• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 2020

Bimodal flocculation describes the aggregation and breakage processes of the flocculi (or primary particles) and the flocs in the water environment. Bimodal flocculation causes bimodal size distribution with the two separate peaks of the flocculi and the flocs. Extracellular polymeric substances and ionic species common in the water environment increase the occurrence of bimodal flocculation and flocculi-floc size distribution, under the flocculation mechanisms of electrostatic attraction and polymeric bridging. This study investigated bimodal flocculation and flocculi-floc size distribution, with respect to the extracellular polymeric substance concentration and ionic strength in the kaolinite-containing suspension. The batch flocculation tests comprising 0.12 g/L of kaolinite showed that the highest flocculation potential occurred at the lowest xanthan gum (as extracellular polymeric substances) concentration, under all the ionic strengths of 0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 M NaCl. Also, it was important to note that the higher ionic strength resulted in the higher flocculation potential, at all the xanthan gum concentrations. The bimodal flocculation and flocculi-floc size distribution became apparent in the experimental conditions, which had low and intermediate flocculation potential. Besides the polymeric bridging flocculation, steric stabilization increased the flocculi mass fraction against the floc mass fraction, thereby developing the bimodal size distribution.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.233-243
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• 2015

The bimodal flocculation of cohesive sediments in water environments describes the aggregation and breakage process developing a bimodal floc size distribution with dense flocculi and floppy flocs. A two class population balance equation (TCPBE) was tested for simulating the bimodal flocculation by a model-data fitting analysis with two sets of experimental data (low and high turbulent flows) from 1-D flocculation-settling column tests. In contrast to the Single-Class PBE (SCPBE), the TCPBE could simulate interactions between flocculi and flocs and the flocculation mechanism by differential settling in a low turbulent flow. Also, the TCPBE could perform the same quality of simulation as the elaborate Multi-Class PBE (MCPBE), with a small number of floc size classes and differential equations. Thus, the TCPBE was proven to be the simplest model that is capable of simulating the bimodal flocculation of cohesive sediments in water environments and water, wastewater treatment systems.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2011

An automated reaction calorimeter was used to directly monitor the rate of emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVAs) having different degrees of blockiness. By using this technique in conjunction with other off-line measurements of the evolution of particle size distributions, important details of the process were observed. No constant graft rate period was observed for both low and high initial monomer-water ratios. The gel effect was observed for the low monomer-water ratio recipe. The particle size distributions were broad (particle diameter 40~100 nm) and bimodal. Continuous nucleation was observed to be accompanied by 'limited aggregation' and flocculation during the particle growth stages. It was speculated to be due to the occurrence of the extensive 'limited aggregation' and chain transfer to PVA leading to grafting.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.33-47
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• 2003

Various applied-mineralogical characterization including measurements of surface area, size distribution, swelling index, and viscosity were done for some domestic bentonites in order to decipher the rheological properties and their controlling factors. The bentonites, which are Ca-type and relatively low-grade (rnontmorillonite contents: 30 ∼ 75 wt%), occur mostly as subhedral lamellas with the size range of 2 ∼ 4 $\mu\textrm{m}$. The size distribution of mineral fractions in bentonite suspension is dominant in the range of 10 ∼ 100 $\mu\textrm{m}$, and though rather complicated, exhibits roughly bimodal patterns. The feature is more conspicuous in the case of zeolitic bentonite. The bentonites have surface areas ranging 269 ∼ 735 $\m^2$/g, which are measured by EGME adsorption method. The EGME surface areas are nearly proportional to the rnontmorillonite contents, moisture contents, or total CEC. In the surface area measurements, zeolitic bentonites have slightly higher values than those zeolite- free types. The measured swelling index and viscosity of domestic bentonites are comparatively low in values. The swelling values of bentonites were measured to be 250∼500% at maximum by progressively mixing amounts of 2 ∼ 5 wt% Na$_2$CO$_3$, which varies depending on the contents of rnontmorillonite and other impurities, especially zeolite. Much amount of sodium carbonate is required for optimum swelling property of zeolitic bentonited which has usually strong Na- exchanged capacity. The bentonites, which are comparatively feldspar-rich and low in size and crystallinity, tend to be higher in viscosity values. Tn addition, the viscosity is largely higher in case of the bentonites with higher pH in suspension. However, the rheological properties of bentonites such as swelling index and viscosity do not show any obvious relationships with rnontmorillonite contents and mean particle size in suspension. In contrast, roughly speaking, the swelling index of bentonites is reversely proportional to the values of surface area which can be regarded as a collective physico-chemical parameter encompassing all the effects caused by mineral composition, surface charge, particle size, morphological farm, and etc. in bentonites. Thus, the rheological properties in bentonite suspension appear to be rather complicated characteristics which mainly depend on the flocculation of clay particles and the mode of particle association, i.e. quasicrystals, controlled by surface charge, morphology, size, and texture of rnon-tmorillonite, and which partly affected by the finer impurities such as zeolite.