MODELING AND NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THE INDUCED AIR FLOTATION PROCESS IN PRODUCED WATER TREATMENT

This work presents the development and numerical analysis of a phenomenological model for Induced Air Flotation (IAF) under continuous operation in a Compact Flotation Unit (CFU) applied to produced water (PW) treatment. Based on mass balances and the incorporation of hydrodynamic effects and operational control, the model adequately reproduces both the transient regime and the steady state operation. Step perturbations in the gas injection flow rate, which affect bubble generation, reveal high sensitivity in separation efficiency and strong predictive capability.