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The gravity clarifier as a stratified flow phenomenon
Author(s) -
CordobaMolina J. F.,
Hudgins R. R.,
Silveston P. L.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450570301
Subject(s) - clarifier , sedimentation , flow (mathematics) , homogeneous , stratified flow , mechanics , environmental science , geology , physics , environmental engineering , thermodynamics , turbulence , sediment , paleontology
Abstract A problem that has plagued the designers of gravity clarifiers is that of obtaining a uniform and stable flow field necessary for efficient sedimentation. Clarifier operation is a fluid problem which, up to now, has been viewed in terms of homogeneous fluid concepts. In this paper we show that by treating clarifier flow as stratified (i.e. a fluid with variable density), it is possible to obtain a uniform and stable flow field. If this flow condition can be realized in full‐scale units, it should provide significant increases in removal performance or clarifier capacity at a constant removal.