...
A new observation: While sedimentation may happen during the loading state, much of the settling in the flocculator is permitted to happen during the sedimentation state, where when the flow is shut off to allow sedimentation in the settling column. Since there are flocs present in the flocculator during this settle state (which usually as a 10 minute duration,) those flocs will settle out into the bottom walls of the flocculator. Additionally, since the flow during the clean flocculator phase is not turbulent, the majority of settled flocs do not get resuspended into the flow and washed out of the flocculator. As these sediments continue to build up over each experimental run, it is difficult to determine if the bulk of the sedimentation occurs during loading or is simply residual flocs that have settled there during the settle state and which the flow was unable to clean out. The Lab Floc team will make a few apparatus adjustments to see if we can eliminate the amount of sediment present in the flocculator by redirect redirecting the flow around the setting chamber during the settle state and commence the flushing-out of the flocculator at the same time as settling inside the column occurs. This may elucidate when the majority of the flocs are settling.
...