Plate Settler Sourcing
As the AguaClara project continues to expand, the desire to design and construct water treatment plants as efficiently and effectively as possible is becoming more relevant. The plate settlers that AguaClara is currently designing and suggesting that the communities build are relatively cheap to build, but are extremely meticulous and time intensive to construct. This page is dedicated to an assessment of outsourcing the construction and possibly the design of the settlement systems in AguaClara water treatment plants. It takes into account economics, maintenance, durability, environmental impact, and supply chain issues.
Relevant Information
- AguaClara sedimentation tank upflow velocity bellow the plate settlers is 70 m/day
- AguaClara sedimentation tank capture velocity 10 m/day
- AguaClara sedimentation Area ratio, Velocity Up/Velocity Capture is on the order of 10, ideally we want this ratio to be as high a number as possible
- AguaClara currently uses a sedimentation tank plate settler angle of 60 degrees, plate length of 1 meter at 60 degrees; plate material is transparent polycarbonate sheets
- AguaClara engineer John Erickson has given a very optimistic estimate of 20 years of water plant use for the polycarbonate sheets
- John has also stated that the plates that were introduced into the town of Ojojona Honduras's AguaClara plant were constructed of fiberglass and after 2.5 years are already showing significant signs of wear and tear
- The next prospective AguaClara plant to be constructed would be in the town of Gracias Honduras.
- Gracias plant flow rate of 50 liters/sec
- Gracias would have an active sedimentation tank area of 14.026 meters x 2.159 meters per tank, and there would be 3 tanks
Current AguaClara Plate Settler Module Cost
Construction of AguaClara Plate Settlers
All of the plates for one module are stacked up with a slight offset between each plate to give the module a tilt. A 7/8" hole is drilled in 6 to 9 (depending on the size of the module) places through the stack plates. A 1/2" PVC tube fits tightly through these 7/8" holes. We cut lengths of 1/2" PVC as long as the module will be thick. At the end of each tube (I'll call them skewers from now on) we put a 1/2" union, which serves as a stopper, so nothing slides off the end. The 1/2" union is not glued, just stuck on tight. Then we start stringing the plates on the skewers like beads on a necklace, only that in each space between the plates we put a spacer made out of 3/4" PVC pipe. The 3/4" PVC slips right over the 1/2" PVC. After all of the plates and spacers have been put on, we stick another 1/2" union on to cap it off. No glue.
-John Erickson, AguaClara Engineer 2007-2009
Companies of Interest
Brentwood Industries
Enviropax
Siemens
Meurer Research Inc.