The Elimination of Channeling and Foam Overturning in Continuous Mode Adsorbing Colloid Flotation with a Sodium Dodecylsulfate/Dodecanoic Acid Mixture

Abstract

Abstract The effect of hydraulic loading, surfactant concentration, and air flow rate on the removal of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Zn(II) from chromium stream electroplating wastewater by adsorbing colloid flotation using a sodium dodecylsulfate/dodecanoic acid mixture was investigated. Typically, heavy metal concentrations of 81 ppm Cr(III), 55 ppm Ni(II), and 3.3 ppm Zn(II) were reduced to 1.2 ppm Cr(III), 3.2 ppm Ni(II), and 0.05 ppm Zn(II) at a hydraulic loading of 22.9 m3/m2·h (3 L·min−1), an air flow rate of 45.8 m3/m2·h (6 L·min−1), 40 ppm dodecanoic acid, and 80 ppm sodium dodecylsulfate, and using a 10-cm inner diameter column. A novel mode of operation (high liquid carryover) was used whereby a large proportion of the liquid entering the column leaves the column with the foam.