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Electroflocculation: Removal of

oil, heavy metals and organic


compounds from oil-in-water
emulsions
lectroflocculation is the electrolysis cell. techniques, electroflotation electroflotation and electro-
a combination of the Amirtharajah & Millst5] and and electroprecipitation, precipitation and the forma-
processes of elec- Vik & Eikebrokkf) give more give a synergetic effect tion of gas bubbles. Here
troflotation and electropre- information on possible when combined. we go a step further, by
cipitation. Previous work on electrolysis reactions, This article describes describing the possible re-
electroflocculation has Electroflocculation is a the separation of oil and actions in the electrolytic
mostly been done on la- combination of the pro- heavy metals from oil-in- cell and in the flotation tank
boratory cells. I.F. Sam, cesses of electroflotation water emulsions by use of in the use of electrofloccu-
S. Rubach, J.S. Forde, and electroprecipitation. In an electroflocculation unit lation. Vikf7) used electro-
G. Kjaerheim and U. Sy- an ordinary flotation pro- patented by Jan Sundell flocculation for removal of
versen from the Oestfold cess, air or gas rises in (Sweden). The mechanisms humic substances from
Research Foundation in bubbles through a liquid which split the emulsion are drinking water. This work
Norway report results from containing colloidal parti- discussed. The optimisation contains documentation on
experiments carried out on cles which are dispersed of the operating conditions the mechanisms of electro-
or are emulsified in the are discussed, and the elec- coagulation by the use of
a 1 m3/hr electrofloccula-
water. In electroflotation, trical power consumption is sacrificial aluminium an-
tion unit on produced water
the gas bubbles (Hz) are calculated. Finally, the ef- odes. The same reactions
from the Frigg field in the
formed at the cathode by fect of conductivity and are suggested by Amirthar-
North Sea. The experiments
electrolysis of water. Elec- other parameters on oil ajah & Mills. I51 For the use
were performed in coop-
troprecipitation is a floccu- removal and power con- of electroflocculation, two
eration with Elf Petroleum lation process where metal sumption are discussed. major reactions schemes
Norge AS The separation ions are released from the are proposed:
of nonpolar aliphatics is anode. In this unit the metal e Adsorption and charge
satisfactory under al/ oper- MECHANISMS
ions will collide with parti- neutralisation (reaction
ating conditions, and the cles, and adsorb onto the
. . .~e l

Koren and Syversent] de- 1): Positively charged Al l


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values for energy demand particle surface. These two ions react with negatively * I l . .
scribed the principles of . . * . .

are also favourable. The .


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results show that the elec-
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troflocculation technique *
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4 . . . .
is an interesting alterna- .
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tive for certain industrial Fast Slow I
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applications. The equip- (1o-4 - 1 sec.) (1 - 7 sec.) ,


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ment is on the verge of AJZ(S04)3s 14,3 Hz0 + At(HzO$ + SO:- + HzO+ AliOHf+ + AI( + ,,O&+
AKOH), (s)
being commercialised. I..

The removal of finely dis- + . .._._._ +H+ AIOH 3 -7-l


-.
persed particles (oil, heavy , .T

metals or organic sub- kj(High alum. dose) 2


2:
stances, for example) from Alum. solution / Soluble hydrolysis species
2
polluted water can be (low alum. dose) PO
achieved by the use of the
electroflocculation techni- 2

que. The state-of-the-art of Very ras


P
High turbidity
this technique was pre- 10-dsec. 2
c
viously described by Koren / 0
/ 3
and Syversen,t] and forms
the basis for this article. -6.
Since then we have found i

three patents by Valantit2 31


,4H)< Floe AI"H3~~~3 1.

and Coler4] concerning elec- z

troflocculation. These pa- 8

tents do not suggest any a

mechanisms for the separa- 2


Adsorption and charge neutralisation Sweep coagulatior
tion reactions, and they all 3

have different designs for


E

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