Cationic Polyacrylamide For Wastewater Treatment
Cationic polyacrylamide is a water-soluble linear high-molecular-weight polyelectrolyte, a commonly used polymeric flocculant in industrial and municipal water treatment, especially excelling in sludge dewatering. Its molecular chain contains abundant cationic active groups, enabling it to rapidly capture negatively charged suspended colloids, organic pollutants, and fine impurities in water, effectively achieving turbidity removal, decolorization, and solid-liquid separation.
Our company specializes in high-quality cationic polyacrylamide powder products directly from our factory, covering a full molecular weight range of 3 million to 28 million, with an adjustable degree of hydrolysis from 0% to 45%. We can precisely customize products to suit different water quality conditions, sludge characteristics, and treatment processes. The powder is uniform in texture, high in purity, dissolves without residue, exhibits rapid flocculation, produces dense flocs, and demonstrates excellent settling performance.
10–80%
Charge Density
5–12 M
Molecular weight
1–10
mg/L typical DAF dose
≤5%
Acrylamide Monomer
3–12
kg/t DS dewatering
Why choose Hangrui as a cationic polyacrylamide supplier?
Henan Hangrui Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd, specialized in developing and manufacturing Polyacrylamide (PAM) for industrial wastewater treatment, municipal wastewater treatment, petroleum industry, iron and steel industry, printing and dyeing industry etc. Polyaluminium Chloride (PAC) for mineral processing, paper making, coal washing, sand washing etc. Flocculants and all kinds of Sewage Treatment Products.
- Large-scale automated PAM production line
- Free water and mud sample testing and chemical selection
- 20 years experiences
- Bulk Stock, Fast Shipping
- NSF/REACH/ISO
Cationic PAM Charge Density Selection Guide
Principle overview: Charge density is the core performance indicator for cationic flocculants. The higher the concentration of colloids and organic matter in wastewater, the greater the positive charge demand of the system. There is an inherent trade-off for cationic polymers: higher charge density generally corresponds to shorter molecular chains (lower molecular weight), as these two parameters restrict each other during chemical synthesis. For challenging treatment scenarios, a two-stage dosing strategy can be adopted: first add high-charge cationic polymer to neutralize negative colloidal charges, then use high-molecular-weight anionic polymer for floc bridging.
| Charge Grade | Molecular Weight Range | Suitable Application Scenarios | Recommended Dosing Rate |
| Low Charge 10–20% | 10–12 million | Low organic-load wastewater, paper mill rinse water, primary sludge dewatering | DAF flotation: 1~3 mg/LSludge dewatering: 3~5 kg per ton of dry solids |
| Medium Charge 30–40% | 8–12 million | Combined primary & secondary sludge, food processing wastewater, standard dissolved air flotation (DAF) | DAF flotation: 2~5 mg/LSludge dewatering: 5~8 kg per ton of dry solids |
| High Charge 50–60% | 6–10 million | Biochemical waste activated sludge, livestock & abattoir wastewater treatment | DAF flotation: 3~8 mg/LSludge dewatering: 7~10 kg per ton of dry solids |
| Ultra-High Charge 65–80% | 5–8 million | Anaerobic digested sludge, wastewater with high surfactant content, high-strength abattoir effluent | DAF flotation: 5~10 mg/LSludge dewatering: 9~12 kg per ton of dry solids |
Cationic Polyacrylamide Technical Parameters
| Product Name | Cationic Polyacrylamide | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cas No. | 9003-05-8 | |||||||||
| Appearance | Off-white Granular Powder | |||||||||
| Product Code | HRFLOC C8010 | HRFLOC C8024 | HRFLOC C8040 | HRFLOC C8038 | HRFLOC C8060 | HRFLOC C8058 | HRFLOC C8070 | HRFLOC C8088 | HRFLOC C8049 | HRFLOC C8065 |
| Charge Density | Very Low | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | High | High | Very High | Ultra High |
| Molecular Weight | Medium | Medium | High | High | High | High | High | Very High | Very High | Ultra High |
| Solid Content(%) | ≥90 | |||||||||
| Acrylamide Monomer(%) | ≤0.05 | |||||||||
| PH 1% Soulution | 4-6 | |||||||||
| Dissolution Time(mins) | ≤90 | |||||||||
Cationic Polyacrylamide Product List
Zetag 7557 Equivalent Replacement | Medium Molecular Weight Medium‑High Cationic PAM Flocculant
Zetag 7557 is a medium‑molecular‑weight, medium‑high cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) microbead flocculant, part of former BASF/Solenis Zetag range. Microbead granules feature fast dissolution, specially developed for mechanical sludge dewatering, especially screw press applications. Widely used for municipal biological sludge, paper sludge and chemical organic sludge conditioning & dewatering.
View MoreZetag 8125 Replacement | Medium Charge Cationic Polyacrylamide | Municipal Biochemical Sludge Dewatering Flocculant
Our cationic polyacrylamide (PAM) is a replacement for Zetag 8125 flocculant. It precisely matches the original product’s core parameters of medium charge and high molecular weight, and is designed specifically for municipal wastewater, biological sludge, and general industrial organic wastewater.
View MoreCationic Polyacrylamide Flocculant | Replacement for Zetag 8127 | Industrial Organic Sludge Dewatering
Our low-to-medium charge cationic polyacrylamide is a substitute for Zetag 8127. This product features ultra-high molecular weight, excellent shear resistance, and a wide pH adaptability, making it an ideal choice for dewatering industrial organic wastewater, biochemical sludge, and sludge from papermaking and food processing industries.
View MoreCationic Polyacrylamide Flocculant | Replacement for Zetag 8140 | Municipal & Organic Sludge Dewatering
Our cationic polyacrylamide is a replacement for BASF’s Zetag 8140. With medium to high charge density and high molecular weight, this product is ideal for dewatering municipal wastewater, biological sludge, food processing, and chemical organic wastewater.
View MoreCationic Polyacrylamide | CPAM Poweder for wasterwater Treatment & Sludge Dewatering
Cationic Polyacrylamide (CPAM) is a high-efficiency water-soluble polymer flocculant.Widely used in chemical factory, printing & dyeing, food industry, pharmaceutical plant, municipal sewage treatment projects.
View MoreSludge Dewatering Cationic Polyacrylamide Selection & Dosing Reference
Core Note: All polymer dosages are calculated per tonne of sludge dry solids (DS), not per volume of wet sludge. Centrifugal dewatering generates higher shear force than belt filter presses, so it normally requires higher polymer dosage to achieve comparable cake solids content.
| Sludge Category | Polyacrylamide Dose, kg active/t DS | Recommended Charge Density | Attainable Cake Dry Solids |
| Primary sludge for belt press | 3–5 | 20–35% | 22–28% |
| DAF floated sludge from food manufacturing | 4–7 | 30–45% | 18–25% |
| Combined primary & waste activated sludge (WAS), belt press | 5–8 | 40–55% | 18–24% |
| Waste activated sludge, belt filter press | 7–10 | 50–65% | 14–20% |
| Waste activated sludge, centrifuge | 8–12 | 55–75% | 16–22% |
| Anaerobically digested sludge, centrifuge | 9–12 | 65–80% | 20–26% |
| Mineral / inorganic sludge | 1–3 | Anionic polymer recommended | 35–55% |
Calculation Example
Suppose a belt press processes 20 m³/h of sludge with 3% solids concentration. Dry solids load = 600 kg DS/h. At a dosage of 8 kg active polymer per ton DS, the hourly consumption of active polymer equals 4.8 kg/h.
Cationic Polyacrylamide (CPAM) Full Industry Application Classification Table
This table lists typical application scenarios of Cationic Polyacrylamide (CPAM) across different industries. CPAM is widely used for organic wastewater flocculation, sludge dewatering and special process solid-liquid separation. Please note that polymer selection should be confirmed by jar tests according to actual water quality conditions.
| Industry Field | Specific Application Category | Detailed Application Function |
| Pharmaceutical Industry | Wastewater Treatment | Flocculate and remove organic suspended solids and colloidal pollutants in pharmaceutical wastewater, improve water clarity and effluent quality |
| Brewing Industry | Wastewater Treatment | Treat high-organic brewing wastewater, flocculate residual fermentation impurities and organic matter, accelerate sedimentation separation |
| Printing & Dyeing | Wastewater Treatment | Remove dye colloids, suspended solids and organic pollutants in printing and dyeing wastewater, reduce wastewater chroma and pollution load |
| Leather Industry | Wastewater Treatment | Flocculate organic impurities and fine suspended matter in tanning wastewater, realize solid-liquid separation and standard discharge |
| Refineries | Wastewater Treatment | Treat oily and organic refinery wastewater, adsorb and flocculate oil droplets and organic colloids for purification treatment |
| General Industrial Wastewater | Biological Sludge Treatment & Sludge Dewatering | Neutralize negative charges of industrial biological sludge, form dense shear-resistant flocs, significantly improve sludge dewatering efficiency, reduce sludge moisture content |
| Municipal Wastewater | Sludge Treatment & Water Purification | 1. Primary & secondary sludge treatment and deep dewatering 2. Efficient phosphate removal from municipal water 3. Improve overall sewage treatment efficiency |
| Drinking Water | Water Purification Auxiliary | Replace and reduce the dosage of aluminum salt coagulants, reduce residual aluminum in drinking water, improve water safety and purification effect |
| Mining (Copper / Iron / Gold Mine etc.) | Mine Sludge Dewatering / Special Acidic Slurry Treatment | Main mineral thickening normally uses Anionic PAM. CPAM applies to dewatering of neutralized metal hydroxide sludge and mine biological sludge |
| Pulp & Paper | White Water Recovery Treatment | Realize white water recovery and recycling in papermaking process, flocculate fine pulp fibers and suspended solids, save water resources |
| Titanium Dioxide Industry | Sedimentation, Primary Filtration | Accelerate sedimentation of titanium dioxide slurry, assist primary filtration and purification of production wastewater and slurry |
| Dairy Production | Waste Liquid Biological Treatment, Sludge Treatment | 1. Biological treatment and purification of dairy waste liquid with high protein and organic content 2. Dewatering and reduction of dairy organic sludge |
Note: For most mining mineral slurry thickening & tailings sedimentation, Anionic PAM is the preferred polymer. Cationic PAM is mainly used for sludge dewatering of mine wastewater treatment station, not conventional ore slurry thickening.
Comparison of Cationic, Anionic and Nonionic Polyacrylamide (PAM)
Quick Selection Summary
- High sediment & turbidity, sedimentation required → Choose Anionic PAM
- High organic content, sludge dewatering, biological sludge → Choose Cationic PAM
- Acidic water, low temperature, complex difficult wastewater → Choose Nonionic PAM
| Comparison Item | Anionic Polyacrylamide (APAM) | Cationic Polyacrylamide (CPAM) | Nonionic Polyacrylamide (NPAM) |
| Charge Property | Negatively charged, abundant anionic active groups on molecular chains | Positively charged, strong charge neutralization capability | Electrically neutral with no obvious positive or negative charge |
| Core Advantages | Long molecular chains, strong bridging effect, fast sedimentation rate and cost-effective | Excellent charge neutralization; high capture capacity for organic colloids and fine suspended solids | Stable performance under temperature and pH variations; compact and tough flocs |
| Applicable Water Quality | Neutral or slightly alkaline water; wastewater rich in inorganic substances, sediment and high turbidity | Wastewater and sludge with abundant organic contaminants, microbes and negatively charged fine colloids | Acidic / weakly acidic water, low-temperature & low-turbidity water, high-salinity and complicated wastewater |
| Main Application Scenarios | Clarification of industrial wastewater, coal washing, sand washing, mine drainage, electroplating & chemical wastewater, raw water pretreatment, air flotation | Dewatering of biological sludge, slaughterhouse, food processing, livestock breeding, municipal sewage and paper mill sludge, organic wastewater flocculation | Acidic wastewater treatment, metallurgical wastewater, sugar industry, leather industry, low-temperature water clarification, removal of special colloids |
| Treatment Characteristics | Generates large flocs with fast settling speed, mainly for high turbidity and high suspended solids containing sediment | Neutralizes negatively charged organic colloids effectively; good water locking performance, achieves high dryness of dewatered sludge | Strong tolerance to fluctuating water conditions; flocs are resistant to breaking; suitable for tough cases where anionic / cationic PAM fail |
| Molecular Weight Range | Medium to high molecular weight (8 – 20 million) | Medium to low molecular weight (5 – 12 million), adjustable charge density | Medium to low molecular weight (4 – 12 million) |
| Limitations & Unsuitable Cases | Not ideal for dewatering sludge with high organic content or strongly acidic media | Low cost performance for sediment/inorganic wastewater; overdosing leads to re-dissolution | Higher cost for ordinary neutral high-turbidity wastewater; slower sedimentation compared to anionic PAM |
Cationic Polyacrylamide Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the shelf life of cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM)?
A: Solid powder CPAM has a 24-month shelf life in sealed, cool, dry and ventilated storage away from sunlight, high heat and humidity.
Q: What is the core factor to select cationic polyacrylamide for sludge dewatering?
A: Charge density is the primary parameter for cationic polyacrylamide. Higher organic and colloid loads in sludge require CPAM with higher charge density to neutralize negative surface charges of sludge particles. Molecular weight is secondary, and there is a natural trade-off: higher charge density usually comes with lower molecular weight.
Q: What is the difference between belt press and centrifuge when dosing CPAM?
A: Centrifuges generate stronger shear force during dewatering. For the same type of sludge, centrifugal systems normally need higher polymer dosage and often prefer CPAM with higher charge density, compared with belt filter presses. Belt presses are less sensitive to shear and can work well with medium charge grades.
Q: When should I pick anionic PAM instead of cationic PAM?
A: Anionic polyacrylamide is the preferred option for mineral sludge and inorganic sludge with low organic content. These sludge particles carry positive surface charges, so anionic polymer can deliver good flocculation at much lower dosage.