Method for liquid-solid separation

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for flocculating solid particles in a liquid-solid separation process. The method comprises obtaining a suspension of solid particles suspended in a continuous aqueous phase, and obtaining cationized cellulose, which has a charge density of at least 1.5 meq/g dry, measured at pH 4, and a 2% salt viscosity of at least 50 mPas. The cationized cellulose is subjected at a process concentration to a process shear force in a high shear step, wherein the process shear force corresponds or is larger than a default shear force which produces an increase in the 2% salt viscosity of the cationized cellulose by at least a factor of 2. After the high shear step the cationized cellulose is brought into a contact with the suspension of solid particles and flocculating the solid particles; and the flocculated solid particles are separated from the continuous aqueous phase in a dewatering step.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.