Investigation on desorption of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminants by active and passive particle self-rotation

Abstract

Particle self-rotation is a common phenomenon in the natural environment and industrial fluids. The particle surface renewal and centrifugation caused by particle self-rotation are the inherent mechanisms that enhance the desorption of pollutants. In this paper, a motor and rotary shear flow field are used to drive the self-rotation of the porous media Maifan stone particles and soil particles, respectively. An experimental device for active and passive particle self-rotation control is established to determine the driving parameters that influence the relationship between the diesel desorption efficiency of particles and particle self-rotation. Active self-rotation increased the diesel desorption efficiency of Maifan stone particles by approximately 65.1%. Alternating active and passive self-rotation, self-rotation speed, and temperature were positively correlated with diesel desorption efficiency. Passive particle self-rotation in the rotating shear flow field achieves balanced desorption efficiency in a single pass through the hydrocyclone. The desorption efficiency of underflow particles is approximately 50% higher than that of overflow particles. The experimental results show that both active and passive self-rotation can improve the diesel desorption of particles and suggest the possibility of reducing the amount of surfactant used.