Flotation

PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Flotation
Flotation is a separation process based on the
use of very fine gas bubbles that attach
themselves to the solid particles in suspension
to make them buoyant and drive them toward
the free surface of the liquid
Air is the only flotation agent used in
wastewater treatment
Flotation is especially useful to separate very
small particles or light particles with low
settling velocities.
In such cases more
complete and rapid separation can be obtained
with flotation than with sedimentation
PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Chemical Additives to Enhance

Flotation Processes
Chemical
additives
that
promote
the
attachment or entrapment of air bubbles to
solid particles or flocs can be effectively used
to enhance flotation
Flotation additives include:

aluminum and ferric salts

activated silica

organic polymers

PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Characterization of Flotation
Separations
Flotation requires the generation of small bubbles
which can be produced by:
dispersing air into the wastewater
applying a vacuum to the wastewater
dissolving air into pressurized wastewater and
then releasing the pressure

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NJIT

Dispersed Air Flotation

Air bubbles are formed by mechanically
dispersing air injected under rotating impellers
or sparged by diffusers
The bubbles formed under these conditions
are typically too coarse for fine solid removal.
Hence this method is not commonly
encountered
Some scum forming waste can be removed by
air dispersion flotation

PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Vacuum Flotation
Air is first dispersed into the wastewater to
achieve saturation conditions
Partial vacuum is then applied to the
wastewater. This results in the generation of
small air bubbles that attach themselves to the
solid particles and make them rise
Typically, a cylindrical tank maintained under
vacuum and continuously fed with wastewater
is used for this purpose

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NJIT

Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF)

Air is dissolved in pressurized wastewater (40
- 95 psia, i.e., 275 - 650 kPa) by adding air to
the pump suction point
The air-wastewater mixture is admitted to a
retention tank having a residence time or a few
minutes to allow the air to dissolve
The wastewater passes through a pressure
reducing valve and then enters a flotation unit
where small bubbles (30 - 120 m) are
generated within the bulk of the wastewater

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NJIT

Dissolved Air Flotation (continued)

In the flotation unit the solid particles are
carried by the bubbles toward the surface of
the water where they are skimmed off by a
skimming mechanism
The clarified water passes under a baffle
(which prevents the floating solids from being
discharged with the effluent water) and is
discharged by passing over a weir
Flotation units can be provided with a recycle
to prevent the incoming solids to be subjected
to the shearing action of the pressurizing
pump
PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Dissolved Air Flotation Process

without Recycle
Sludge

Skimmer

Pressure
Reducing
Valve

Flotation Unit

Incoming
Wastewater

Clarified
Wastewater

Air

Additives

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NJIT

Pressurizing
Pump
Retention
Tank

Dissolved Air Flotation Process with

Recycle
Sludge

Skimmer

Incoming
Wastewater
Pressure
Reducing
Valve

Flotation Unit
Effluent
Tank

Air

Pressurizing
Pump
Additives

PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Retention
Tank

Clarified
Wastewater

Design of Dissolved Air Flotation Units

Although a theoretical analysis based on the rising
velocity of bubble-solid particles is possible (similar to
that used for gravity thickener design) floating thickeners
are largely designed using empirical results from
experimental tests.
Design of floating thickeners is based on the knowledge
of:

Wastewater flow rate and solid loading

Air-to-solid ratio (typically expressed as volume of
air/mass of solids or mass of air/mass of solids)

Overflow rate (or rise velocity of solids)

Final solid loading in sludge
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NJIT

Air-to-Solid Ratio (A/S Ratio)

The A/S ratio is the amount of air that must be
generated in the wastewater to produce the desired
separation of the solids (expressed as volume of
air/mass of solids or mass of air/mass of solids)

The A/S ratio must be determined experimentally

from test runs

Once the A/S ratio is known it is possible to calculate

the pressure required to dissolve enough air in the
wastewater to produce the desired amount of air
during decompression

Typical A/S ratios are in the range 0.005 - 0.060 mL

air/mg solids (0.0065 - 0.08 mg air/mg solids)

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NJIT

Nomenclature for Flotation

f = correction factor to account for non-saturation
of water by air at pressure P
Fair = net mass flow rate of air available for
flotation (mg/h)
Fsolids = incoming mass flow rate of solids (mg/h)
P = pressure of pressurized wastewater (atm)
Po = pressure after depressurization (atm),
typically equal to the atmospheric pressure
Q = wastewater volumetric flow rate (L/h)
PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Nomenclature for Flotation

(continued)
R = recycle ratio, defined as the ratio of recycle
stream flow rate to the flow rate of the stream
entering the system
Sin = concentration of dissolved air in incoming
wastewater (mg/L)
Sout = concentration of dissolved air in outgoing
wastewater (mg/L)
X = concentration of solids in water (mg/L)
PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Calculation of Pressure to Produce a

Desired A/S Ratio (No Recycle Case)
Air
Floatation Unit
Q
Wastewater

Sin

Sout

The theoretical flow rate of air available for

flotation (i.e., generated during depressurization)
is:
Fair = Q (Sin Sout )
PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Calculation of Pressure to Produce a

Desired A/S Ratio (No Recycle Case)
Since at equilibrium it is:

Sin
P
=
Sout Po
then, the theoretical amount of air available for
flotation (i.e., released in the flotation unit) is:
P

P Po
Fair = QSout 1 = QSout

Po
Po

PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Calculation of Pressure to Produce a

Desired A/S Ratio (No Recycle Case)
In practice, the amount of air actually dissolved
under pressure will only be a fraction of the
theoretical value.
Hence, the coefficient f is introduced to account
for
incomplete
air
dissolution
during
pressurization:
f P
f P Po
Fair = QSout
1 = QSout

Po

Po

PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Calculation of Pressure to Produce a

Desired A/S Ratio (No Recycle Case)
The flow of solids in the flotation unit is:

Fsolids = Q X o
Hence:
Sout (f P Po ) Sout f P
Fair
Air - to - solid ratio =
=
=
1

Fsolids
X o Po
X o Po

If the air-to-solid ratio is known from experiments

the pressure to which the air must be pressurized
can be calculated.
PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Calculation of Pressure to Produce a

Desired A/S Ratio (Recycle Case)
Q

So

Floatation Unit

Wastewater Sin

Sout

Air

An analysis similar to that conducted for the norecycle case gives:

R Sout (f P Po ) R Sout f P
Fair
Air - to - solid ratio =
=
=
1

Fsolids
X o Po
X o Po

PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Air Flotation at Atmospheric Pressure

In most cases the air flotation unit is operated at
atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the depressurization pressure is 1 atm, i.e., atmospheric
pressure. In such a case the above equations
become:
Sout (f P 1)
Fair
Air - to - solid ratio =
=
Fsolids
Xo
R Sout (f P 1)
Fair
Air - to - solid ratio =
=
Fsolids
Xo

where P is now expressed in atm.

PIERO M. ARMENANTE
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no recycle

recycle

Air Solubility in Water at

1 Atmosphere
Temperature
(oC)

10

20

30

Air Solubility
(mL/L)

29.2

22.8

18.7

15.7

To convert air solubility data from mL air /L water

to mg air/L water one should remember that:
1 mL air 1.3 mg air at standard conditions
(0 C; 1 atm)
PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Overflow Rate in Flotation Units

The overflow rate is equal to the rising velocity
of the solids
This parameter is typically determined
experimentally
to
produce
a
final
concentration in the floating sludge of 4 - 5.5%
Overflow rates are typically in the range:
700 - 2500 gal/ft2 day (28 - 100 m3/m2 day)
(as opposed to 400 - 1200 gal/ft2 day in gravity
thickeners), corresponding to a rising solid
velocity of:
0.062 - 0.23 ft/min (1.9 - 7 cm/min)
PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Summary of Design Aspects of

Flotation Units
Average pressure: 40 - 95 psia (275 - 650 kPa)
Overflow rate: 700 - 2500 gal/ft2 day
Air-to-solid ratio: 0.005 - 0.060 mL air/mg solids
Recycle ratio: 20 - 150%
Average solid removal: 98%
Solid concentration in sludge: 4 - 5.5%

PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Additional Information and Examples

on Flotation
Additional information and examples can be found in the
following references:

Corbitt, R. A., 1990, The Standard Handbook of

Environmental Engineering, McGraw-Hill, New York,
pp. 6.93-6.99.

Droste, R. L., 1997, Theory and Practice of Water and

Wastewater Treatment, John Wiley & Sons, New York,
pp. 729-732.

Eckenfelder, W. W., Jr., 1989, Industrial Water

Pollution Control, McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 71-80.
PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

Additional Information and Examples

on Flotation
Metcalf & Eddy, 1991, Wastewater Engineering:
Treatment, Disposal, and Reuse, McGraw-Hill, New
York, pp. 243-248; 486; 804-805.

Sundstrom, D. W. and Klei, H. E., 1979, Wastewater

Treatment, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, pp.
209-215.

Wentz, C. W., 1995, Hazardous Waste Management,

Second Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York. pp. 195-196.

PIERO M. ARMENANTE
NJIT

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