Influence of air bubble flow structure on the rate of water purification by the bubble-film extraction method

Bubble-film extraction (upgraded bubble flotation) is one of the modern methods for purifying contaminated water from surface-active impurities. The features of this method have been considered from the standpoints of the equilibrium and dynamics of surfactant accumulation on floated air bubbles with different sizes. Within a certain ratio of dimension and quantity of air bubbles in their stream transferring adsorbed surfactants from the water bulk into the bubble-film extractor, the productivity of the process increases many times. The effect is ensured by a collective fusion of big and small air bubbles in their close-packed state (embedded system) inside the bubble-film extractor. The driving forces are impulses of capillary waves initiated at the bursting of big air bubbles as constituent 'destructive' units of that system.