Plate Settler Spacing
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| h1. Plate Settler Spacing
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h2. Overview
This research is focused on a deeper understanding of the sedimentation process so that plants can effectively remove the dirt particles from the system, allowing for successful chlorination of the outgoing water. Currently the plants all use lamella, which are corrugated parallel plates that decrease the distance that a floc must fall to be settled out. To make things simpler for a lab, we use tube settlers of various diameters, and experiment with different flow rates and turbidities, because these things fluctuate often in the plants in Honduras based on the season.
One of the main reasons for this focus is that sedimentation is the only process in which particulates are actually removed from the water. Flocculation and rapid mix may be working well, but if the particles are not being settled out, people will still be drinking dirty water. Low turbidity water is not only aesthetically pleasing, it's also safer because the disease causing pathogens are more likely to be exposed and killed when the water is chlorinated. AguaClara has had the goal of 1 NTU water since its beginning, and the Plate Settler Spacing team has been able to accomplish this in the lab, but now is trying to see how this can be transferred to our future plants in Honduras. Sedimentation is also the limiting factor for the height requirement of the plants, so if we can find a way to produce the same results with a smaller amount of space, the plant cost will decrease significantly.
[Subteam Semester Goals|Plate Settler Spacing Goals]
[Weekly Subteam Progress|Plate Settler Spacing Meeting Minutes].
h2. Experimental Methods and Results
[Effects of flow rate and plate-settler geometry on sedimentation]
h2. Additional Information
[Fall 2008 Photo Gallery|Photo Gallery]
[Annotated Bibliography of Relevant Literature|PSS Bibliograhpy] |