Process of Monoclonal Antibodies
    antibodies Article Integration of Aqueous Two-Phase Extraction as Cell Harvest and Capture Operation in the Manufacturing Process of Monoclonal Antibodies Axel Schmidt 1, Michael Richter 2, Frederik Rudolph 2 and Jochen Strube 1,* 1 Institute for Separation and Process Technology, Clausthal University of Technology, Leibnizstraße 15, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany; [email protected] 2 Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Bioprocess + Pharma. Dev. Biologicals, Birkendorfer Strasse 65, 88397 Biberach an der Riss, Germany; [email protected] (M.R.); [email protected] (F.R.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +49-5323-72-2200 Received: 30 October 2017; Accepted: 20 November 2017; Published: 1 December 2017 Abstract: Substantial improvements have been made to cell culturing processes (e.g., higher product titer) in recent years by raising cell densities and optimizing cultivation time. However, this has been accompanied by an increase in product-related impurities and therefore greater challenges in subsequent clarification and capture operations. Considering the paradigm shift towards the design of continuously operating dedicated plants at smaller scales—with or without disposable technology—for treating smaller patient populations due to new indications or personalized medicine approaches, the rising need for new, innovative strategies for both clarification and capture technology becomes evident. Aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) is now considered to be a feasible unit operation, e.g., for the capture of monoclonal antibodies or recombinant proteins. However, most of the published work so far investigates the applicability of ATPE in antibody-manufacturing processes at the lab-scale and for the most part, only during the capture step.
    [Show full text]
  • Liquid / Solids Separation in Wastewater Treatment & Biosolids Dewatering
    LIQUID / SOLIDS SEPARATION IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT & BIOSOLIDS DEWATERING Chemical Products Lab Testing Plant Trials LIQUID / SOLIDS SEPARATION APPLICATIONS Influent Water Clarification Process Water Recycling Primary Wastewater Clarification Secondary Clarification Sludge Thickening Sludge Dewatering LIQUID / SOLIDS SEPARATION UNIT OPERATIONS Clarifiers (Many Types) WATER Filters (Many Types) OR WASTE Dissolved Air Flotation Units WATER Induced Air/Gas Flotation Units Belt Presses Centrifuges SLUDGE Screw Presses DEWATERING Plate and Frame Presses Vacuum Filters (Rotary & Horizontal) LIQUID / SOLIDS SEPARATION PRODUCT TYPES Coagulants (+) Low Mol Wt Organic Inorganic Blended Flocculants (+ , ---, 0 ) High Mol Wt Dry Emulsion Solution OilOil----FreeFree Flocculants COAGULANTS AND FLOCCULANTS Act on Insoluble Particles in Water Oils, Grease, Blood, Insoluble Organics, Clay, Silicates, Metal Oxides/Hydroxides Dirt, Dust, Rust & Metal Filings Can Act on Charged Organic Compounds Anionic Surfactants, Soaps & Dispersants Do Not Act on Most Dissolved Solids Salts, Acids, Nonionic Surfactants, Ammonia or Soluble Organic Compounds such as Sugar, Alcohols, etc. SUSPENSION CHEMISTRY THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE LIQUID / SOLIDS SEPARATION SUSPENDED SOLIDS VARIABLES Surface Charge MOST Charge Density Particle Size IMPORTANCE Composition Particle Density Particle Shape LEAST MICROSCOPIC FORCES ELECTROSTATIC BROWNIAN VAN DER WAALS GRAVITY Colloidal Particle in Water +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ Almost all Particles +++
    [Show full text]
  • Pretreatment Process Optimization and Reverse Osmosis Performances of a Brackish Surface Water Demineralization Plant, Morocco
    Desalination and Water Treatment 206 (2020) 189–201 www.deswater.com December doi: 10.5004/dwt.2020.26297 Pretreatment process optimization and reverse osmosis performances of a brackish surface water demineralization plant, Morocco Hicham Boulahfaa,*, Sakina Belhamidia, Fatima Elhannounia, Mohamed Takya, Mahmoud Hafsib, Azzedine Elmidaouia aLaboratory of Separation Processes, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, P.O. Box: 1246, Kenitra 14000, Morocco, emails: [email protected] (H. Boulahfa), [email protected] (S. Belhamidi), [email protected] (F. Elhannouni), [email protected] (M. Taky), [email protected] (A. Elmidaoui) bInternational Institute for Water and Sanitation, National Office of Electricity and Potable water (ONEE-IEA), Rabat, Morocco, email: [email protected] (M. Hafsi) Received 6 January 2020; Accepted 29 June 2020 abstract In surface water reverse osmosis (RO) demineralization processes, pretreatment is a key step in achieving high performances and avoiding frequent membrane fouling. The plant studied includes conventional pretreatment and RO process. The aim of this study is the optimization of the coagulation–flocculation and the assessment of its effect on pretreated water quality upstream of the RO unit. The monitored parameters were turbidity, residual aluminum, and silt density index (SDI). Moreover, this paper presents the RO membrane performance in terms of feed pressure, pressure drop, permeate flow, and permeate conductivity after nearly 1 y of operation. The results obtained illustrate that the pretreatment optimization substantially reduces the residual alu- minum concentration and the SDI after the 5 μm cartridge filters. Likewise, the RO membranes exhibited high and steady performance.
    [Show full text]
  • Simulation of the Open Sky Seawater Distillation
    Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 2013, 3, 68-88 http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/gsc.2013.32012 Published Online May 2013 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/gsc) The Best Available Technology of Water/Wastewater Treatment and Seawater Desalination: Simulation of the Open Sky Seawater Distillation Djamel Ghernaout Chemical Engineering Department, Saad Dahlab University of Blida, Blida, Algeria Email: [email protected] Received March 16, 2013; revised April 18, 2013; accepted April 26, 2013 Copyright © 2013 Djamel Ghernaout. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ABSTRACT This review suggests the concept of the best available technology of water/wastewater treatment and seawater desalina- tion which is in fact a simulation of the seawater distillation at the open sky: coagulation in salty water aerated basin/ coagulation using seawater as coagulant solution with distillation using stored solar energy followed by waterfall on a natural mountain. This natural, green, and technico-economical technology is composed of three steps: the first one is coagulation which may be achieved: 1) in salty water aerated basin (air stripping, AS; dissolved air flotation, DAF) where the raw water is “diluted” in seawater; or 2) in “conventional” coagulation using seawater as coagulant solution instead of alum/ferric salts. The first option seems to be more natural as it simulates river water dilution in seawater and the second one is more practical for “rapid” water consummation. For colloids and microorganisms’ removal, double- layer compression and charge neutralisation, as main coagulation and disinfection mechanisms, would be involved in the first and second options, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • The Safe Use of Cationic Flocculants with Reverse Osmosis Membranes
    Desalination and Water Treatment 6 (2009) 144–151 www.deswater.com 111 # 2009 Desalination Publications. All rights reserved The safe use of cationic flocculants with reverse osmosis membranes S.P. ChestersÃ, E.G. Darton, Silvia Gallego, F.D. Vigo Genesys International Limited, Unit 4, Ion Path, Road One, Winsford Industrial Estate, Winsford, Cheshire CW7 3RG, UK Tel. þ44 1372 741881; Fax þ44 1606 557440; emails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Received 15 September 2008; accepted 20 April 2009 ABSTRACT Flocculants are used in combination with coagulants to agglomerate suspended particles for removal by filtration. This technique is used extensively in all types of surface waters to reduce the silt density index (SDI) and minimise membrane fouling. Although organic cationic floccu- lants are particularly effective, their widespread use in membrane applications is limited because of perceived problems with flocculant fouling at the membrane surface causing irreparable damage. Reference material from some of the major membrane manufacturers on the use of floc- culants is given. Autopsies show that more than 50% of membrane fouling is caused by inadequate, deficient or poorly operated pre-treatment systems. The Authors suggest that if the correct chemistry is con- sidered, the addition of an effective flocculant can be simple and safe. The paper discusses the use of cationic flocculants and the fouling process that occur at the membrane surface. The paper explains the types of coagulants and flocculants used and considers cationic flocculants and the way they function. Operational results when using a soluble polyquaternary amine flocculant (Genefloc GPF) developed by Genesys International Limited is presented.
    [Show full text]