To illustrate the benefits of Biochemica’s extensive range of chemical products, we have produced a video to demonstrate how a Biochemica coagulant and polymer application achieves liquid/solid separation.

This type of chemical approach would typically be used for primary clarification and is widely applied throughout the food and beverage and aggregate industries to treat wastewater.

VIDEO: Liquid/Solid Separation in Wastewater Treatment

Click on the above link to view the minute long video depicting a sample of industrial wastewater taken from a vegetable processing plant, the subsequent dosing of a Biochemica coagulant and polymer, and the resulting liquid/solid separation.

The Chemistry:

The particles in this particular wastewater sample are negatively charged and repel each other, preventing the natural settlement of the particles in solution. This can be seen in the video in the control jar on the left, which receives no chemical additions. These forces are similar to those experienced when attempting to bring two negative ends of a magnet towards each other.

Biochemica’s coagulant (CT-820) contains positively charged ions. Essentially, the positive charges help neutralise the negative charge in the wastewater, in what is known as an electrostatic reaction (the coagulant is added first and mixed well at a high rpm). This neutralisation allows the particles to come together to form flocs.

The addition of a polymer or flocculant bridges together the flocs into much larger particles – which can be seen as the mixing velocity is reduced, promoting rapid settling and producing a clear supernatant after liquid/solid separation. In this case, the Biochemica polymer product is AL-302, an anionic polymer (negative charge), which brings the flocs together and allows liquid/solid separation to occur quickly and produce a high standard of clarified water.

To find out more about our range of coagulant and polymer products, contact us today.