Optifloc

How Optifloc Works

Biomass is comprised primarily of bacterial cells, which are very small particles, and drainage of water through this matrix occurs at a very slow rate. In order to improve the drainage rate, sludge is normally conditioned with organic polymer electrolytes. These are high molecular weight materials that consist of a long strand with multiple charged sites along the length of the molecule. The bacteria in the sludge have the opposite charge and are attracted to, and become attached to the charged sites on the polymer. The net result is that the small particles are agglomerated into larger ones and the drainage characteristics of the sludge/water matrix are much improved.

Early attempts to improve contact between the polymer and sludge generally relied on creating turbulence through some kind of restriction in the pipe, or static mixer, and this results in a significant head loss for the system. The dynamic in-line mixing pioneered by Optifloc is dramatically more effective. The Optifloc is a variable speed mixer, which can generate high-shear mixing with a minimum head loss. It is believed that the improved performance generally demonstrated by the Optifloc is due to the fact that the high-energy mixing results in utilizing a higher proportion of the active sites on the polymer.

Not All Mixers Are Equal

The patented Optifloc^TM technology very quickly set the benchmark for sludge dewatering performance. The high-intensity mixing, designed to almost instantaneously disperse the polymer, is unique to Optifloc. The second-generation Optifloc exhibits

- Minimal head losses

- Ongoing flushing of the seal and shaft to eliminate fouling or plugging

- Robust operation, with minimal maintenance

- Enhanced performance

- A variable speed impeller that can be optimized for each polymer/sludge combination.

Rapid Payback

Optifloc has demonstrated polymer savings of up to 40%, with increased processing capacity and reduced energy and disposal costs. Experience at full-scale installations has shown that reducing the polymer dosage by as little as 2kg/t can result in payback periods of 6 months or less.