Comparison of Dissolved Gas Flotation (DGF) and Induced Gas Flotation (Units)

Dissolved Gas Flotation (DGF) Induced Gas Flotation (IGF)

Advantages
1. Very fine gas bubbles give better oil 1.Lower Capital Cost compared to DGF
removal efficiency
2. Has much lower installed power
requirement
3. Produces less volume of froth (about 2%
of the feed flow)
4. Requires less chemical addition
5. Lower operating cost and maintenance
6. More reliable with respect to treatment
efficiency and performance
Disadvantages
1. Higher Capital Cost compared to IGF 1. Level control failures can cause either
excessive water carryover into the
recovered oil or the water level drops too
low and oil removal drops to zero.
2. Lower oil removal efficiency due to larger
gas bubbles
3. Has higher installed power requirement
4. Produces higher volume of froth
(approximately 5% of the feed flow)
5. Higher operating cost and maintenance
6. Less reliable with respect to treatment
efficiency and performance

Note: The main advantage of DGF over IGF is the relatively gentle method of generating
gas bubbles. A DGF system would be often recommended over an IGF for applications
requiring solids removal. (Extracted from: Section 8.13 of Shell De-Oiling Manual)