All about the lamellar decanter
What is a lamellar decanter and how does it work?
Water treatment equipment used to clarify water by separating suspended particles. Industries and wastewater treatment plants frequently use lamella clarifiers to improve the quality of treated water.
The lamella clarifier is equipped with 3 mm thick anti-clogging lamellae to facilitate water flow. Suspended particles are trapped on the surface of the blades and accumulate as the water circulates.
It is based on the difference in density between the particles in suspension and the water. Centrifugal pressure pushes lighter particles towards the surface, while heavier ones remain in suspension.
When suspended particles gather around the surface of the blades, a quick-drain system evacuates them.
What are the advantages of using it compared to other types of decanters?
Using lamella clarifiers has many positive aspects compared to other types of clarifiers.
- The lamellar decanter provides a better sludge index by effectively separating suspended particles. The inclined lamellae facilitate the slow flow of water. Each suspended particle has enough time to accumulate on the surface.
- Moreover, lamella clarifiers provide a lower Hazen speed than other types of clarifiers. This Hazen speed is an indicator of the quality of the clarified water, and the lower it is, the clearer the water. It is measured by the sludge index.
- Another benefit of a lamella clarifier is its simplicity of use and maintenance. The lamellae can easily be cleaned and the sludge is removed by a draining system.
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Ultimately, the lamella clarifier is a reliable clarification system for a variety of applications. Suitable for wastewater treatment plants, industries and fish farms
What are its disadvantages?
A lamella clarifier can be considered as the most efficient solution for sludge settling.
However, there are a few drawbacks to consider when using a lamella clarifier.
- First of all, a lamella clarifier is generally more expensive than a conventional clarifier. This is because of the lamellae inside.
- However, since the lamella clarifier is about 10 times more efficient than a conventional clarifier in terms of sludge index and Hazen speed, this is not a decisive argument.
- Another issue is the necessity to clean the lamellae. The thin lamellae (less than 2 mm) can collapse under the weight of the sludge, so it is necessary to clean them often. The clarifiers with the automatic lamellae cleaning option are more convenient and do not have this problem.
On the other hand, the inconveniences are somehow negotiable and depend on the needs and criteria of each user.
Criteria for the sizing of a lamella clarifier
The design criteria of a lamella clarifier are very important to ensure optimal wastewater treatment efficiency.
- The Hazen velocity is an important criterion that defines the rate at which suspended particles are deposited on the walls of the decanter.
- Mirror speed is used to determine the required amount of water to be fed. It prevents settling vortices being generated in the settler.
- Retention time shows the amount of time required for the water to come into contact with the clarifier walls. This is essential to ensure efficient particle separation.
How do you maintain and clean a lamellar decanter?
Regular maintenance and cleaning of a lamella clarifier is necessary to ensure optimal efficiency of its operation.
If you have thin lamellae in your clarifier, they may bend under the weight of the sludge that accumulates in them. That’s why many manufacturers require weekly maintenance.
With thick lamellae like our clarifiers, cleaning is essential. However, this is only necessary if MES performance is reduced.
The purpose of cleaning the lamellae is to remove sludge and waste from the clarifier surfaces. It ensures perfect water circulation and prevents blockages. Cleaning can be done manually with a high-pressure cleaner. Alternatively, a built-in cleaning system can do this automatically.
Monitoring the operation of cleaning equipment on a regular basis is essential. What’s more, maintenance prevents malfunctions or damage to the clarifier.
The advantage of combining a lamellar decanter with a drum filter
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Open drum filter for sanitation
Filtering
The combined use of a lamellar decanter and a drum filter offers many advantages for industrial water treatment.
Lamella clarifiers separate sediments suspended in water. The drum filter removes finer suspended solids. This combination results in clear, purified water that is free of harmful suspended solids.
The major advantage of this combination is its effectiveness on heavily contaminated water. Both sediment and suspended solids are treated at high rates. With their outstanding processing capacity, Lamella clarifiers can efficiently separate even the coarsest sediments. Drum filters, on the other hand, remove finer suspended solids. This combined filtration technology offers a comprehensive treatment solution for industrial water.
Combining a lamella clarifier with a drum filter is a cost-effective solution. It requires less maintenance and filter replacement than other methods. This makes this filtration solution particularly attractive to manufacturers looking to reduce water treatment costs.
The advantage of combining it with a biological treatment
Combining a lamella clarifier with biological treatment is an advantageous choice for wastewater treatment systems.
Lamella clarifiers separate suspended solids from wastewater. It removes suspended solids in the form of sludge, reducing the pollution load of biological treatment. Biological treatment is designed to break down the pollutants dissolved in the effluent by the action of micro-organisms. These micro-organisms then use these substances to live and reproduce with the pollutants as nutrients.
Treatment process include:
- Denitrification
- carbon elimination
In addition, adding a lamella clarifier improves the efficiency of biological treatment. This allows the system to function optimally. The result is cleaner treated wastewater.
In addition, the combo allows:
- save space and energy, which also makes it economically advantageous
- reduce the environmental impact
The advantage of combining a lamellar decanter with coagulation flocculation
Using lamella clarifiers and flocculation coagulators together has many benefits for water treatment.
- Coagulation flocculation brings together particles suspended in water. Such particles aggregate to form large flakes, easily removed by the lamella clarifier.
- This clarifier has horizontal lamellae forming layers of decreasing density. They separate suspended particles more efficiently than traditional filtrations.
- Then, the lamella clarifier is used to treat large volumes of water in a short time. As a result, it is highly prized for industrial applications.
- The combination of these technologies produces clear, high-quality water. In addition, this water is suitable for consumption, irrigation and industrial production.
