Test of precoat filtration technology for treatment of swimming pool water.

The technical performance of a precoat filter was compared with that of a traditional sand filter. Particle concentration and size distribution were measured before and after the filtration of swimming pool water. Both the sand and precoat filters could reduce the particle concentration in the effluent. However, higher particle removal efficiency was generally observed for the precoat filter, especially for particles smaller than 10 µm in diameter. Adding flocculant improved the removal efficiency of the sand filter, resulting in removal efficiencies comparable to those of the precoat filter. Three powders, i.e., two types of perlite (Harbolite® and Aquatec perlite) and cellulose fibers (Arbocel®), were tested for the precoat filter, but no significant difference in particle removal efficiency was observed among them. The maximum efficiency was reached within 30-40 min of filtration. The energy required for the pumps increased by approximately 35% over a period of 14 days. The energy consumption could be reduced by replacing the powder on the filter cloth. The sand filter was backwashed once a week, while the powder on the precoat filter was replaced every two weeks. Under these conditions, it was possible to reduce the water used for cleaning by 88% if the precoat filter was used instead of the sand filter.

Fermentation of crude glycerol from biodiesel production by Clostridium pasteurianum.

Clostridium pasteurianum can utilize glycerol as the sole carbon source for the production of butanol and 1,3-propanediol. Crude glycerol derived from biodiesel production has been shown to be toxic to the organism even in low concentrations. By examination of different pretreatments we found that storage combined with activated stone carbon addition facilitated the utilization of crude glycerol. A pH-controlled reactor with in situ removal of butanol by gas stripping was used to evaluate the performance. The fermentation pattern on pretreated crude glycerol was quite similar to that on technical grade glycerol. C. pasteurianum was able to utilize 111 g/l crude glycerol. The average consumption rate was 2.49 g/l/h and maximum consumption rate was 4.08 g/l/h. At the maximal glycerol consumption rate butanol was produced at 1.3 g/l/h. These rates are higher than those previously reported for fermentations on technical grade glycerol by the same strain. A process including pretreatment and subsequent fermentation of the crude glycerol could be usable for industrial production of butanol by C. pasteurianum.

The use of dielectric spectroscopy for the characterisation of polymer-induced flocculation of core-shell particles.

Flocculation is an important process in separation science, but only few methods are available for on-line evaluation of the process. Recently, it has been shown that dielectric spectroscopy can be used to characterise the flocculation process of hard polystyrene particles. As many "real life" suspensions contain particles covered with a porous layer of organic material, it is of interest to investigate the potential of dielectric spectroscopy to characterise the flocculation of such suspensions as well. In this paper dielectric spectroscopy is used to investigate the flocculation process of core-shell particles. The flocculation process is characterised using a photometric dispersion analyser as a reference method, and the results are compared to the dielectric dispersions measured by dielectric spectroscopy. It is found that the use of the relaxation time of the dielectric dispersion for an evaluation of the flocculation process is commensurate with the use of the photometric dispersion analyser. Furthermore, the magnitude of the dielectric dispersion is observed to decrease as the charge of the core-shell particles is neutralised. Dielectric spectroscopy is thus found to have potential as an on-line flocculation monitor.

The use of dielectric spectroscopy for the characterisation of the precipitation of hydrophobically modified poly(acrylic-acid) with divalent barium ions.

The use of dielectric spectroscopy as a monitor for coagulation processes was investigated. Hydrophobically modified poly(acrylic-acid) polymers were used as model macromolecules and coagulated with barium ions. The coagulation process was quantified using a photometric dispersion analyser, thereby serving as a point of reference for the dielectric spectroscopy. It was found that the hydrophobic modification increased the dosage of barium needed to obtain complete coagulation, whereas the dosage required to initiate coagulation was lowered. The coagulation of the polymer samples caused the relaxation time of the measured dielectric dispersion to increase, and this parameter was found to be a good indicator of the formation of polymer aggregates. The magnitude of the dielectric dispersion decreased as a function of barium dosage, but when coagulation was initiated an increase was observed. The observed agreement between the onset of coagulation and the changes in the dielectric dispersion shows the potential use of dielectric spectroscopy for the characterisation of coagulation processes.

The use of dielectric spectroscopy in the investigation of the effect of polymer choice on the flocculation of polystyrene particles.

The flocculation of colloidal suspensions using synthetic polymeric flocculants is an important operation in separation processes. Optimizing flocculant use requires insight into the underlying mechanisms governing flocculation. As most existing methods for the online characterization of flocculation processes can only be used on dilute suspensions, new methods applicable at high solid content levels are of interest. This study used dielectric spectroscopy to investigate the mechanisms involved in the flocculation of polystyrene particles with three different cationic polymers. We observed that the relaxation time of the dielectric dispersion increased as particle flocculation was initiated. Reduction of particle charge due to polymer addition was found to reduce the magnitude of the dielectric dispersion, whereas the formation of aggregates increased it. This resulted in decreasing magnitude when charge reduction was the primary cause of flocculation, whereas the magnitude increased when the particles were flocculated by bridging.

The use of dielectric spectroscopy for the characterization of polymer-induced flocculation of polystyrene particles.

The flocculation of colloidal suspensions is an important unit operation in many industries, as it greatly improves the performance of solid separation processes. The number of available techniques for evaluating flocculation processes on line is limited, and most of these are only functional in dilute suspensions. Thus, techniques usable for flocculation characterization in high-solids suspensions are desirable. This study investigates the use of dielectric spectroscopy to monitor the flocculation of polystyrene particles with a cationic polymer. The frequency-dependent permittivity is modeled and the model parameters are used to describe the particle aggregation. The results show a peak in the modeled time constants of the dielectric relaxation at the onset of flocculation. Further, the adsorption of polymeric flocculant onto the particle surface results in a reduction in particle charge, evident as a decrease in the magnitude of the dielectric dispersion. The use of dielectric spectroscopy is found to be valuable for assessing flocculation processes in high-solids suspensions, as changes in parameters such as floc size and charge can be detected.

Flocculation, coagulation, and precipitation of manure affecting three separation techniques.

The effects of polymer flocculation before manure separation were investigated, through testing both a linear and a branched polymer. Centrifugation removed 60% of phosphorus from raw manure (control), whereas raw manure clogged the filters during gravity drainage and pressure filtration. At optimum flocculation, 95% of phosphorus was removed using any of the three methods. Optimum flocculation was achieved when 2.8meq of polymer charge was added per kg of manure, corresponding to 0.6g/kg of highly charged, branched polymer or 0.85g/kg of less-charged, linear polymer. If 10mmol of ferric chloride was added per kg of manure, 2% more phosphorus was precipitated and removed. The linear polymer formed loose flocs and was superior for reducing turbidity, whereas the branched polymer formed compact flocs that deflocculated at high polymer doses. The branched polymer, however, was best for pressure filtration, as overdosing with the linear polymer resulted in high resistance.