Residual Flocculant Detection in Opaque Effluent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial processes face challenges in detecting and measuring residual flocculant in opaque effluents due to interference with spectroscopic analysis, as visible light cannot penetrate opaque substances, and high molecular weight flocculants present in excess can render substances unsuitable for reuse.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the separation of phases in a multi-phase substance to isolate the aqueous phase, combining it with a dye of opposite net charge to induce a spectroscopically observable change, allowing for concentration analysis of free flocculant polymer using spectrometry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If spectroscopic analysis is performed on opaque effluent, then the analysis cannot be conducted accurately, but the effluent contains residual flocculant that needs to be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The opaque multi-phase effluent is segmented into separate phases (aqueous phase, organic phase, solid phase) through separation processes. The aqueous phase containing the residual flocculant is isolated for spectroscopic analysis, eliminating the opacity interference from other phases while maintaining detection accuracy.
2Reliability
If high molecular weight flocculants are present in the substance, then the substance becomes unsuitable for industrial reuse, but detecting them in opaque effluent is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A charged dye acts as an intermediary substance that selectively binds to the residual flocculant polymer in the aqueous phase. This binding creates a colored complex that enhances the spectroscopic signal, enabling accurate detection and quantification of the flocculant even at low concentrations that would otherwise be undetectable in the opaque effluent.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate detection and quantification of free flocculant polymer in the aqueous phase, ensuring the substance is suitable for industrial processes by determining acceptable concentration levels, particularly useful in corn to ethanol processing systems.
Implementation Method 1
combining the free flocculant polymer in the aqueous phase and a dye having an opposite net charge than that of the free flocculant polymer, thereby causing a spectroscopically observable change in the aqueous phase
Implementation Method 2
analyzing the aqueous phase via spectrometry to determine the concentration of the free flocculant polymer in the multi-phase substance
Data Source
AI summary
A method of detecting free flocculant polymer having a net charge present in an aqueous phase of a multi-phase substance is provided. The multi-phase substance comprises a solid phase, an organic phase, and the aqueous phase. The method comprises separating the solid phase from the multi-phase substance to form a dual phase top liquid comprising the organic phase and the aqueous phase; separating the organic phase from the dual phase top liquid, leaving the aqueous phase; combining the free flocculant polymer in the aqueous phase and a dye having an opposite net charge than that of the free flocculant polymer, thereby causing a spectroscopically observable change in the aqueous phase; and analyzing the aqueous phase via spectrometry to determine the concentration of the free flocculant polymer in the multi-phase substance.