Flocculation–Sedimentation Combined with Chemical Oxidation Process

Flocculation and sedimentation of particles are essential to many environmental and industrial processes. Solid-liquid separation in olive-oil mill wastewater treatment by means of Fenton system is the key to work continuously and maintain a constant outlet flow of clarified water at the end of the oxidation process. Natural sedimentation is not capable to eliminate the sludge formed. The efficiency of flocculation operation using different flocculants as QG-2001, QG-2002, DQGALFLOC-130H, and Nalco-77171 was investigated. The optimum dosage of each flocculant, 150, 2.5, 66, and 6mg dm(-3), respectively, was determined. The results revealed that the best flocculant was Nalco-77171, which determined 13.5% v/v final sludge separation and 86.5% v/v final clarified water obtained. Kinetics of sludge removal in the transition zone was adjusted to power law, v/v(0) = Kt(epsilon), where the exponent, epsilon, varied in the range 0.141-0.670.