title: High-rate dissolved air flotation for water treatment.
abstract: This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation about the performance of a horizontal flow high-rate pilot scale Dissolved Air Flotation (HRDAF) unit containing inclined parallel plates for treating a coloured and low turbidity raw water. Experiments were performed with the DAF unit in order to verify the influence on flotation of: (i) the water velocity (Vh) between the plates, in the range 18 to 96.5 cm.min-1 with corresponding Reynolds numbers between 240 and 1060; (ii) the supplied air (S*) value ranging from 2.2 to 8.5 g of air/m3 of water; (iii) the angle of the plates (60 degrees or 70 degrees). The best pilot plant operational condition was obtained applying only 4.0 g/m3 (S*) with Vh around 18 cm.min-1 for treatment of water coagulated with a Al2(SO4)3 dosage of 40 mg.l-1. In these conditions, the unit presented very good removal efficiencies of colour (90%, residual of 10 uC), turbidity (88%, residual of 0.8 NTU) and TSS (94%, residual of 1.8 mg.l-1). Furthermore, the unit could operate at higher Vh values up to 76 cm.min-1 and still present good results. The DAF unit thus behaved as a high rate unit presenting good performance with low air requirement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (EESC-USP), Av. Dr. Carlos Botelho, 1465, 13560-250, São Carlos, SP, Brazil. mapreali@sc.usp.br
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Reall
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marchetto
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012995:Solubility; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*