Performance of the Tube Settler Clarification at Different Inclination Angles and Variable Flow Rate

Sedimentation tanks are a major and important component of the wastewater treatment plants, where the cost of construction for traditional tanks may represent up to 30% of the total cost of the plants, as well as sedimentation tanks occupy relatively large areas and often require long retention times to separate the suspended solids from the liquid. High-rate tube settlers are one of the practical solutions for the development of treatment plants, especially sedimentation tanks, lamella systems can be used instead of conventional sedimentation basins or for upgrade and increase their capacity and efficiency. In addition to their high efficiency, they require much less space compared to conventional sedimentation tanks. The current study was developed to evaluate the performance of the tube settler and the effect of the inclination of tube settler on the effluent quality. In the practical experiments, tube settler unit consisting of four separate circular tubes of 27 mm inner diameter, with a length of 150 cm each were used at different inclination angles of 48, 54 and 60 degrees. A pilot scale model of coagulation-flocculation followed by sedimentation unit was prepared & installed at Colentina Laboratory Complex-UTCB for this purpose.