The procedure is based on micro air bubbles generated by graphite electrodes through electrolysis of water. Diameter of the highly uniform air bubbles is just 1-3 μm, leading to recovery of, e. g., Chlorella up to 95% by flotation. For 1 kg of harvested algae (dry weight), electrolytic flotation consumed only 0.03kWh. At present, QIBEBT’s continuous electrolysis flotation recovery apparatus achieves a throughput of 2000L/h.
CAS QIBEBT news release, August 24, 2016