Sedimentation-units can be equiped with or without platepacks. The use of plate settlers (model and shape) is determined by different variables such as:
The settling rate of the particles.
To increase the efficiency and/or settlingrate, a coagulation/flocculation system can be placed before the sedimentation-unit.
The AAQUA SED is usually preceeded by a flocculator. This allows possible addition of flocculant in order to obtain a better precipitable flake and homogenization of the inflowing water.
Then the water flows under the plate package, so most of the settleable solids descend in the sludge cone. This will reduce the risk of contamination of the plate package.
The water then flows upwards between the laminar plates. Finer and difficult precipitable particles will be separated here and settle into the sludge cone. A controlled valve is opened here on a regular basis. It injects the settled sludge and gives simultaneously a shock motion in the plate so that the plates can be cleaned on a regular basis.
Thanks to the laminar flow between the plates the use of an additional platepack can achieve a large reduction of the suspended solids in the processed waste water.
The plate pack increases the effective area of the DAF unit or the settler. The installations are much more compact this way. For the same flows the net floor surface is much lower.
