Views: 888 Author: Yosun Publish Time: 2025-06-18 Origin: Site
A lamella settling tank is a type of compact sedimentation equipment widely used in water treatment systems. It is designed with a series of inclined plates that allow suspended solids in the water to settle more efficiently. This system increases the settling surface area while keeping the tank footprint small. The design helps industries and municipal facilities reduce the load of suspended particles in wastewater without building large tanks.
The operation of this tank is based on gravity. As water flows into the unit, it travels slowly through the inclined plate packs. The solid particles settle on the surface of these plates and then slide down into a sludge collection zone at the bottom. The clear water rises to the top and exits the tank through an outlet channel. This simple but effective structure makes the lamella tank one of the most common tools in modern wastewater management.
The tank uses multiple thin plates placed at a 60-degree angle. These plates form parallel channels that guide the flow and provide extra surface area for settling. As the water passes through, particles begin to separate from the liquid. The use of many layers of inclined plates makes the settling process faster compared to traditional horizontal clarifiers.
The materials used for the plates depend on the application. Stainless steel is often used in industrial settings, while plastic plates are common in lightweight or mobile systems. The supporting structure is usually made of carbon steel, stainless steel, or reinforced concrete depending on the load and chemical exposure in the process.
Lamella settling tanks are widely used in industrial water treatment systems. They are especially effective when combined with chemical pre-treatment. In processes where penambahan bahan kimia (chemical addition) like coagulants and flocculants is required, the lamella plates help remove the resulting flocs by gravity. These tanks are also found in pre-treatment stages before membrane filtration, where suspended solids must be reduced to protect downstream systems.
This type of system is ideal for handling air limbah (wastewater) from food processing plants, petrochemical factories, textile dyeing lines, and municipal sewage plants. In each of these applications, the lamella tank helps reduce suspended solids and improve the performance of biological or physical-chemical treatment units.
One of the main parameters to consider in the design of a lamella settling tank is the Surface Area Loading Rate (SALR). This value represents the mass of solids processed per square meter of plate area per day. Engineers use the following formula:
SALR = (Q × C) / A
Where:
Q is the flow rate (m³/day)
C is the suspended solids concentration (mg/L)
A is the effective surface area (m²)
A correct SALR ensures efficient separation and prevents overloading. In general, tanks are designed to handle around 20–25 kg of total suspended solids per square meter of plate area daily, depending on water characteristics.
In many water treatment applications, the lamella tank supports upstream processes like lime or soda ash dosing. These chemicals react with dissolved ions to form solid precipitates like calcium carbonate or magnesium hydroxide. Once formed, these solids need to be quickly separated from the water. The tank helps in capturing and collecting these particles before they move into the next treatment stage.
This approach is often used in hard water treatment, desalination pre-treatment, and industrial process water loops. It ensures that the quality of the treated water remains stable and that downstream systems are not overloaded by residual solids.
The lamella settling tank has many advantages over conventional clarifiers. Its compact footprint is one of the biggest benefits, especially for facilities with limited land availability. It also reduces construction costs and simplifies layout planning.
Because the plates are fixed and require minimal cleaning, the tank has low maintenance requirements. Sludge removal is done from the bottom, often using screw conveyors or sludge hoppers. The system does not need many moving parts, which lowers the chance of failure.
In addition, the tank can be integrated into modular or containerized systems. This is useful for remote installations, temporary treatment setups, and mobile units used in mining or disaster response. The system starts working quickly and delivers consistent performance with minimal setup time.
To achieve optimal performance, operators must manage the flow rate, inlet velocity, and sludge removal frequency. The inlet system should distribute water evenly across the entire tank width. This prevents short-circuiting and ensures uniform settling across all plates.
Monitoring of flow conditions and proses water treatment parameters such as pH and temperature is also important. Sudden changes can affect particle behavior and lead to poor settling. Regular inspection of the plates and weirs helps maintain steady operation.
The tank should be sized according to the peak flow rate and solids load. It must be large enough to handle variations in inflow without causing overflow or bypass. If required, multiple tanks can be installed in parallel or in series to increase capacity.
