AIR-SPARGED HYDROCYCLONE TECHNOLOGY FOR OIL RECOVERY AND REMOVAL FROM SPILLS AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE WATER

OIL REMOVAL FROM VOLUMINOUS STREAMS IS DIFFICULT. RESEARCH IS BEING CARRIED OUT TO DEVELOP NEW BIOREMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES TO SPEED UP THE DEGRADATION PROCESS FOR THE OIL EMULSIONS AND DISPERSIONS. THE TIME REQUIRED FOR OIL REMOVAL WITH TODAY'S TECHNOLOGIES IS UNACCEPTABLY LONG, POSING AN ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER WHEN AN ACCIDENTAL OIL SPILL OCCURS. A RESEARCH PROJECT TO INVESTIGATE THE FASIBILITY FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE IMPROVED AIR-SPARGED HYDROCYCLONE (ASH) FLOTATION TECHNOLOGY FOR THE RECOVERY AND SEPARATION OF OIL FROM SPILLS AND WASTE WATER IS BEING INVESTIGATED. THE ASH TECHNOLOGY, ESPECIALLY DEVELOPED FOR THE FAST AND EFFICIENT FLOTATION SEPARATION OF FINE PARTICLES, IS FOUND TO BE APPLICABLE IN MANY FIELDS. IT COMBINES THE ADVANTAGES FROM BOTH CONVENTIONAL BYDROCYCLONES AND FROTH FLOTATION INTO A SINGLE PIECE OF EQUIPMEN TAND PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE RAPID SEPARATIONOF DISPOSED OIL FROM SIGNIFICANTLY LARGE WASTE WATER STREAMS WITH A PROVEN PROCESSING CAPACITY OF ABOUT 100-600 TIMES MORE THAN THAT OFFERED BY ANY OTHER FLOTATION EQUIPMENT.