A SINGLE FLOCCULANT/DUAL FLOCCULATION SYSTEM FOR DEWATERING USING A BRANCHED SELF INVERSING EMULSION FLOCCULANT

In order to create a single flocculant/dual flocculation system, polyacrylamide-co-trimethyl ammonium ethyl acrylate chloride (TAEAC) polymers with varying molecular weights and structures were prepared for use of flocculants. The higher the cationic density of the polymer is higher, the higher was the conversion rate and the ratio of monomer. An acrylamide as nonionic monomer was less reactive than a TAEAC as cationic monomer. The branched polymer which was polymerized with a cross-linking agent, N, N-methylene bis-acrylamide had a higher stability and higher viscosity than a linear polymer but its dewatering efficiency was poor in a single flocculation system. In the case of single flocculant/dual flocculation, the branched polymer has better flocculation efficiency and the water content of the dewatered cakes was lower than the others, as the result of a re-flocculation effect. The optimum conditions for dual flocculation are a sequence in which the $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ dosage are 75% and 25%/total dosage of a single flocculation system. The dewatering efficiency of a dual flocculation system is improved considerably from 10 to 25% under the experimental conditions used herein.