Lamella Clarifiers are a type of settling tank built with a series of inclined plates designed to remove solid particles from liquids for clarification. They operate on the fundamental principle of gravity.
When untreated water enters the lamella clarifier from the top and flows down the channel, it passes through the inclined plates, where solids settle on the plates and eventually settle at the bottom. The clarified water then exits the vessel from an outlet stream.
After working closely with industry-leading water treatment companies, Industrial Plastics developed new design variants that differed from their standard all-steel design. We were able to produce a lamella clarifier design that is corrosion resistant and lightweight by moving to a high-density polythene structure with sidewalls reinforced with galvanised steel. This approach provides extra benefits associated with the use of plastic, such as corrosion resistance, design flexibility, and cost savings while maintaining the same structural strength as a steel design.
Improvement in process characteristics of the clarifier
The iterative design process conducted by in-house engineers and fabricators led to a powerful design with improved efficiency. Improvements include:
- Optimisation of the inclined plates angle with respect to the shape of the vessel to achieve a large effective settling area with a smaller footprint.
- A compact design that allows the clarifier to be located inside which can reduce algae growth and blowing debris accumulation. The UV resistant HDPE fabrication means it can be used outdoors as well.
- The absence of mechanical parts leads to lower maintenance costs, less chances of mechanical failure and improved safety.
- Positioning of clarifier inlets and discharge ports to minimise the re-suspension of solids caused by the turbulence as the water flows into the inclined plates.
Applications
Lamella clarifiers are mainly used within the chemical, mining and water treatment industries. Some of the applications are listed below.
- Ground water treatment
- Industrial process water treatment
- Municipal water treatment systems
- Scrubbing applications
- Raw ore refinement
Why choose us?
Industrial plastics has the expertise to offer a comprehensive package for lamella clarifiers. Our in-house team of engineers and fabricators can assist in the redesign of the steel clarifiers to be suited for plastic fabrication. We’re working on a design with removable lamellar plates that will drastically minimise the cost of maintenance and cleaning.
For more information on our products and services, please contact us via email at [email protected] or call 1300 465 888.