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At the beginning of flocculation the particles are small. The vertical flocculator has many more tight turns, and therefore creates much more mixing in the early sections of the tank as compared with the later sections. As the stream mixes more and larger flocs form, the number of baffles per unit length of the tank decreases to reduce the strain on the larger flocs. The exact values for mixing parameters at various stages of floc formation is currently a central focus for the AguaClara laboratory research team.
Research
Tapered vs. Uniform Baffle Configuration
Developing Turbity Profiles along the Flocculator
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