Project Details
Projekt
Nanobubble-induced centrifugal flotation of nanoparticles
Applicant
Professor Dr. Alfred Weber
Subject Area
Mechanical Process Engineering
Term
from 2017 to 2023
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 382064207
The classical froth flotation, which is used for the selective separation of product particles, losses drastically on yield below 10 µm so that new concepts have to be realized for the fine particle range. In the proposed project, a new approach is presented, which is based on the effect that during depressurizing of suspensions nanobubbles are formed on nanoparticles. These nanobubbles should be induced selectively on the surface of nanoparticles and stabilized so that the nanoparticle-nanobubble clusters can be separated simply and slectively in a tubular centrifuge. While the formation of the bubbles depends on structure and chemistry of the particle surface, for the separation also the ratio of bubble volume to particle volume plays a key role. As scientific objective of the first period, the formation of the nanobubbles on structurally and chemically well defined nanoparticles and their behavior in a centrifugal field were investigated. For the second period, the objective is on technical particle systems, which are hydrophobized by the addition of surfactants and which are separated in a centrifuge. Finally, a continuous 2-dimensional separation process according to material and size is intended.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
