System and method of using nanobubbles in a dewatering process for a liquid-solid stream
The present disclosure provides a dewatering method that includes combining water, a dewatering flocculant, and nanobubbles to form a dewatering composition. The method includes combining the dewatering composition with a solids-containing liquid stream to form a dewaterable composition. The method includes dewatering the dewaterable composition to form a water stream and a dewatered product having a solids content that is greater than the solids content of the solids-containing liquid stream.
1 . A dewatering method comprising:
(a) combining water, a dewatering flocculant, and nanobubbles to form a dewatering composition;
(b) combining the dewatering composition with a solids-containing liquid stream to form a dewaterable composition; and
(c) dewatering the dewaterable composition to form a water stream and a dewatered product having a solids content that is greater than the solids content of the solids-containing liquid stream.
2 . The dewatering method according to claim 1 , wherein the solids-containing liquid stream comprises a biomass stream.
3 . The dewatering method according to claim 1 , wherein the solids-containing liquid stream is a sludge stream selected from the group consisting of wastewater sludge, oily sludge, mineral sludge, natural sludge, ash sludge, and combinations thereof.
4 . The dewatering method according to claim 1 , wherein the solids-containing liquid stream is a pulp stream selected from the group consisting of paper pulp, food pulp, and combinations thereof.
5 . The dewatering method according to claim 1 , wherein the solids-containing liquid stream has a solids content of at least 0.5 g/L, at least 1.0 g/L, at least 1.5 g/L, at least 2.5 g/L, at least 5 g/L, at least 7 g/L, or at least 10 g/L.
6 . The dewatering method according to claim 1 , wherein the solids-containing liquid stream has a solids content of at least 7 g/L.
7 . The dewatering method according to claim 1 , wherein the dewatering flocculant comprises a dewatering polymer.
8 . The dewatering method according to claim 7 , wherein the dewatering polymer comprises a cationic polymer.
9 . The dewatering method according to claim 7 , wherein the dewatering polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, polyethyleneamine, polyethyleneimine, cationic starch, melamine-formaldehyde polymer, polyamine, and combinations thereof.
10 . The dewatering method according to claim 1 , wherein the dewatering flocculant is selected from the group consisting of lime, iron salt, aluminum salt, and combinations thereof.
11 . The dewatering method according to claim 1 , wherein the nanobubble concentration in the dewatering composition is at least 1×10 6 nanobubbles/ml.
12 . A system comprising:
a blending apparatus configured to receive a dewatering flocculant and water containing nanobubbles, wherein the blending apparatus is configured to combine the water, the dewatering flocculant, and the nanobubbles to form a dewatering composition;
a second apparatus configured to receive a solids-containing liquid stream and the dewatering composition, wherein the second apparatus is configured to combine the solids-containing liquid stream and the dewatering composition to form a dewaterable composition; and
a dewatering unit configured to receive the dewaterable composition, wherein the dewatering unit is configured to dewater the dewaterable composition to form a water stream and a dewatered product having a solids content that is greater than the solids content of the solids- containing liquid stream.
13 . The system of claim 12 further comprising:
a nanobubble generator configured to receive the water, wherein the nanobubble generator is configured to generate the nanobubbles and incorporate the nanobubbles into the water; and
wherein the blending apparatus is configured to receive the water and the nanobubbles from the nanobubble generator.
14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the dewatering unit is selected from the group consisting of a clarifier, a gravity belt thickener, a rotary drum thickener, a dissolved air flotation system, a filtration system, a centrifuge, a belt filter press, a frame filter press, a screw press, and a combination thereof.
15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the second apparatus receives the solids-containing liquid stream, and wherein the solids containing liquid stream comprises a biomass stream.
16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the second apparatus receives the solids containing liquid stream, and wherein the solids containing liquid stream comprises a sludge stream selected from the group consisting of wastewater sludge, oily sludge, mineral sludge, natural sludge, ash sludge, and combinations thereof.
17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the second apparatus receives the solids containing liquid stream, and wherein the solids containing liquid stream is a pulp stream selected from the group consisting of paper pulp, food pulp, and combinations thereof.
18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the second apparatus receives the solids containing liquid stream, and wherein the solids containing liquid stream has a solids content of at least 0.5 g/L, at least 1.0 g/L, at least 1.5 g/L, at least 2.5 g/L, at least 5 g/L, at least 7 g/L, or at least 10 g/L.
19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the second apparatus receives the solids containing liquid stream, and wherein the solids containing liquid stream has a solids content of at least 7 g/L.
20 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the second apparatus receives the dewatering composition, and wherein the dewatering flocculant comprises a dewatering polymer.
21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the dewatering polymer comprises a cationic polymer.
22 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the dewatering polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, polyethyleneamine, polyethyleneimine, cationic starch, melamine-formaldehyde polymer, polyamine, and combinations thereof.
23 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the second apparatus receives the dewatering composition, and wherein the dewatering flocculant is selected from the group consisting of lime, iron salt, aluminum salt, and combinations thereof.
24 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the nanobubble concentration in the dewatering composition is at least 1×10 6 nanobubbles/mL.
25 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the dewatering unit is a gravity-based dewatering unit.
26 . A method comprising:
(a) combining a liquid, a liquid-removing flocculant, and nanobubbles to form a first composition;
(b) combining the first composition with a solids-containing liquid stream to form a second composition; and
(c) removing liquid from the second composition to form a liquid stream and a product having a solids content that is greater than the solids content of the solids-containing liquid stream.