Lamella and tube settlers — inclined-plate and tube modules that multiply the effective settling area, clarifying high flows in a small footprint.
Sedimentation & Clarification — in depth
Inclined-plate (lamella) and tube settlers pack a large settling area into a small tank. Water rises between 55–60° plates or tubes; solids settle a short distance onto the plate and slide down to a hopper, so the unit clarifies several times the flow of an open tank of the same footprint — ideal where space is tight.
What matters in practice
55–60° plates multiply area.
High rate in a compact tank.
Solids fall onto the plate and slide off.
Several times open-tank capacity.
| Parameter | Typical | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Plate angle | 55–60° | Self-cleaning |
| Loading | Up to ~10 m/h | Projected area |
| Footprint | 3–5× smaller | vs open tank |
| Use | Retrofit/compact | Space-limited |
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Fundamentals, design drivers and practical guidance
Lamella and tube settlers — inclined-plate and tube modules that multiply the effective settling area, clarifying high flows in a small footprint.
Ballasted clarification accelerates settling by attaching micro-sand (or recycled ballast) to the floc, sharply increasing its settling velocity and allowing very high overflow rates in a compact, fast-starting plant — ideal for variable or storm flows. Across all types, inlet/outlet hydraulics, weir loading and sludge-collection design determine whether the theoretical overflow rate is actually achieved or short-circuited away.
Reynolds & Bauhm sizes clarification on settling velocity and surface overflow rate — selecting conventional, lamella or ballasted systems and the inlet, weir and sludge-collection detail that makes the design overflow rate real, not theoretical.
Sedimentation removes settleable solids by letting gravity do the work, and its performance is governed by surface overflow rate — the design flow divided by the clarifier's plan area — rather than by depth or retention time alone. A particle is captured only if its settling velocity exceeds the upflow (overflow) rate, which is why plan area, not tank volume, is the master sizing variable.
What our engineers assess on every scope of this type
| Parameter | Typical basis | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Overflow rate | Flow / plan area | Captures particles above it |
| Plan area | Master sizing variable | Not depth or volume |
| Lamella | Inclined-plate area | Big area, small footprint |
| Ballasted | Micro-sand floc | High rate, fast start |
| Inlet | Energy dissipation | Stops short-circuiting |
| Sludge | Collection + withdrawal | Removes settled solids |
Common questions on sedimentation and clarification
By stacking inclined plates or tubes, they present the projected settling area of a much larger basin within a small footprint. This area multiplication is why they suit land-constrained sites while keeping the effective overflow rate low.
A high-rate process where micro-sand is attached to the floc, greatly increasing its settling velocity. That allows very high overflow rates in a compact, fast-starting plant, well suited to variable or storm flows.
Because poor inlet hydraulics create currents and short-circuiting that let flow bypass the settling zone, so the tank never achieves its theoretical overflow rate. Energy dissipation and even distribution are essential to realise the design.
Sludge-collection mechanisms scrape settled solids to a hopper from which they are withdrawn at a controlled rate. Proper collection design keeps the clarifier in balance and prevents solids re-suspension.
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