Dissolved air flotation is a water treatment method that removes oil and non-dissolved solids from water, as one of a number of separation processes. ‘Flotation’ itself is a broader term describing a portfolio of water dispenser with tea pot options for separating suspended particles from liquid for purification purposes.  In the dissolved air flotation process the solute particles are elevated to the liquid’s surface, concentrated, and physically removed from the solvent through mechanical means. Dissolved air flotation is known for its efficiency, speed, and applicability to various industries.

In dissolved air flotation, air is literally dissolved in the water or wastewater under pressure. When the pressure is released, many small, microscopic bubbles form, and water becomes saturated with air. Solute particles attach to the bubbles, which changes their density. The particles’ buoyancy increases, causing the density to be less than that of the surrounding water. The change in density causes the bubbles and particles to rapidly rise to the surface of the water, at which point they can be gathered and discarded with a specialized device that skims the surface of the water.

The remaining water is therefore cleaner and safer for other uses. Dissolved air flotation removes turbidity, suspended particles, and other oils and solids, improving the water’s quality and appearance. The water’s clarity can be increased by up to ninety-nine percent.Dissolved air flotation has many applications in a number of different industries, and is fast becoming broadly accepted by water treatment experts. It is used in treating water and wastewater, particularly the wastewater from food processors, breweries, dairy, meat and poultry, oil refineries, chemical and petrochemical plants, paper mills, natural gas processing plants, and other industrial facilities.  However, dissolved air flotation is also used in standard water treatment, municipal wastewater treatment, and potable water treatment.

It is important to note air is not the only gas capable of inducing flotation.  Other gases induce flotation in select wastewater treatment applications.  For example, in the oil industry, natural gas and nitrogen are used in place of air as a flotation medium, because air would increase the risk of an explosion.  With a little research a versatile dissolved air flotation method can be found which takes into account the needs of different industries.