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Dissolved air flotation (DAF) of iron hydroxide precipitates at working pressures lower than 3 atm, using modified flotation units to improve the collection of fragile coagula, was studied. Conventional DAF flotation was studied as a function of saturation pressure in the absence and presence of surfactants in the saturator. Without surfactants, the minimum saturation pressure required for DAF to occur was found to be 3 atm. But, by lowering the air/water surface tension in the saturator, DAF was possible at a saturation pressure of 2 atm. This behavior was found to occur in both batch and pilot DAF operation tests and almost complete recovery of the precipitates was attained. Results are explained in terms of the minimum "energy" which has to be transferred to the liquid phase to form bubbles by a cavity phenomenon. Further, studies were conducted changing equipment design and feed bubbles size distribution (mixing micro and "mid-sized" bubbles). Thus, bubbles entrance position in the collision-adhesion zone ("capture" zone) was compared to bubble entrance position in the water flow inlet below the floating bed. A "mushroom" type diffuser was used for the "capture zone" experiment and better performance was obtained. Results are explained in terms of different mass transfer phenomena in the collection zone and in the separation zone. Finally, results obtained with the use of a column flotation cell working as normal DAF and with a wide bubble size range are presented. Results indicate good performance and some gains in process kinetics with middle size bubbles.

The removal of nutrients by Scenedesmus sp. in a high-rate algal pond, and subsequent algal separation by coagulation-flocculation or flotation with ozone to recover biomolecules, were evaluated. Cultivation of Scenedesmus sp. in wastewater resulted in complete NH-H removal, plus 93% total nitrogen and 61% orthophosphate removals. Ozone-flotation obtained better water quality results than coagulation-flocculation for most parameters (NH-N, NTK, nitrate and nitrite) except orthophosphate. Ozone-flotation, also produced the highest recovery of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins which were 0.32 ± 0.03, 0.33 ± 0.025 and 0.58 ± 0.014 mg/mg of biomass, respectively. In contrast, there was a low lipid extraction of 0.21 mg of lipids/mg of biomass and 0.12-0.23 mg of protein/mg of biomass in the coagulation-flocculation process. In terms of biomolecule recovery and water quality, ozone showed better results than coagulation-flocculation.

Dissolved Air (Pressure) Flotation-DAF, is a well-established separation process that employs micro-bubbles as a carrier phase. This work shows results concerning bubble generation at low working pressures in modified DAF-units to improve the collection of fragile coagula by bubbles. DAF of Fe (OH)3 (as model) was studied as a function of saturation pressure in the absence and presence of surfactants in the saturator. DAF was possible at 2 atm by lowering the air/water surface tension. This fact, which leads to substantial energy savings, was explained in terms of decreasing the "minimum" energy required for bubble nucleation and cavity in the nozzle. More, bubbles-fragile coagula attachment was improved by dividing the recycling water into two: 1) the inclined inlet to the cell (traditional) and 2) inside the separation tank through a water flow inlet situated below the floating bed using a "mushroom" type diffuser. Because of the reduction observed in the degree of turbulence in the conventional collection zone, DAF performance improved yielding high precipitate recoveries

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