Magnetic Treatment of Oily Waste Water

Abstract

After the addition of potassium chloride (90g) and of various amounts of ferrofluid (0.5∼4.0ml) to 3, 000ml of a kerosene-in-water emulsion containing 1, 000ppm of kerosene, it was treated magnetically in a magnetic field of 462, 871 and 1, 480 Oe. The flow rate of the emulsion was varied from 100 to 600ml/min. The effects of the amount of ferrofluid added, the magnetic field and the flow rate of emulsion on the oil removal efficiency were studied. As a result, the oil removal efficiency increased as the amount of ferrofluid added and the strength of magnetic field increased, but it decreased as the flow rate of emulsion increased. Ferrofluid is a stable colloidal dispersion of magnetic particles (D<150A) whose carrier liquid is kerosene.An equation for oil removal efficiency was theoretically derived. The calculated and measured values of oil removal efficiency are shown.