Growth of Floc Structure and Subsequence Compaction into Smaller Granules through Breakup and Rearrangement of Aluminum Flocs in a Constant Laminar Shear Flow
We have constructed an outer-cylinder-rotating Couette device for high-speed shear flow in laminar flow conditions and visualized the structure formation and subsequent rearrangement of PACl (flocculant made of aluminum hydroxide gel) and kaolinite flocs by visible light imaging. In a previous repor...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Gels |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/10/1/49 |
| _version_ | 1797343859379798016 |
|---|---|
| author | Mii Fukuda Hayami Takashi Menju Takeshi Ide Tatsuro Uchida Yasuhisa Adachi |
| author_facet | Mii Fukuda Hayami Takashi Menju Takeshi Ide Tatsuro Uchida Yasuhisa Adachi |
| author_sort | Mii Fukuda Hayami |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We have constructed an outer-cylinder-rotating Couette device for high-speed shear flow in laminar flow conditions and visualized the structure formation and subsequent rearrangement of PACl (flocculant made of aluminum hydroxide gel) and kaolinite flocs by visible light imaging. In a previous report, we analyzed the case of relatively low shear rate (<i>G</i>-value = 29 1/s) and confirmed that the flocculation process could be separated into two stages: a floc growth stage and a breakup/rearrangement stage. Once the large bulky flocs that reached the maximum size appeared, they rearranged and densified through structural fracture and rearrangement. In this report, this process was further investigated by conducting experiments under two different high shear rates (58 and 78 1/s) at which breakup and rearrangement became more pronounced, and three different aluminum kaolinite ratios (ALT ratios) that were over and under the optimum dosage (neutralization point by Zeta potential). Visualization results confirmed that, during the growth stage, the flocculation rate could be approximated by a scaling relationship between floc size and elapsed time, which depended on the ALT ratio. After reaching the maximum size, the floc rapidly became compact and dense following adsorption of the gel, incorporating fine fragments from erosion breakup. The over and under dosages created a lot of fragments of erosion breakup, but less so in the optimum dosage. In the optimum ALT ratio, fragments did not remain because they were incorporated into the flocs and densified, and the floc size was thought to be maintained. The floc circularity distribution peaked at around 0.6 and 1, suggesting that the flocs were spherical in shape due to erosion breakup. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:53:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-09b3d6e55b4d478d993ab23c9541c1b8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2310-2861 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:53:55Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gels |
| spelling | doaj.art-09b3d6e55b4d478d993ab23c9541c1b82024-01-26T16:39:49ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612024-01-011014910.3390/gels10010049Growth of Floc Structure and Subsequence Compaction into Smaller Granules through Breakup and Rearrangement of Aluminum Flocs in a Constant Laminar Shear FlowMii Fukuda Hayami0Takashi Menju1Takeshi Ide2Tatsuro Uchida3Yasuhisa Adachi4Infrastructure Systems Research and Development Center, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation, 1, Toshiba, Fuchu 183-8511, Tokyo, JapanInfrastructure Systems Research and Development Center, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation, 1, Toshiba, Fuchu 183-8511, Tokyo, JapanInfrastructure Systems Research and Development Center, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation, 1, Toshiba, Fuchu 183-8511, Tokyo, JapanEnergy Systems Research and Development Center, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation, 1-20, Kansei, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0034, Kanagawa, JapanFaculty of Life and Environmental Science, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1, Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8572, Ibaraki, JapanWe have constructed an outer-cylinder-rotating Couette device for high-speed shear flow in laminar flow conditions and visualized the structure formation and subsequent rearrangement of PACl (flocculant made of aluminum hydroxide gel) and kaolinite flocs by visible light imaging. In a previous report, we analyzed the case of relatively low shear rate (<i>G</i>-value = 29 1/s) and confirmed that the flocculation process could be separated into two stages: a floc growth stage and a breakup/rearrangement stage. Once the large bulky flocs that reached the maximum size appeared, they rearranged and densified through structural fracture and rearrangement. In this report, this process was further investigated by conducting experiments under two different high shear rates (58 and 78 1/s) at which breakup and rearrangement became more pronounced, and three different aluminum kaolinite ratios (ALT ratios) that were over and under the optimum dosage (neutralization point by Zeta potential). Visualization results confirmed that, during the growth stage, the flocculation rate could be approximated by a scaling relationship between floc size and elapsed time, which depended on the ALT ratio. After reaching the maximum size, the floc rapidly became compact and dense following adsorption of the gel, incorporating fine fragments from erosion breakup. The over and under dosages created a lot of fragments of erosion breakup, but less so in the optimum dosage. In the optimum ALT ratio, fragments did not remain because they were incorporated into the flocs and densified, and the floc size was thought to be maintained. The floc circularity distribution peaked at around 0.6 and 1, suggesting that the flocs were spherical in shape due to erosion breakup.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/10/1/49PAClaluminum hydroxide gelALT ratioflocculationdensificationerosion breakup |
| spellingShingle | Mii Fukuda Hayami Takashi Menju Takeshi Ide Tatsuro Uchida Yasuhisa Adachi Growth of Floc Structure and Subsequence Compaction into Smaller Granules through Breakup and Rearrangement of Aluminum Flocs in a Constant Laminar Shear Flow Gels PACl aluminum hydroxide gel ALT ratio flocculation densification erosion breakup |
| title | Growth of Floc Structure and Subsequence Compaction into Smaller Granules through Breakup and Rearrangement of Aluminum Flocs in a Constant Laminar Shear Flow |
| title_full | Growth of Floc Structure and Subsequence Compaction into Smaller Granules through Breakup and Rearrangement of Aluminum Flocs in a Constant Laminar Shear Flow |
| title_fullStr | Growth of Floc Structure and Subsequence Compaction into Smaller Granules through Breakup and Rearrangement of Aluminum Flocs in a Constant Laminar Shear Flow |
| title_full_unstemmed | Growth of Floc Structure and Subsequence Compaction into Smaller Granules through Breakup and Rearrangement of Aluminum Flocs in a Constant Laminar Shear Flow |
| title_short | Growth of Floc Structure and Subsequence Compaction into Smaller Granules through Breakup and Rearrangement of Aluminum Flocs in a Constant Laminar Shear Flow |
| title_sort | growth of floc structure and subsequence compaction into smaller granules through breakup and rearrangement of aluminum flocs in a constant laminar shear flow |
| topic | PACl aluminum hydroxide gel ALT ratio flocculation densification erosion breakup |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/10/1/49 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT miifukudahayami growthofflocstructureandsubsequencecompactionintosmallergranulesthroughbreakupandrearrangementofaluminumflocsinaconstantlaminarshearflow AT takashimenju growthofflocstructureandsubsequencecompactionintosmallergranulesthroughbreakupandrearrangementofaluminumflocsinaconstantlaminarshearflow AT takeshiide growthofflocstructureandsubsequencecompactionintosmallergranulesthroughbreakupandrearrangementofaluminumflocsinaconstantlaminarshearflow AT tatsurouchida growthofflocstructureandsubsequencecompactionintosmallergranulesthroughbreakupandrearrangementofaluminumflocsinaconstantlaminarshearflow AT yasuhisaadachi growthofflocstructureandsubsequencecompactionintosmallergranulesthroughbreakupandrearrangementofaluminumflocsinaconstantlaminarshearflow |