An overview of oil-water separation using gas flotation systems

Oil concentration levels in municipal waste water effluent streams are stringently regulated in most parts of the world. Apart from municipal waste, stricter oil/grease discharge limits are also enforced in oil and gas sectors as large volumes of produced water is being discharged to open ocean. One of the feasible, practical and established methods to remove oil substances from waste water sources is by gas flotation. In this overview, gas flotation technologies, namely dissolved and induced flotation systems, are discussed. Physico-chemical interaction between oil-water-gas during flotation is also summarized. In addition to a brief review on design advancements in flotation systems, enhancement of flotation efficiency by using pre-treatment methods, particularly coagulation-flocculation, is also presented.