Inclined-plate clarifiers for water treatment, mining and industrial process water. Engineer-specified, fabricated in HDPE and polypropylene.
Industrial Plastics designs and fabricates custom Lamella Clarifier modules in HDPE (PE100) and polypropylene (PP-H) for water treatment plants, mining process water, food & beverage effluent, and industrial wastewater clarification. Each module is sized to your influent characteristics, flow rate, solids loading, particle settling velocity and target effluent quality.
Brisbane workshop, since 1971. ISO 9001:2015 certified by SGS. Tanks designed to DVS 2205 and welded to DVS 2207 by qualified welders. Reference installations include council water treatment plants, blue-chip mining operations and industrial process facilities across Australia.
How a lamella clarifier works
A Lamella (or inclined-plate) clarifier separates suspended solids from a liquid stream by gravity, using a stack of parallel plates inclined at typically 55 to 60°. Water flows upward between the plates; solid particles settle onto each plate surface and slide down to a collection sump under gravity, while clarified water exits at the top through a launder.
The geometry multiplies the effective settling area: the projected horizontal footprint of each inclined plate adds to the total settling capacity. A Lamella module with 30 to 50 plates can deliver the equivalent settling area of a conventional clarifier 5 to 10× the footprint, the reason they’re specified where space is constrained or capital cost matters.
The engineering parameters that matter
- Plate angle, typically 55° (steeper angle = better self-cleaning, larger footprint per plate; shallower = more compact but solids may build up).
- Surface overflow rate (SOR), the design flow per unit projected horizontal area. Driven by the slowest-settling particle you need to capture.
- Plate spacing, 50 to 100 mm typical. Closer = more area per module but higher fouling risk; wider = robust but larger.
- Plate count and module height, sized to deliver the required total settling area for your flow.
- Inlet distribution, even feed flow across all plates. Unequal distribution short-circuits the unit.
- Sludge sump & underflow, conical or pyramid hopper geometry; thickened sludge concentration target dictates underflow rate.
From the workshop
Configurations we fabricate
- Modular HDPE clarifiers, Free-standing modules in PE100 black, sized to your water-treatment plant footprint. Self-supporting frame, integrated launder, sludge hopper.
- Polypropylene clarifiers, PP-H for higher-temperature service or specific chemical compatibility (acidic effluent, hot CIP wash water, brewery effluent).
- Steel-framed plate packs, Plate-pack inserts in galvanised or stainless steel frames, dropped into existing concrete or steel clarifier vessels, capacity upgrade without replacing the basin.
- Skid-mounted units, Complete clarifier on a skid with feed pump, dosing point, sludge pump and instrument panel, truck-deliverable for rapid deployment.
Standard features
- HDPE PE100 or PP-H plates and structure, fabricated to DVS 2207.
- Backing rings (galvanised or stainless) on all flanged connections.
- Inlet flow distributor designed to your influent flow profile.
- Spark testing on every weld; hydrostatic test for liquid-tight verification.
- Steel mounting frames, lifting lugs, transport bracing for site delivery.
- Optional: integrated coagulation/flocculation chambers, dosing nozzles, sample taps, viewing windows.
Standards and compliance, at a glance
Compliance
- DVS 2205, thermoplastic tank design (German engineering standard)
- DVS 2207, HDPE and PP weld procedures and welder qualification (German plastics welding standard).
- ISO 9001:2015, quality management system, certified by SGS.
- AS/NZS 4766, polyethylene storage tanks for water and chemicals (where the clarifier vessel falls under tank specification).
- AS/NZS 4020, products in contact with drinking water (potable applications).
- Material certificates and weld traceability supplied as part of the project documentation.
Sectors we serve
We fabricate for water treatment, mining, food processing and energy. Each industry page sets out the scope we deliver, the standards that apply and named project examples. For the full list, see Industries we serve.
Representative projects
3 × HDPE Lamella Clarifier Modules, Northgate, Queensland
- Material, HDPE Black PE100
- Plate angle, 60°
- Module dimensions, 2.4 m L × 2.0 m H × 1.4 m W
- Quantity, 3 modules
- Sector, Water Treatment
- Location, Northgate, Queensland
Frequently asked questions
The inclined plates multiply the settling area. The effective area is the plate area projected onto the horizontal, summed across every plate, so a module of 30 to 50 plates can match a conventional clarifier several times its footprint. That is why lamella units suit space-constrained sites.
By the surface overflow rate, the flow divided by the effective plate area, set to the settling characteristics of your solids. Finer, slower-settling particles need a lower rate and more plate area; heavier solids allow a higher rate. We size the plate count, angle and spacing from your flow and an influent analysis (TSS and particle size distribution).
Plates are inclined at around 55 to 60 degrees so settled sludge slides down and the stack self-cleans. Spacing is commonly 50 to 100 mm, chosen from the solids loading. Closer spacing gives more area; wider spacing suits heavier or stickier solids.
Often, yes. Fine and colloidal particles settle far better after coagulation and flocculation, which build larger, denser floc. For potable and many industrial duties the lamella clarifier sits downstream of dosing and flocculation. Send your water analysis and we will advise.
A lamella clarifier reaches high clarification in a fraction of the footprint and handles variable, fine solids well. A conventional clarifier can suit very high or coarse solids loadings. For light, very fine solids or fats, oils and grease, dissolved air flotation may be the better fit. We will tell you honestly which suits your stream.
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