Traditionally, these processes were carried out independently in individual tanks and were termed as the “Flash Mixing Tank” and “Flocculation Tank.” Raw water, after passing through these tanks, used to undergo the process of sedimentation, for which conventional clarifiers were usually used.
The evolution of clarifiers started with simple settling tanks. Later, the advanced stage came as conventional circular clarifiers, which then evolved into conventional clariflocculators. An offshoot of the conventional clarifier was the sludge blanket type.
Now, the most advanced method of carrying out all these processes in a single unit making the system more compact, space-efficient, and effective is known as the “High Rate Solids Contact Clarifier.”
This is a recent technology that combines all unit processes into one system, offering numerous benefits. The first is reduced space requirement, the second and most important is consistent treated water quality even with wide fluctuations in raw water suspended solids load, and finally, more effective utilization of chemicals dosed in the clarifier.
