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While our team is specifically looking at the inlet manifold, some other aspects of the sedimentation tank may also be considered for an overall optimal design. For example, the behavior of the effluent launders and overall geometry may create interactions with the flow from the inlet manifold and may be considered. However, the length and spacing of the lamella separation plates (a primary sedimentation tank technology in Agua Clara tanks) are the subject of another group's research and assessment and are not the focus of the Inlet Manifold Team.
Current Research Teams
The Fall 2010 Inlet Manifold Team has focused on the theory that pressure recovery (also called static regain) may be responsible for uneven distribution of the influent. Pressure recovery is the effect caused by the energy of forward motion in the pipe. This velocity is converted to static pressure as the velocity slows toward the end of the pipe, as dictated by Bernoulli's equation. In addition, the forward motion created a horizontal component to the discharge, as discussed in our results.
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