Experiments Using Influent Water Saturated with Air
This experiment explored the impact of influent water saturated with air on floc blanket formation and effluent turbidity. This experiment involved collaboration with the Floating Floc Research Team, who supplied the saturated water that served as the influent water to the process.
Abstract
Our team ran an experiment to investigate the affects of saturated air on floc blanket formation. To do this, our team paired with the Floating Floc research team, who supplied water saturated with air to the process. This experiment is meant to model the effects of having a pressurized system and the affects that change in pressure could have on floc blanket formation due to gas escaping from the influent water as bubbles. The idea for this experiment is derived from the need to model the affects of altitude change on an actual AguaClara treatment plant. For example, if a pipe were to pass into an area of decreased altitude pressure in the closed tube would increase. If air bubbles existed within the tube, this air would get absorbed into the water in the system. As the pipes pass through an increase in altitude, pressure is alleviated and bubbles should escape.
Procedures/Overview of Methods
In order to deliver influent saturated air to the process, the Floating Floc team created a system which pressurized the influent water to a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. At this pressure, the amount of air absorbed into the water is twice the amount of air absorbed in the water at atmospheric pressure. This water saturated with air was fed to the apparatus as influent water, where it immediately experienced a pressure drop to atmospheric pressure. While a pressure drop should result in the immediate formation of escaping air bubbles in the liquid, these did not form immediately. This is due to the activation energy required for the bubble to form, which is dependent on the surface tension of the bubble. In order to test bubble formation we observed the experiment qualitatively, looking for bubbles throughout the apparatus. We also monitored effluent turbidity, a value that would reflect the effect of the bubbles on floc blanket formation and particle settling.
Results
The hypothesis that absorbed air would be released in the apparatus was qualitatively observed by bubble formation. The adverse effects of bubble formation on floc blanket formation and effluent turbidity were supported qualitatively by the appearance of floc particles in the sedimentation tank effluent. Also, large particles were sparse in the sedimentation column. Quantitatively, data collect over twenty four hours shows an increase in effluent turbidity when comparing the experiment run with saturated air to the control experiment. We ran this experiment on both high and low floc blanket formation. In the high floc blanket formation state the floc blanket level is above the plate settlers. In the low floc blanket formation the floc blanket formation level is below the plate settlers. Due to the energy build-up in the sedimentation column, the top layer of the liquid in the column is more unstable. Instability causes flocs to enter to the plate settler and potentially leave with the effluent. This instability is increased when the system is exposed to water saturated with air.
Experiment 1: Low Floc Blanket Formations
Experiment 2: HIgh Floc blanket Formation
Conclusion and Future Considerations
It was expected that these bubbles would disturb floc blanket formation, permitting more floc particles to leave with the sedimentation column effluent. An increase in effluent turbidity and the appearance of bubbles in the apparatus supported this hypothesis. If AguaClara is considering to build a plant which would traverse altitude drops and climbs, results from this experiment should be considered. Future experiments relating to saturated water in the plant could include bubble removal before floc blanket formation. However, the true effects of saturated air on the experiment cannot be fully determined until the chemical drop waterfall effect is controlled. When chemicals are dropped into the system, such as alum, they create surface bubbles that disturb the system. This, in turn, creates the addition of an unknown amount of bubbles to the amount of bubbles released by the water saturated with air.