Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF)

Leopold® Clari-DAF™ System Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF)

Operating Principle
Features
A Typical Leopold® Clari-DAF™ System Installation

Operating Principle

Air under pressure is dissolved into water according to Henry's Law of Dissolution. Releasing the pressure back to STP via a special device creates millions of microbubbles approximately 30-100 microns in diameter. The microbubbles attach to floc in the water and float it to the surface for removal.

Features

High Loading Rates	Up to 20 gpm/sf.
Reduced Chemical Comsumption	Formation of a large, rapidly settling floc is not required, saving money.
High Sludge Concentrations	Dewatering can occur without additional thickening, eliminating expensive sludge thickeners.
Rapid Start-Up	Good-quality water can be produced within 45 minutes of start-up.
Compact Design	Requires less space than conventional processes.

Typical Leopold® Clari-DAF Installation

Click on drawing callouts for a description of each Leopold Technology component.

Click here for more information on the Leopold® Clari-DAF™ System.

Packed Tower Saturator
	The heart of the Clari-DAF system process. Air is introduced to a recycle stream under pressure in the tower saturator. The saturated solution is then piped into the process tank where microbubbles are released as the solution is exposed to a sudden pressure drop.

Bubble-Generating Nozzles
	The air-water solution created in the tower saturator is piped into the process tank where it is injected through dispersion valves, or bubble-generating nozzles. The sudden pressure drop releases microbubbles.

Base Laterals
	Clarified water is drawn from the Clari-DAF system tank through underflow collectors located at the bottom of the basin. Each lateral is sized and slotted for an even draw-off.

Skimmer
	Floating microbubble floc is removed mechanically with a skimmer that pushes it up and over an inclined sludge beach at the effluent end of the Clari-DAF system tank.