ANALYSIS OF ELECTROSTATIC PROPERTIES OF POLYSTYRENE FOAM FILTRATION MEDIA

The relevance of research. The analysis of the aqueous suspension filtration initial stage through clean polystyrene foam filtration media carried out. Such feature of its work as hydro-sorting is considered. The degree of imbalance and interaction with other electrostatic systems in aqueous suspension determines the layer of potential-forming ions, which is formed around the core of the system. It determines system's sign and most of the electrical double layer charge. It is usually determined using a physical quantity such as electrostatic or ζ-potential. The aim of this work is to determine the electrostatic properties of polystyrene foam granules and the degree of influence on the process of retaining various nature colloidal particles on their surface when filtering an aqueous suspension through them. Research results. The relationship between the sizes of polystyrene foam granules and the concentrations of electrostatic charge on their surface analyzed. Using the Poison-Boltzmann theory, a relationship between an electrostatic charge and an electric double layer of polystyrene foam granules in aqueous suspension showed. The importance of the ζ-potential researching for controlling of colloidal suspensions filtering process substantiated. The electrostatic properties of different morphology colloids studied. Analysis of research data confirms the hypothesis of a very close connection between the various morphologies colloids ζ-potential magnitude and their electric double layer interaction force with electric double layer of polystyrene foam granules in an aqueous suspension. This means that the polystyrene foam filter “charging” time is closely connected to the values of colloids ζ-potential in the filtered aqueous suspension. Conclusions. The initial filtration stage through clean polystyrene foam media is significantly different from the main stage of filtration due to the electrostatic interaction forces predominance. The time difference of the colloidal crusts complete formation completion on polystyrene foam granules of different diameters is so insignificant that it can be neglected and this time is considered the same for polystyrene foam granules of different diameters. Regardless of the origin nature, the retention intensity of the colloids by polystyrene foam filtration media granules and, consequently, the polystyrene filter “charging” time is directly depends on their z-potential value.