Natural Coagulant
What a natural coagulant is
You are looking at materials that come from nature rather than heavy metals or complex synthetics. A natural coagulant is a plant derived substance used to pull fine particles together so they can settle or be filtered. The classic examples you will see in textbooks include seeds such as moringa, and extracts from bark that contain tannins. The principle is the same whatever the source. A positive charge is introduced, the negative charge around suspended matter is neutralised, and floc forms that you can remove in the next step.
For a modern plant, the appeal is straightforward. You want clarity, consistency, and a simpler chemical footprint. A natural option can help you remove turbidity and colour without dragging pH down or driving up sludge volumes. It is also easier to explain to stakeholders who care about safety, the environment, and the long term story of the site.
Why operators are switching
You have probably used aluminium or ferric salts for years. They do a job, but they carry side effects. You can end up dosing extra caustic to correct the acid load. You can push more sludge than you want to handle. You can introduce corrosion risks around contact points. You may also have questions from customers or regulators about residuals in certain applications.
Natural alternatives remove much of that background noise. They are biodegradable, non toxic in normal use, and kinder to downstream steps. They fit with a shift towards chemicals that support licence conditions and help you meet your own sustainability targets without trading off performance. You still judge them on outcomes first. The difference is how they behave while delivering those outcomes.
How a natural coagulant works
The physics and chemistry are familiar. Colloids and fine particles in water repel one another because they carry a surface charge. A coagulant adds a positive charge, which lets those particles come together. During gentle mixing, they build into floc that is heavy enough to settle or be caught by filters. Natural coagulants do this without the strong acid behaviour you get with some metal salts. That helps preserve alkalinity, calms pH swings through the train, and simplifies life for the biology and membranes that follow.
You still need the fundamentals to be right. Dose must be bracketed for the quality you see, mixing must be correct, and the plant must be run within the window you set. When you do that, you can expect robust floc and steadier downstream performance.
Tannin based options that fit real plants
Tannin comes from bark and other botanical sources. In refined form it is a powerful, plant derived coagulant that feels familiar to operators yet behaves differently where it counts. You dose within a comfortable pH range. You reduce the demand for caustic correction because the chemistry is pH friendly. You often see lower sludge volumes and better dewatering behaviour. You avoid residual concerns linked with some synthetic polymers.
Products based on tannin, such as Tanfloc, are formulated for a mix of duties. They work on colour and fine solids and cope with shifts in organic load that come with seasons and storms. They come in liquid and solid formats so you can match your storage and dosing set up without complex changes. The aim is simple. You keep your current plant. You change what goes in the line and you measure the effect.
Where it belongs in your treatment train
You are not rebuilding your system around a new chemical. You are improving a key step and protecting the rest of the process.
Potable and municipal
You want clear, compliant water at a fair cost. Tannin coagulants form strong floc in the presence of natural organic matter and seasonal algae. By being pH friendly they help preserve alkalinity and ease the load on filters and membranes. That steadies the plant without leaning on corrective dosing.
Food and drink processing
You run DAFs and clarifiers that handle fats, proteins, and variable solids. Tannin chemistry pairs well with this mix. Operators often report consistent floats, calmer pH, and easier handling of skimmings and sludge, especially when the line sees load swings.
Red meat, poultry, and dairy
You face high TSS, COD, colour, and fat loads. Tannin coagulants help you hit consent limits by forming fast settling floc and supporting capture in DAF. The attraction is the chance to cut the total chemical burden while keeping removal where it needs to be.
Mining and industrial water
You manage complex chemistry with tight targets for discharge or reuse. Tannin grades remove colour and suspended solids without forcing pH down. That keeps neutralisation predictable and can reduce corrosion concerns at contact points.
Membrane pretreatment
Membrane life depends on good upstream control. By creating dense, fast settling floc without strong acid behaviour, natural coagulants support pretreatment for reverse osmosis. You aim for lower fouling pressure and fewer alarms when the feed swings.
The process we follow with you
You do not buy a drum. You buy a result. We keep the method clear so you can prove fit on your own water before you commit.
Discovery
You set the objectives, limits, and constraints. We review raw and treated water quality, the current dose plan, mixing conditions, set points, and any risk areas around product, people, or assets. Together we agree the measures that define success, such as turbidity, colour, TSS, COD, phosphorus, and any site specific targets.
Bench screening
We run jar tests with representative samples to find the right grade and bracket an initial dose range. If helpful, we test against your incumbent chemical to give a like for like comparison. You receive a short, clear report with the data and the first draft of a plant trial plan.
Plant trial
You run the natural coagulant on a DAF, clarifier, or line for a defined period. Temporary dosing can be used if needed. We capture dose, pH, temperature, flow, and outcomes at agreed intervals so you can see the impact against baseline. The goal is confidence for your operators and proof you can defend.
Scale and optimise
You move to permanent dosing once the trial ticks your boxes. We work with your team on set up, SOPs, and seasonal tuning. You receive ongoing support through visits and lab checks so the plant stays steady across the year.
Pricing and value without surprises
You pay for outcomes, not marketing. Price per litre is only one line in the story. The real picture sits in dose per kilolitre, any reduction in caustic demand, the sludge you need to handle and cart, and the risk you avoid by keeping the plant calm. We put those numbers on one page with your own data so you can see the net effect.
If you have chased the cheapest line item in the past, this is a shift. It is about the whole chemical burden, the behaviour of your solids, and the time your team spends chasing a moving set point. When quality and cost point the same way, the choice is simple.
Performance, dosing, and compatibility
Natural coagulants perform across a wide range of waters. Typical dose windows are in the tens of milligrams per litre, and you refine them by jar testing and early trial data. Performance is influenced by particle size, temperature, organics, and mixing conditions. When you dial those in, you can remove turbidity effectively and protect downstream steps.
Compatibility is a core reason to trial tannin. A pH friendly profile supports biology, clarifiers, filters, and membranes. Lower corrosivity helps protect assets. Organic solids can support beneficial use routes such as composting or anaerobic digestion where the receiving facility is suitable and the matrix is appropriate. The watch point is the same as with any coagulant. Dose within the window, respect the mixing, and check the response at the plant.
Safety, storage, and handling
Standard chemical safety rules apply. You do not have the same corrosive risk profile as strong acid coagulants. Storage and dosing are familiar to operators and can be set up with existing tanks and pumps in many cases. You will get guidance on storage temperature, line materials, and routine checks so the product stays in good condition and the dose stays consistent.
Service area and support
You want local help when you need it. You will be supported across Perth and the South West, and across the Gold Coast and South East Queensland, with national coverage through the Australian team for other regions. Site visits are arranged to suit your programme. If you prefer a single point of contact, you will have one. If you want direct access to a technical specialist, you will have that too. The aim is clear lines, rapid response, and no fuss.
Straight answers to common questions
Will a natural coagulant replace metal salts in every case. Not always. Your water decides. That is why we test in the lab and on your plant before you change.
Will it increase costs. Not when you count the full picture. Dose, caustic, sludge, and handling all move the needle. We put the numbers together so you can see the net effect.
Is it suitable for potable applications. Yes where it meets the relevant standards and is used within the approved process. We work within your regulatory framework and document the method.
What happens if source water swings quickly. The bench and plant plans bracket dose for likely ranges. Operators receive simple rules for shift conditions so response is fast and repeatable.
Your next step
You do not need a long meeting to find out if this makes sense. Share a recent data set and a short note on your plant and objectives. We will propose a jar testing plan and a simple plant trial structure with dates, measures, and responsibilities. You will know quickly whether this will work for you and what the change looks like in practice.
