• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.222-227
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• 2004

Flotation processes involve the use of very small bubbles (micro-bubbles) to separate particles from water. The process has become a good alternative to sedimentation, especially where the particles are small or of low density. Although the flotation process commences with a collision between particles and bubbles, most research has been focused only on the characteristics of the particles. In this paper, recent theoretical and experimental research on the characteristics of bubbles is summarized. The effect on the collision efficiency of the size and charge of bubbles is calculated through trajectory analysis. The size and charge of bubbles are measured under different conditions and the ramifications of the results are discussed. The results may lead to a better understanding and optimization of the existing process. In particular, we discuss an idea that a new advanced flotation process might be possible by the modification of the characteristics of the bubble alone or of both bubble and particle.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.97-103
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• 2006

Excess sludge treatment and disposal currently represent a rising challenge for domestic or wastewater treatment plants due to economic, environmental and regulation factors. Conventional gravity sedimentation process has been widely used in sludge thickening. The operation method of the process is very simple, but the process requires long detention time for sludge thickening, uses polymers, and shows low sludge thickening efficiency. To solve the problems, we studied on DAF (Dissolved Air Flotation) system. We use bulking sludge of a paper manufacturing plant. The effects of parameters such as SVI (Sludge Volume Index), storage time, initial concentration and wet density of excess sludge were examined. The results showed that the more SVI was low, the more sludge was thickened. As storage time goes by, SVI was increased and thickening performance was deteriorated. In order to improve flotation performance at high concentration, high recycling ratio and pressure did not increase the concentration due to thickening limitation. The addition of 0.8 g/L of loess was increased flotation efficiency of 1.41 times.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1417-1426
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• 2016

Despite the low removal efficiencies reported by previous studies, electro-flotation still stands out among other microalgae removal methods for its economical and environmental benefits. To enhance removal efficiency, the important factors that limit the performance of this method must be investigated. In this study, the possible ways of increasing the removal efficiency of microalgae have been explored by investigating the effects of several important variables in electro-flotation. Eight parameters, namely flotation time, rising time, current density, pH, conductivity, electrode distance, temperature and initial concentration were evaluated using a one-parameter-at-a-time approach. Results revealed that the operational parameters that greatly affected the removal efficiency of microalgae were electro-flotation time, current density, pH, and initial concentration. The effect of conductivity, electrode distance, and temperature on removal efficiency were insignificant. However, they exhibited positive an indirect positive effect on power demand, which is nowadays considered an equally important aspect in the running of a feasible and economically efficient electro-flotation process.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.31 no.4 s.85
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• pp.246-253
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• 2005

The supernatant treatment of recovery process of raw materials of paper plant was studied using DAF (Dissolved Air Flotation) system. We investigated the removal efficiency (COD, SS and turbidity) of the DAF process. The effects of parameters such as A/S ratio, pressure, flotation conditions, coagulant concentration, mixing conditions, size and ratio of packing and nozzle type were examined. The results showed that the optimum A/S ratio and pressure were 0.058 and 4.5-5 atm, respectively. Injection times of pressurized water around 30 s and flotation times around 10 min appeared to be optimal for the DAF operation. Anion polymer addition improved the removal of COD, SS and turbidity. The smaller size and the more packing ratio were enhanced the removal efficiencies. The order of performance of nozzle was full cone > flat > assemble type.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.655-662
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• 2002

Separation characteristics of inorganic particles occurred during heavy rainwater were investigated in DAF (dissolved air flotation) process. In order to remove the inorganic particles effectively, the collision and flotation efficiencies were examined from a hydrodynamic point of view. Generally, the collision efficiency increased with floc size under the variation of fluid dynamic conditions including inertial force. However, more precise model should be required to analysis the collision efficiency expressed both the physical properties for inorganic particles and hydrodynamic conditions for a reactor.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.649-655
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• 2004

The behavior of biological particles in DAF (dissolved air flotation) process was analyzed by employing PBT (Population balance theory). After decline growth phase of activated sludge, the value of the initial collision-attachment efficiency was increased over than 0.35 corresponding relatively high value in the whole life cycle of microorganism. For practical application of DAF as a solid separation process. It is desirable that microbial particles should be operated to perform high solid removal efficiency in biological wastewater treatment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.747-753
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• 2006

Air flotation is a solid-liquid separation process that utilizes up-flow microbubbles to thicken activated sludge and enhance clarification efficiency. Continuous air flotation experiments were performed to investigate the effect of operation parameters such as initial MLSS (mixed liquor suspended solid) concentration, air pressure, surface loading rate, air to solid (A/S) ratio, and flotation time on thickening efficiency. An initial activated sludge concentration ranged from 3,000 to 12,000mgSS/L and thickened sludge concentration varied from 6,400 to 28,100mgSS/L. The result showed that the thickening efficiency was mainly dependent on surface loading rate, A/S ratio, and flotation time. The pressure did not affect the thickening efficiency when it kept in the range of 1.6 to 1.8 bar. Experimental results showed that the thickening efficiency of activated sludge was increased only when the feed sludge concentration exceeded 5,000mgSS/L and the thickened concentration was over 20,000mgSS/L. At this time, SS concentration in the clarified liquid was ranged from 5 to 10mg/L.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.329-336
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• 2008

The pilot study was conducted to evaluate the applicability of air flotation(AF) processes combined with biological nutrient removal(BNR) for the retrofitting of conventional wastewater treatment facilities. The BNR system was operated in pre-denitrification and intermittent aeration; developed ceramic membrane diffusers were installed to separate the solid-liquid of activated sludge at the bottom of a flotation tank. Before performing a pilot scale study, the size distribution of microbubbles generated by silica or alumina-based ceramic membrane diffusers was tested to identify the ability of solid-liquid separation. According to the experimental results, the separation and thickening efficiency of the alumina-based ceramic membrane diffuser was higher than the silica-based ceramic membrane diffuser. In a $100m^3/d$ pilot plant, thickened and return sludge concentration was measured to be higher than 15,000mg SS/L, therefore, the MLSS in the bioreactor was maintained at over 3,000mg SS/L. The effluent quality of the AF-BNR process was 4.2mg/L, 3.7mg/L, 10.6mg/L and 1.6mg/L for $BOD_5$, SS, T-N and T-P, respectively. Lastly, it was revealed that the unit treatment cost by flotation process is lower than about $1won/m^3$ compared to a gravity sedimentation process.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.89-96
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• 2010

The separation of $TiO_2$ wastewater carried out by an electrocoagulation/flotation process, which had various operating parameters. The effect of electrode material (aluminum and four dimensionally stable electrode), applied current (0.07~0.5 A), electrolyte concentration (0~1 g/L), solution pH (3~11), initial turbidity (1000~20000 NTU) and suspended solid concentration (5000~25000 mg/L) were evaluated. Turbidity removal efficiency of the soluble anode (aluminum), which could produce metal ions, was higher than that of the dimensionally stable electrode. Considering operation time, turbidity removal and electric power, optimum current was 0.19 A. The more NaCl dosage was high, the less electric power was required. However, optimum NaCl concentration was 0.125 g/L considered removal efficiency, operation time and cost. Initial $TiO_2$ concentration did not affected turbidity removal on the electrocoagulation/flotation operation. The electrocoagulation/flotation process was proved to be a very effective separation method in the removal of $TiO_2$ from wastewater.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.129-136
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• 2012

In this century, scientists realized that carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere cause a greenhouse effect which affects the planet's temperature. Therefore lots of attempts have carried out to decrease the discharge of carbon dioxide gas in the field. The dissolved carbon dioxide flotation (DCF) process was developed as an alternative of DAF process to decrease the discharge and reuse of carbon dioxide as well as to save energy consumption. To investigate the particle separation characteristics and the flotation efficiency of carbon dioxide, SCC model was employed in the DCF process which has been applied extensively for the evaluation and simulation in the DAF process. The simulation results by the SCC model revealed the predicted curve of flotation efficiency became decreased gradually over the optimal pressure range of saturator about 1.6 atm in accordance with the experiment results of the DCF pilot plant and the size distribution and the bubble volume concentration of $CO_{2}$ bubbles depending on the operation pressure of saturator. The findings through the simulation results led to the conclusion that there was no significant difference between $CO_{2}$ bubbles and air bubbles, affecting on the practical flotation efficiency, in terms of the initial collision and attachment efficiency.