Abstract
This paper presents a characterization of colloidal and subcolloidal particles in peat and their influence on dewatering. It has been shown that the variation in the amount of suspended particles for different peats has a pronounced effect on the dewatering behaviour. The colloidal and subcolloidal particles plug the drainage passages and thereby decrease the dewatering rate. When the small particles are removed from the peat, the dewatering rate increases. Thus, the colloidal stability of the particles is important. The particles are electrostatistically stabilized and flocculate upon the addition of inorganic ions. It is very likely that the particles are partially sterically stabilized as well. The electrophoretic mobility, which can be taken as an indirect parameter characterizing the electrostatic stability, varies extensively with pH due to carboxylic and phenolic groups. The amount of non-flocculated particles in peat can also be reduced by the addition of inorganic ions or polyelectrolytes.
Published Version
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