Dynamics and Structure Formation in Bioflocculation Processes
| Topic | 7 |
| Main supervisor | A.Radulescu (a.radulescu@fz-juelich.de) |
| MLZ institution | FZJ |
| Local supervisor 1 | C.Lang |
| Institution | VTA Austria GmbH |
| Local supervisor 2 | – |
| Institution | – |
| Local supervisor 3 | – |
| Institution | – |
| Local supervisor 4 | – |
| Institution | – |
| Title | Dynamics and Structure Formation in Bioflocculation Processes |
| Description | VTA Austria GmbH is an international driving force in the field of wastewater processing for both municipal as well as industrial plants. Our aim is maximum process safety and health, achieved by biophysical treatment methods that bind and inactivate pathogenic germs and anthropogenic substances while aiding the biocoenosis. Together with our customers, we are continuously developing tailor-made products for optimizing water quality. In the final sedimentation, activated sludge separates from the water phase by flocculation. The efficiency of this process is a matter of process safety and strongly depends on the sludge characteristics besides other process-parameters and external influences. The flocculation process of activated sludge in wastewater crucially depends on the conformation and interaction of adsorbed polymers 1. Using small angle neutron scattering combined with contrast matching techniques, we plan to assess the fractal dimensions of the constituent biomass as well as the polyelectrolyte structure and structure formation in the floc vicinity. Structure-property relations can be established by employing a library of coagulation agents. Above using innovative sample environment like continuous mixing and stopped-flow, we are interested in modelling the scattering data making use of advanced computer simulation techniques. Ref: Vogelaar, J. C. T. et al. Water Research 39 (2005) 37 |