Evaluation of Model Simulation and Field Experiment on Collision-Attachment Efficiency for Operational Factors in Dissolved Air Flotation Process

This study conducted a series of tests and simulations to estimate collision-attachment efficiency using a trajectory analysis method, to evaluate model sensitivity due to major impact factors in designing and operating dissolved air flotation (DAF) for the various types of wastewaters, and to find the possibility of model application in determining the flotation efficiency of DAF. Collision-attachment efficiency between a bubble and a particle in the model is described by hydrodynamics related to stream function in Stokes' flow and surface forces based on a classic DLVO theory, encoded using Matlab language software, and performed numerical analysis using the 5th Runge-Kutta method. Model simulation examined the effects of two major factors, size and zeta potential, on collision-attachment efficiency during flotation and field experiment evaluated to model results. Both results from the simulation and field experiment indicated that the larger particles presented the better collision and removal efficiency and the effect of particle zeta potential on collision-attachment efficiencies was increased as the particle zeta potential increased from the negative domain to the positive domain. Therefore, the collision-attachment efficiency model using the trajectory analysis method may be used in estimating the flotation efficiency and in explaining its characteristics.