The Process Engineers High Capacity Water Clarifier/Thickener separates fine particle solids (typically passing 200 mesh/74 micron or finer) by adding flocculant to the incoming slurry from a cyclone, screw classifier, sand classifier and/or storm water.  The flocculant, Hychem Hyperfloc, is a non-toxic inert hydrocarbon polymer similar to treatment used in drinking water.  The polymer attracts the charged solids in the slurry causing them to clump together andgain enough mass to drop out of solution via gravity.  The mud settles to the bottom of the tank and is raked to the center where a thickening cone maximizes slurry density before being pumped out.  Typical applications see underflow density of around 40% which minimizes water loss to ponds.

First the slurry is introduced into a de-aeration tank (shown top left) where the flocculant is accurately metered into the slurry via a perforated manifold.  The turbulence is also removed from the flow with the baffle which increases retention time for polymer mixing.  The slurry is then gravity fed to the center feed well where solid-liquid separation takes place.  The solids settle out in the clarifier tank creating a rising current of clean water that is collected in an overflow weir (shown bottom left, can be cleaner than 50 NTU depending on application).  The system recycles over 90% of the water in the system for future use.

The mud collected in the thickening cone can be pumped to a holding pond or belt filter press for further de-watering.  Each underflow package has isolation valves and system flush capabilities.

 

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