Evaluating the Use of Tube Settlers and Lamella Plates in Increasing the Efficiency of Sedimentation Tanks

Aims: The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of tube settlers and Lamella plates in increasing the efficiency of sedimentation tanks in removing the turbidity, bacteria, and algae from water in water treatment plants.

Study Design: Evaluating the use of tube settlers and Lamella plates in increasing the efficiency of sedimentation tanks.

Place and Duration of Study: Sample: Department of Civil Engineering and Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, between June 2012 and July 2016.

Methodology: Egypt’s governorates are enriched with various water treatment facilities. More than 7 full-scale WTPs of discharges ranged between 1,25x105 and 9x105 m3/day located in Cairo and Giza in Egypt were assessed. The evaluation has been done through the laboratory analyses that include the average summer and winter turbidity, bacteria and algae and the average removal efficiency have been deduced for seven water treatment technologies to be assessed.

Results: A comparison was done during the period of winter and summer 2015. The evaluation was done on the basis of removal efficiency of turbidity, bacteria and algae. The results have shown that tube settler clarifiers are more efficient than lamella plate clarifiers and other clarifying systems with higher SLR (surface loading rates). Application of these plates has not caused any interruption of daily operation of treatment plants and could be achieved at minimal cost. Results indicated that the tube settler clarifiers have achieved the highest removal efficiency in terms of turbidity, bacteria and algae. Which were between (84.45%, 89.64%), (98.24%, 99.36%) and (94.31%, 98.86%) respectively. On the other hand, lamella plate clarifiers have achieved turbidity removal efficiency between (69.59%, 74.11%), its bacterial removal efficiency was between (98.28%, 99.11%) and its algae removal efficiency was between (89.48%, 92.94%).

Conclusion: The tube settler clarifiers have achieved the highest removal efficiency in terms of turbidity, bacteria and algae. It is better than the other clarifying systems.