Flocculant selection starts with the feed and the separation duty. These three tables compare 26 water, wastewater, sludge and process duties. Drinking-water clarification, sugar-juice clarification, paper retention and mineral-processing circuits are identified separately: they are not all wastewater. Use this static chart to frame a trial plan, or the PAM selector for interactive product routing.
The charge windows and chemical quantities are author-selected examples of trial-plan inputs, not measured industry ranges, recommended operating doses or ChinaPAM grade specifications. Start from the actual feed, applicable product documents and a qualified test protocol; the suitable candidate or dose may fall outside an example bracket. The sources below support the selection principles and stated exceptions, not every numeric cell.
Example charge values use mol% of charged repeat units; a supplier's wt%, meq/g or proprietary charge class is a different basis. Unless a cell says otherwise, liquid-duty PAM is mg active polymer/L of feed water, sludge is kg active polymer/t dry solids (DS), mining slurry is g active polymer/t DS, paper retention is kg active polymer/t dry paper, and wash water is g active polymer/m³ water. The potable-water cell instead uses supplied-product mass and its specific maximum-use gate. Coagulant and decolorant mg/L examples use supplied-product mass: record strength and chemistry. PAC here means polyaluminum chloride, not powdered activated carbon. “Not included” means omitted from this example, not forbidden or unnecessary at every plant.
| Stream / duty | Example feed character | Example PAM candidates (charge: mol%) | Coagulant / pre-treatment option to verify | Example PAM dose bracket / basis | Equipment to verify |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal primary clarifier | Mixed organic / inorganic; verify charge demand | Anionic 20–30 mol%, medium–high MW | FeCl₃ or PAC: 10–40 mg supplied product/L, if included in the trial | 0.3–1.5 mg active polymer/L water | Clarifier |
| Activated sludge dewatering | Biological solids; measure DS and charge demand | Cationic 45–60 mol% | Compare with and without a qualified coagulant, if needed | 5–15 kg active polymer/t DS | Belt press / centrifuge; verify shear and capture |
| Digested sludge | Digestate composition and alkalinity vary | Cationic 60–75 mol% as an example; also screen lower charge where justified | FeCl₃ only if the site programme qualifies it | 8–15 kg active polymer/t DS | Centrifuge / screw press; test actual digestate |
| Drinking-water clarification (potable-water duty) | Colloidal turbidity | Anionic or nonionic only if the exact product is approved for this use | PAC: 10–40 mg supplied product/L only within its approval and trial protocol | 0.3–2 mg supplied PAM product/L is an example only: cap at the product's approved maximum and the applicable monomer × dose limit; use a lower bracket if required | Clarifier; no generic potable certification claim |
| Food processing DAF (meat, dairy) | Fat and protein; verify actual charge demand | Cationic 50–80 mol% | Compare PAC with no added coagulant where the trial protocol permits | 3–10 mg active polymer/L wastewater | DAF |
| Brewery / beverage | Yeast and organic solids | Cationic 30–50 mol% | PAC: 20–50 mg supplied product/L for the liquid-duty example | Liquid DAF example: 2–6 mg active polymer/L. Belt-press sludge conditioning: establish a separate kg active polymer/t DS result | DAF / belt press: different test duties |
| Sugar juice clarification (process duty) | Bagacillo and colloidal gums | Anionic 10–20 mol%, medium MW; verify authorization for the exact food/process use | Lime only under the qualified clarification process | 2–5 mg active polymer/L juice as a trial-plan example, subject to the intended-use maximum | Juice clarifier; not a wastewater duty |
| Palm oil mill effluent | Oil, fibre and high COD; PAM separation does not itself prove COD compliance | Cationic 40–60 mol% | PAC or no added coagulant, as qualified by testing | Liquid separation example: 5–20 mg active polymer/L. For sludge-fed decanter conditioning, report a separate DS-based dose | Decanter / DAF: identify the actual feed |
| Slaughterhouse / rendering | Blood, fat and protein | Cationic 60–80 mol% | PAC only if the actual DAF programme requires it | 5–20 mg active polymer/L wastewater | DAF |
| Stream / duty | Example feed character | Example PAM candidates (charge: mol%) | Coagulant / pre-treatment option to verify | Example PAM dose bracket / basis | Equipment to verify |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Textile dyeing / printing | Dye, fibre and surfactant; assess colour removal separately | Anionic 20–30 mol%, medium MW | Decolorant: 100–500 mg supplied product/L plus PAC is a trial example; chemistry, strength and colour response must be checked | 1–5 mg active polymer/L wastewater | Clarifier / DAF |
| Paper machine retention (process duty) | Fibre fines and fillers | Cationic 10–30 mol%; MW example: 8–12 million Da, with method declared | Qualified bentonite or colloidal-silica microparticle programme [2]; PAC, if used as a coagulant/fixative, is a separate component | 0.2–1 kg active polymer/t dry paper | Wire section; qualify addition sequence and shear |
| Paper mill effluent / deinking | Fibre, ink and fillers | Anionic 20–30 mol% or cationic approximately 20 mol%, as separate candidates | PAC where the DAF test demonstrates a need | 1–3 mg active polymer/L wastewater | DAF |
| Electroplating / metal finishing | Metal hydroxides; identify metals and complexants | Anionic 25–40 mol%, medium MW | Lime/NaOH precipitation with optional FeCl₃: pH 8.5–9.5 is only a planning example, not a universal metal-removal setpoint | Clarification example: 1–5 mg active polymer/L. Filter-press sludge conditioning: establish a separate kg active polymer/t DS result | Clarifier / filter press: separate liquid and sludge duties |
| Tannery | Protein and chromium-bearing solids; identify chromium chemistry | Clarifier: anionic 20–30 mol%; sludge: cationic 50–70 mol%, as separate candidates | Qualified lime plus FeCl₃/PAC programme; verify the relevant removal endpoint | Clarification example: 2–8 mg active polymer/L. Belt-press sludge conditioning: establish a separate kg active polymer/t DS result | Clarifier / belt press |
| Pharmaceutical biological sludge | Biological solids; test actual wastewater-derived sludge | Cationic 40–60 mol% | Optional, only if the treatment programme qualifies it | 6–12 kg active polymer/t DS | Centrifuge |
| Oilfield produced water | Oil droplets, fines and high salinity | Cationic 10–30 mol% or a qualified specialty candidate | Polyamine coagulant as a separate screening option | 2–10 mg active polymer/L produced water | DAF / induced-gas flotation (IGF) |
| Steel mill scale water | Iron oxide and oil; measure feed variation | Anionic 15–25 mol%, high MW | No coagulant included, or PAC as a separate comparison | 1–3 mg active polymer/L water | Clarifier |
| Stream / duty | Example feed character | Example PAM candidates (charge: mol%) | Coagulant / pre-treatment option to verify | Example PAM dose bracket / basis | Equipment to verify |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coal preparation tailings | Fine coal and clay | Anionic 10–20 mol%, high MW | No coagulant included; compare a qualified cationic co-flocculant for ultrafines if needed | 10–50 g active polymer/t DS | Thickener / filter press; qualify each duty |
| Copper / gold flotation tailings (process duty) | Silicates and sulfides; plant chemistry varies | Anionic 20–30 mol%, very high MW | No coagulant included in this example | 20–60 g active polymer/t DS | Tailings thickener |
| Gold CIL / acidic mine water (two distinct cases) | CIL slurry and acid mine drainage (AMD) have different process chemistry; do not share a pH rule | CIL: site-specific candidate; AMD: nonionic or anionic 5–15 mol% as examples | CIL: retain qualified flowsheet conditions. AMD: lime and pH 7–9 are only a test-planning example; metal-specific targets decide the treatment | CIL example: 20–60 g active polymer/t DS. AMD liquid example: 1–5 mg active polymer/L | CIL thickener / AMD clarifier: test separately |
| Iron ore tailings (process duty) | Hematite / magnetite fines | Anionic 15–25 mol%, high MW | No coagulant included in this example | 15–40 g active polymer/t DS | Tailings thickener |
| Bauxite red mud (Bayer process duty) | Alkaline, fine red mud; identify the Bayer stage and liquor chemistry | Stage-qualified high-MW anionic or hydroxamated candidate [3]; a generic APAM label is insufficient | No additional coagulant included in this example | 50–150 g active polymer/t DS as an author-selected trial bracket, not a supplier product dose | Washer train; qualify the specific settler/washer stage |
| Sand and aggregate wash water | Silt and clay | Anionic 10–20 mol%, high MW | No coagulant included in this example | 2–8 g active polymer/m³ water. Sludge conditioning, if tested, requires its own DS-based dose | Thickener / filter press: identify liquid and sludge duties |
| TBM / piling bentonite slurry | Bentonite and excavated fines | Anionic 20–30 mol%, ultra-high MW as a screening example | No coagulant included; compare PAC for fine-clay separation only if qualified by testing | 50–150 g active polymer/t DS | Desanding / filter-press train; polymer addition point is site-specific |
| Dredged sediment (geotube) | Organic silt with variable charge demand | Compare a single high-MW anionic candidate with a qualified dual programme including cationic 20–40 mol%; do not assume simultaneous mixing | No additional coagulant included; lock the sequence for any dual-polymer trial | 100–300 g total active polymer/t DS. If dual, record the separate component doses and their sum | Geotube; verify fabric drainage, filtrate and solids capture |
| Stone cutting / marble slurry | Calcium carbonate fines | Anionic 10–20 mol%, high MW | No coagulant included in this example | 20–80 g active polymer/t DS | Clarifier / filter press; qualify each duty |
Four questions that decide the grade
Published manufacturer guidance confirms that sludge composition changes polymer requirements. For example, Kemira describes approximately 5–15 kg active polymer/t DS as an average context for digested-sludge dewatering, with results outside that range possible; primary-rich digestate can need lower charge than bio-rich digestate [1]. That example does not verify the activated-sludge row, make 60–75 mol% mandatory, or establish a ChinaPAM specification.
- What are the feed solids and water chemistry? Use them to shortlist anionic, cationic and nonionic candidates, then verify on the actual sample.
- How much organic matter and charge demand are present? Use measured feed information to select charge-density candidates.
- What separates the solids? Record the equipment and shear/mixing conditions; do not assign one MW class to every centrifuge or filter press.
- What is the removal target? Verify whether coagulation or another pre-treatment is needed for colour, colloids, dissolved contaminants or phosphate.
Matching an existing branded flocculant
For a branded incumbent such as FLOPAM, Zetag, Magnafloc, Superfloc or Praestol, record the complete model, suffix and form. Use the documented brand-equivalent library as a candidate-screening route, then confirm the grade and performance on the actual feed. A general charge/MW class does not prove exact equivalence.
Brand Equivalents by Application
If you already use a named flocculant for one of the duties in the chart, start from the matching page below. Each page explains its documented grade-identification or alternative-screening route.
Mining and mineral processing
- SENFLOC 2550 equivalent — mining flocculant screening
- SENFLOC 5210 equivalent — mining flocculant screening
- Rheomax DR 1050 equivalent — anionic PAM screening
- Magnafloc 525 alternative — anionic PAM trial screening
Paper-machine and bead-grade enquiries
- FLOSTRENGTH RSB & RSP 9100 equivalent — paper-machine grades
- FLOBEADS AB equivalent — bead-to-powder route
- FLOBEADS KB 6 equivalent — cationic PAM powder route
Nonionic grades and other screening enquiries
- FLOPAM EM 230 alternative — nonionic PAM screening
- Superfloc N-1986 alternative — PAM screening plan
- FLOPAM FA 920 VHM equivalent — nonionic PAM supply route
Emulsion grades
- FLOPAM EM 532 alternative — anionic emulsion selection
- FLOPAM EM 640 CT alternative — powder conversion
- FLOPAM EM 430 alternative — low-charge route screening
Not sure which grade you need? Send us your current product name and application and we will suggest a screening route.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know whether to use an anionic or cationic flocculant?
Use feed solids, water chemistry and separation objectives to shortlist candidates; then compare them on the actual sample. A trial point such as 2 mg active polymer/L is only a defined liquid-wastewater example if the qualified protocol permits it. It is not a default for potable water, sludge or dry-solids duties.
Do I always need a coagulant before polyacrylamide?
It depends on the feed and removal target. Verify a suitable coagulant or other pre-treatment where needed; do not assume PAM alone addresses every dissolved contaminant or that a particle-size cutoff decides the whole treatment programme.
Can one flocculant grade work for the whole plant?
It may suit more than one unit, but each duty needs its own confirmation. Clarification and dewatering can involve different feed conditions, equipment, dose bases and acceptance targets; validate them separately.
Reference boundaries
[1] Kemira: chemical flocculants supports feed-dependent selection and its stated digested-sludge example. The Kemira Water Handbook gives selection and polymer-preparation context. Neither certifies every charge or dose bracket in this chart.
[2] Kemira: retention and drainage identifies polymer systems with silica or bentonite microparticles. It supports the paper-retention distinction, not the chart's numerical recipe.
[3] Solenis: Alclar for alumina refining distinguishes Bayer-process stages. Syensqo: CYFLOC HX-400S identifies a hydroxamate-functional product for red-mud clarification and washing. These are third-party application examples, not ChinaPAM grade claims.
[4] Potable-water use is product- and jurisdiction-specific. US 40 CFR 141.111 combines residual acrylamide and dose, expressed as 0.05% monomer at 1 ppm product dose or an equivalent combination. A chart bracket never overrides an approved maximum use or local certification requirement.
Related
- /tools/pam-selector
- /blog/polyacrylamide-jar-test-procedure
- /solutions
- /products/brand-equivalents
- /blog/anionic-vs-cationic-polyacrylamide
- RFQ specification template
- Polyacrylamide specifications table
- PAM, PAC, alum and ferric comparison
- Polyacrylamide physical and chemical properties
For an application trial, provide feed pH, conductivity, solids or DS, the incumbent grade and dose basis, equipment, and the acceptance targets. Use the RFQ specification template to keep the technical and commercial brief together.