Polymers for Coagulation, Flocculation and Dewatering
of Solids and Sludge

Additional References:

• Polymers for Oil / Water Separation
• Potable Water
• Flocculant MSDS
• Polymer Selection and Jar Testing Procedures
• Precipitation and Dewatering - Technical Reports
• More Than You Really Wanted to Know About      Polymers
• Enviornmentally Friendly, Oil-Free Polymers
• Belt Cleaners, Polymer Solvents, Odor Control and      Struvite Control
• Polymer Feeders
• MSDS for Coagulant

Tramfloc offers the broadest possible line of polymeric formulations to separate suspended solids and liquids in a wide variety of industries and applications. Tramfloc polymers are designed to improve the efficiency of your process water, raw water, wastewater, and potable water treatment systems. Our objective is to design a program which will meet your company's or municipality's water quality performance goals, regulatory requirements while improving cost performance.

TYPES OF FORMULATIONS OFFERED

Nonionic, Anionic, Cationic

FORMS OF PRODUCT OFFERED

Solution, Emulsion, SuperEmulsion^™ , Granular, Bead

CHARGE DENSITIES OFFERED

No charge; less than 1 and up to 100% theoretical mole.

MOLECULAR WEIGHTS OFFERED

From 500 in the cationic coagulants up to more than 20 million in cationic flocculant species.

PACKAGING FORMS

Pail, drum, tote bin, bag, Supersak^™ , bulk

DELIVERY FORMS

LTL, TL, tank wagon, box car, rail car

CUSTOMIZATION

Tramfloc will custom manufacture the exact charge and weight characteristics for special applications. Consult the factory for further details.

RAW WATER CLARIFICATION

Tramfloc cationic coagulants remove the total suspended solids (TSS) and accompanying turbidity so that the raw water will be of suitable quality for process use or for potable treatment. The Tramfloc products in the 620, 630, 720, and 730 series products are designed to neutralize the surface charges on colloidal solids, thus promoting rapid and effective coagulation. This series of formulations can dramatically reduce metal salt feed rates.

ENHANCED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CLARIFICATION

Our coagulants are designed to enhance the performance of Tramfloc flocculants in wastewater clarification. The coagulants neutralize the surface charges, thus allowing the flocculant to build larger particle size and promote precipitation.

AIR FLOTATION UNITS

Tramfloc polymers are designed to flocculate the suspended solids which are absorbed by the gas bubbles. Our formulations perform effectively in both dissolved and induced air and nitrogen flotation cells.

CLARIFICATION AND PRECIPITATION

Tramfloc flocculants are designed to enhance the sedimentation process. Our formulations can reduce the TSS volume in secondary biological clarifiers. Lime softeners can be effectively treated with very low dosages of special Tramfloc flocculants.

DEWATERING APPLICATIONS

Tramfloc flocculants applied in industrial, municipal, and mining industry dewatering systems will improve water release which will produce drier cake. When we increase cake solids, we axiomatically reduce sludge volume and you save on disposal costs. Tramfloc formulations cover the entire spectrum of molecular weights and ionic charges. Our products can help dewater inorganic, biological, and radioactive sludge.

OILY WASTEWATER TREATMENT

There is another section of our web site which explains in more detail how Tramfloc cationic formulations "break out." Fats, oils, and greases (FOG) from process and wastewater in a wide variety of industries can be removed by the judicious application of carefully selected Tramfloc Emulsion Breakers. If your application requires the removal water and rag layers from total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) then please visit our emulsion breaking section for a description Tramfloc Demulsifiers.

THE THREE RRR's

It is incumbent upon every businessperson in the 21st century to recover, reuse and recycle process and wastewater while recovering potentially valuable by-products, such as foods, fuels, raw materials, and lubricants. Tramfloc can assist customers in improving water quality by removing contaminants, regardless of their nature and form.

INDUSTRIES WHICH PROFIT FROM TRAMFLOC POLYMERS

Here is a list of some of the industrial operations in which our flocculants can be a valuable contributor to plant efficiency.

• CPI
• HP
• Beverage production
• Food processing
• Plating and Metal Finishing
• IC Fabrication
• Pulp and Paper
• Mining
• Bio-Pharmaceutical
• Gravel and Aggregates
• Automotive
• Primary Metals

SERVICES AND PROGRAMS

Consulting services for primary and secondary wastewater treatment systems

Evaluations, pilot studies, and analytical services

Short and long term testing applications

Statistical process control

Automated chemical feeding and handling systems

Biomass augmentation, defoamers, and polymers for biological systems

PROGRAM BENEFITS

You can expect many of the following benefits from Tramfloc SuperEmulsion^™ Programs.

Elimination or reduction of metal salts
Reduction in sludge volume
Increase in cake solids
Increase in underflow TSS
Freeze-thaw stable for cold climate operation
Low intrinsic viscosity to eliminate heat traced lines and storage tanks
Do not impact pH
Cationic coagulants perform more effectively than alum and associated salts
Performs effectively in low or high hardness, alkalinity or turbidity water
Operates well without pH adjustment
Forms denser floc
Produces a more rapidly settling floc particle
Chlorine resistant

POLYMER FEEDING AND CONTROL SYSTEMS

A successful Tramfloc polymer program requires the proper equipment to efficiently make down and feed the polymer. The feed equipment selected for a specific application depends on the polymer type, form, molecular weight, and feed rate of the polymer solution.

Four available polymer types are liquid solution coagulants, liquid solution flocculants, liquid emulsion flocculants, and dry flocculants.

Organic solution coagulants are characterized by their lower molecular weights (5-300K) and high cationic charge densities. The cationic charge is used to neutralize the negatively charged suspended solids. The suspended solids will no longer repel each other and can agglomerate and precipitate.

Tramfloc flocculants are characterized by their higher molecular weights (1M-20M) and various charge densities. They can be either anionic (negatively charged), nonionic (no charge), or cationic (positively charged). Flocculants are used to bridge the neutralized or coagulated particles into larger agglomerates, resulting in more efficient settling. Flocculants are used in solids thickening, sludge dewatering, and as coagulation aids.

LIQUID SOLUTION COAGULANTS

Coagulants are produced in solution form in concentrations ranging from 5-50%. Molecular weight, viscosity, and solution solubility are all characteristics that determine a product's concentration.

Neat coagulants have viscosities ranging from 20 to 5,000 cp at 70⁰ F and have complete freeze-thaw recovery. Tramfloc products can be stored up to one year in unopened drums and in bulk storage tanks if temperatures are within recommended guidelines. If stored at temperatures beyond the suggested range, performance of the coagulant may be adversely affected. Specific physical characteristics and handling recommendations are discussed in individual product bulletins.

FEEDING

Liquid coagulants should be fed neat, with dilution water to disperse the polymer into the stream to be treated. Positive displacement gear and diaphragm pumps are adequate for delivering neat polymer. Calibration cylinders can be used for controlling chemical feed systems so that the correct dosage can be monitored regardless of various circumstances and water quality.

A static or in-line mixer is recommended for coagulants to thoroughly mix the polymer with the dilution water prior to application. A static mixer should be installed after the dilution water line.

To prevent cross connections, check valves should be installed in the dilution water line as well as the line from the pump to the dilution water tee.

DILUTION WATER RECOMMENDATIONS

Dilution water of sufficient capacity to deliver a polymer concentration of 1-10% is normal. Water should be free of TSS, be 50-100⁰ F, and contain low total chlorine levels. Very hard dilution water may cause precipitation in the feed line. Should this happen, feed the material neat or use soft water. Use sufficient water to make down initial dilutions to 5-20% and application dilutions to 0.5%. Dilution water can be metered to each application point with a rotameter.

LIQUID FLOCCULANTS

Liquid solution flocculants are available in concentrations ranging from 1-10%. Molecular weight, solution solubility, and viscosity determine a liquid flocculant's concentration. In neat form, these flocculants range in viscosity from 5,000 to 70,000 cp at 70⁰ F and have complete freeze-thaw recovery. To ensure optimum feeding performance, neat product should be stored indoors or in storage tanks at temperatures of 70-80⁰ F. If storage temperatures are below 70⁰ F, pumping and handling problems could occur. At temperatures above 80⁰ F, product activity may suffer. Storage tanks located indoors should be vented outside. Shelf life for liquid solution flocculants is generally 3 to 6 months in unopened drums and bulk tanks. Polymer feeders, such as those described elsewhere on the Tramfloc web site, eliminate the need for in-line dilution water, static mixers, and check valves. Tramfloc Polymizer^™ Feed Systems automatically mix dilution water and polymer in a specifically designed ratio to optimize results and minimize polymer consumption.

LIQUID EMULSION FLOCCULANTS

Emulsion products provide the most concentrated liquid flocculant with polymer concentrations of 25-70%. Liquid emulsion flocculants are available in cationic, nonionic, and anionic charges. In neat form, liquid emulsion flocculants range from to 200 to 1000 cp at 70⁰ F and have complete freeze-thaw stability. Shelf life for emulsions is normally about one year. To minimize product separation, bulk tanks should be equipped with a recirculation pump. The tank contents should be recirculated only once a day. Drums should be mixed with drum mixers for 30 minutes prior to use. Bulk tanks should also be equipped with an air drier and breather vent to prevent premature activation. Polymer activity deterioration may occur at storage temperatures above 100⁰ F.

FEEDING

Water is charged with agitation to neat flocculant to activate the material for use. This inversion process is necessary to achieve maximum activity. Following the inversion process, emulsion flocculants should be aged. A plant can mix batches periodically and allow for quiescence.

DILUTION WATER

Make down the primary solution to 0.5-2.0% and further dilute this stock solution to best suit your specific application, often ~0.1%. The aforementioned comments about making down Tramfloc polymers apply to this category of products.

DRY FLOCCULANTS

Dry flocculants are nominally 100% active and are available in all charges. These formulations are normally stable for two years in dry, cool conditions if bags are closed tightly.

FEEDING

It is necessary to uniformly wet each polymer granule to preclude "fish eyes". Fish eyes are undissolved clumps of polymer particles that are not active. Once present, several hours can be required to solubilize the masses into a homogeneous solution. The Tramfloc Polymizer System is strongly recommended for any dry flocculant application of more than 2 pounds daily.

An adequate dry feed system includes a wetting device, an aging tank, and a metering system with a dispenser. The solution should be mixed and aged about 1 hour, depending on the dry flocculant.

DILUTION WATER

Enough dilution water should be added to make down a 0.1-1.0% primary concentration. Additional dilution water should be added in-line to reduce the solution concentration to 0.01-0.10%.

RECOMMENDATION

The following guidelines should be observed in the application of polymer systems.

1. Consult Tramfloc for specific polymer feeding recommendations and metallurgy information.
2. Most polymers can attack mild carbon steel, and some may be corrosive to stainless steel. Plastics such as PVC, PE and PP are normally adequate.
3. Day tanks - Normally polymer solutions should not be stored for longer than 24 hours. Twelve hours is considered the maximum time for certain polymers. High concentration solutions resist degradation better than lower strengths.
4. Storage temperatures - High ambient temperatures (in excess of 100⁰ F) can cause polymer degradation. Freeze protection should be provided for all neat and diluted polymers. Normally, Tramfloc formulations exhibit effective freeze-thaw stability and recovery.
5. Pump selection - Normally, gear, diaphragm, and progressive cavity pumps perform well in handling neat polymer and its solutions.
6. Feed system design - Bench tests and in-plant evaluations should be performed before a Tramfloc Polymizer system is installed.
7. Diluting Polymers
   
         Polymer Form                    Primary Makeup                     Application
                                                       Concentration                    Concentration
   
        Coagulant                                        na                                       1-10%
        Liquid flocculant                           5-20                                     0.5-5%
        Emulsion flocculant                   0.5-2.0%                                0.05-0.5%
        Dry flocculant                            0.1-0.8%                                0.01-0.3%