CA1150641A - Apparatus for the separation of solid and/or liquid particles from a liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Liquid treatment apparatus, principally for effluent purification comprises a liquid basin with a suitable inlet and outlet, and a treatment space in which is disposed a lamellar insert construction forming a plurality of narrow, mutually parallel channels through which liquid flow is laminar and the axes of which are inclined to the vertical. For effluent purification the treatment space is a main sedimentation space downstream of a preliminary sedimentation space. The lamellar insert construction can be suspended from floats connected to a mobile dredger for movement with the latter.

Description

6~1 This application is a divisional of copending Canadian patentapplication serial No. 347,~82 filed March 12, 1980.
The invention relates to a lamellar (i.e. laminated multi-layer thin plate) construction having channels, the a~es of which are oriented in mutually parallel directions and which serve to separate solid and/or liquid particles from a liquid in liquid treatment plants or apparatus.
In the present invention, "liquid treatment" means in general purification of liquids e.g. purification or decontamination of effluents, in the course of which the liquid is separated from another liquid or from solid matter, or wherein the liquid is brought into contact with a gas or air, or wherein the liquid is subjected to a biological treatment.
Also, "liquid treatment" is intended to include the cooling and degassing or de-aerating of liquids.
Modern water and effluent purification technologies have throughout the world required the establishment of modern liquid separation systems, such as sedimentation systems, to enable modern environmental protective plants to be provided.
Numerous plants and equipments are known for the fundàmental task of separating particulate and/or suspended solid materials from liquids.
One type of such plant consists of apparatus having a vertical axis and a circular or polygonal cross-section~ made e.g. from prefabricated concrete rings in the manner of a well shaft.
In known circular well-like apparatus, used principally for small capacity petroleum oil or sand catchment basins, or for presedimentation or final sedimentation basins, there lS essentially a single working space of cylindrical shape wherein the efficiency of the separation process, such as sedimentation, is relatively restricted. Such equipment does not permit - 1 - ''`~ ~ .

6~1 separation processes, such as sedimentation to be optimized. This is because their efficiency is restricted, and because of their large size their space requirements are large and hence they are uneconomical.
It is fundamental that separating equipment such as sedimentation devices should, as far as possible, eliminate turbulent flow conditions.
From the point of view of sedimentation, use of laminar flow is a basic requirement to ensure that the suspended materials, particles and grains should settle out undisturbed.
Laminar flow and turbulent flow can be distinguished by utilising the Reynolds number, the value of which should be less than 500 ~mder optimal conditions, to ensure that sedimentation takes place during laminar flow.
Hitherto known separating basins of circular section have numerous other disadvantages. The liquid flow conditions in such devices are unfavourable as the flow is turbulent. Furthermore, one cannot obtain the axially symmetrical radial flow in these known, small units and therefore the enhanced effects which might be obtained from such flow conditions cannot be available to be exploited. An example of such an enhanced effect is the possibility of radial flow between the so-called coalescent ~drop-forming and coalescing) plates which in the case of separation of e.g. oily effluents provides considerable improvement in efficiency.
The present invention provides a lamellar structure or plate system which can be built into the different working spaces of the treatment plants for ensuring optimal flow conditions.
The method of construction of the lamellar structure employed is very important, It has been found that especially favourable sedimentation and separation characteristics can be achieved where the lamellar structure .:

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employed contains many sharp, acute-angled corners. This is because along these acutely angled corners the materials to be separated deposit or settle out preferentially.
In the lamellar structures according to the invention which contain channels of mutually parallel axes, the walls of the channels may be formed by partitioning elements of arcuale cross-section, expediently all of the same radius of curvature, in such a way that the edges of the individual arcuate sections are located at the centre of the interior of the adjacent arcuate section, or are connected thereto, and furthermore the centre points of the arcuate sections coincide with every second point of intersection of a notional square or rectangular matrix representing the configuration of the elements.
Preferably, the spacing or distribution of the square or rectangular matrix is greater than the radius of curvature of the arcuate sections.
It is also expedient to select the partitioning elements to be of semicircular cross-section.
A further advantage is afforded by the preferred embodiment wherein the circular-section partitioning elements are formed or constituted by pipes, the outer surfaces of which are slit in the direction of the generatrix along one-half of the length of the channel and the individual pipes are laced together by inter-engagement of their slits, in mutually opposite directions.
In another preferred embodiment, the semicircular cross-section partitioning elements are formed as a unitary component rigidly fixed to each other along their edge generatrices.
In a fu:rther possible preferred embodiment, the semicircular cross-section partitioning elements are rigidly secured together to form a single continuous component by being connected together along their edge 4~

generatrices by planer plates.
In the interests of increasing the specific surface area,in one preferred embodiment, planar partitioning elements are disposed between the circular cross-section partitioning elements, advantageously along the lines of the square or rectangular matrix.
A further surface-increasing effect can be achieved in the embodiment wherein the circular and/or planar partitioning elements are provided with arched or convex portions. Finally, it may be advantageous to use a preferred embodiment wherein the edge of the lamellar construction made up from circular cross-section partitioning elements is bounded by fully circular cross~section closing partitioning elements the outer surfaces of which are slit along a single generatrix.
lVith the apparatus according to the invention, favourable separation can be ensured with a lower specific volume and throughflow times, which factors give rise to further significant savings of cost.
It is a great advantage that with the aid of the invention already existing sedimentation plants and equipment, oil catchers, grease-catchers and other circular wells can be converted in a short time, to achieve an increase in capacity and efficiency as well as a saving in cost and surface area requirements.
The apparatus according to the invention may be realised by prefabrication in a factory from a variety of constructional materials, or by in situ construction technologies, e.g. from steel, aluminium, plastics -materials etc. In the latter case a box or container-like structure is advantageous because this enables modern prefabrication methods and short in situ erection becomes possible. ?

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Broadly stated the present invention provides lamellar structure for the separation of foreign matter from liquids, or for the contacting of the liquid with a gaseous substance, or for the bioiogical treatment or cooling of the liquid, comprising mutually parallel channels, the walls of the channels being circular so that the edges of the individual circles are disposed at the centers of the inside of the adjacent circular element, and the center point of the arcs coincide with every second intersection point of a square matri~.
The invention and that of copending application serial No.367,482 will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a schematic cross-section of a first preferred embo-diment of liquid treatment apparatus, Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a second preferred embodiment of apparatus according to the invention, Figure 4 is a cross-section, taken along the plane parallel with an oblique lamellar plate separator, of the apparatus of Figure 3, Figure 5 is also a schematic cross-section of the apparatus according to Figure 3 but taken along the plane of the effluent or raw water infeed, Figure 6 is a cross-section of a preferred embodiment of the liquid treatment apparatus wherei.n a mobile dredger is also provided in the basin, Figure 7 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus according to Figure 6, : ::

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Figure S is a front elevation of a preferred embodiment of a lamellar insert utilised in the apparatus shown in Figures 6 and 7, Figure 9 is a side view of the insert shown in Figure 8, Figure 10 is a schematic elevation of the lamellar structure or construction according to the invention in a vertical orientation, Figure 11 is a cross-section of a favourable embodiment of the lamellar construction according to Figure 10, Figure 12 illustrates two types which when interlaced form the lamellar construction, Figures 13 and 14 show further preferred embodiments of the partitioning elements of the lamellar construction and Figure 15 is a cross-section of a preferred embodiment of partitioning elements provided with arched or convex portions.
Referring to the Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings ~here is shown an apparatus consisting of two concentrically disposed basins. The apparatus is constructed from prefabricated concrete rings but it may also be constructed in a different manner, There is provided an internal circular basin 15 in which is disposed an inclined lamellar insert system 5 which may have two, three, four, five, six or more members. In the insert system 5 separation of e.g. oils, fats or greases, suspended material etc. takes place ~mder laminar flow conditions.
A collection space ~ for the separated materials is formed above the lamellar insert system 5 and the lower end of the collection space debouches into a vertical well portion 2.The well portion 2 is, in the interest of forcing the effluent to circulate, disposed between the ,~
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collection space 4 and a pre-sedimentation sludge chamber 3. The upper surface of the sludge chamber 3 borders on the lamellar insert system 5 while its lower portion is formed by oblique surfaces for the purposes of collecting the sludge and concentrating it. Proceeding radially from the lamellar insert system 5 there is an intermediate space or chamber 6 which guides the sludge separated in or after the insert system to a sludge collection chamber 14 which has inclined side surfaces and is disposed in the lower end portion of the space 6.
An outer circular-section basin 16 is disposed concentrically around the internal circular basin 15 in which basin 16 annular spaces 8 and 10 are formed. The spaces 8 and 10 are separated from each other by a baffle 9. A lamellar coalescent plate system 7 is disposed in the annular space 8 and consists of annular or circular section or polygonal segments. The liquid to be separated flows radially through the plate system 7 with a laminar flow characteristic. The plates are of coalescent characteristics to provide increased separation. An annular overflow trough 11 is disposed at the height of the upper water level in the outer annular space 10 and the purified separated liquid passes into it over a weir 12 whereafter it can be moved from the system by a duct 13.
The apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 operates as follows:
The liquid to be separated, e.g. an oily effluent, enters the apparatus through the raw water inlet pipe 1 and is fed either by gravitation or under pressure. From here it passes down into the pre-sedimentation sludge space 3 wherein sand and other sedimentable materials settle out. Aftèr pre-sedimentation the liquid to be purified flows upwardly and materials of lower specific gravity than that of the liquid e.g. oil~ grease etc.) float up to the collecting space 4. The liquid to be ': - . , :, ' ' : . : . ~. .. . .
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purified flows radially through the inclined lamellar insert system 5 where under laminar flow conditions enhanced separation takes place. The material particles, such as oil, separated out in the lamellar insert system 5 flow back along the upper inclined edge of the plates into the well portion

2 wherein they float upwardly into the collection space 4.
The material that settles out between the plates 5 slides downwardly and passes into the intermediate space 6 in the lower portion of which is the sludge collecting and concentration chamber 14. The sludge may periodically be pumped out or discharged by gravitation or pressure from this space for further storage.
The pre-cleaned separated liquid is then guided to flow in the direction of the outer perimeter, more particularly through the horizontal coalescent laminar system 7 wherein enhanced laminar flow takes place and, in the case of oily contaminations, under the effect of the coalescent plates the relatively smaller oil particles e.g. of a size of the order of magnitude of l micron, are formed into drops and are separated or rather are buoyed up to the upper surface of the space wherein they may be decanted or skimmed off and thus the separated oil can be removed.
As can be seen from Figure 1, the decontaminated and separated liquid passes under the guidance of the baffle wall 9 to the annular space lO, wherein it rises and at the helght of the level of liquid passes over the weir 12 into the overflow trough 11 and from there via the duct 13 the clean liquid is discharged from ~he apparatus.
As can be seen from Figure 2, the circular basins 15 and the annular basin 16 are concentric about a common central axis; the lower sludge space or chamber 3 is under the central well portion 2. The lamellar insert 5 is radially coupled around the well portion 2 and the elements of the : ., . , ~ , .

~S~i41 system 5 are closed at their sides. In this way a liquid can only passon by flowing through the lamellar insert system 5. After thc intermediate space 6 the coalescent lamellar plate system 7 is radially next in the direction of li~uid flow and the liquid enters in a uniform flow into the lamellar plate system 7 through a perforated surface suitably formed of a gridlike structure formed on the partitioning wall of the inner circular basin 15.
The further annular spaces 8 and 10, overflow trough 11 and weir 1~ are fully circular-section components. The discharge duct 13 can be connected to the overflow trough 11 at any circumferential point thereof.
Referring to the second preferred embodiment shown in Figures

3 to 5, figure 3 shows a circular cross-section vertical cylindrical basin 17 divided into several spaces giving rise to a very compact and economic configuration.
The effluent or raw water inlet 18 receives the water to be purified either under gravitation or under pressure and the effluent e.g.
oily effluent, then passes into the pre-sedimentation space 19. Here the particulate materials, sand, or sludge are settled out.
The mass of effluent arriving from the duct 18 passes under a suspended wall 20 which wall has an energy absorbing role also. The already-~; mentioned pre-sedimentation space 19 is formed with a lower portion suitable for storing the settled-out sludge and sand and in the interests of concentrating the sludge this bottom portion is provided with inclined side walls.
The sedimenting inclined lamellar insert portion 21 is disposed in the region of the central longitudinal axis of the apparatus and is `
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separated from the rest of the circular basin by side partition walls 22 and 23. From the presedimentation space 19 the water or effluent passes through an opening 24 into a sedimentation space 25 wherein repeated concentration takes place, to which end this space 25 is also provided with a lower sludge collecting space 26. Where the effluent to be purified does not contain materials which can be presedimented to any significant extent, then it may be led directly into the sedimentation space 25 and therefore an effluent inlet duct 27 is provided for feeding in effluent, if required even simultaneously with effluent infeed via the duct 18. In the case where the infeed takes place at two locations, the two effluents mix in the sedimentation space ~5.
From the sedimentation space 25 the effluent passes over the weir 28 formed on the wall 30 and then flows downwardly through the inclined lamellar insert 21, Between the individual plates of the inclined insert 21 a so-called laminar flow is formed and this provides increased or enhanced separation for the liquid The cross-section of the lamellar insert 21 may be any of numerous known cross-sectional shapes and the general task of the insert is to separate during laminar flow those elements which can be separated by gravitation, e.g. oil, greasy contaminants and the like and these contaminants should then rise to the operational water level of the apparatus while any sludge or other sedimentable particles still present should sink down among the inclined plates to be collected in the lower sludge collection space 36.
- The floating and concentrated contaminants that have risen to the surface of the water, e.g. a layer of oil, may be removed by any known - -~5~

s~imming or doctoring mechanism, e.g. by a separating pipe 38, and can be removed via a duct into a collection space 29 from which it may be periodically discharged for further processing or utilisation or incinera-tion.
The water purified in the inclined lamellar insert 21 is passed on under a part-ition wall 39 in a uniform manner and across the full cross-section. This purified water then passes over a weir 3:L into an overflow trough 32 and from there it is discharged from the apparatus via duct 33.
The lower sludge collection space 26 disposed under the presedimentation space 19 is separated by a partition wall 34 from the sludge collecting space 36 underneath the secondary sedimentation space 35.
The separated sand or sludge can be removed either by gravitation or by pump from all three sediment-collecting or sand-catching spaces, namely 19, 26 and 36, and can be either further concentrated or mechanically de-watered or otherwise further utilised.
Referring particularly to Figure 5, the inclined lamellar insert 21 may be constructed with varying degrees of inclination adjusted in accordance with the particular task of separation, the angle of inclination being e.g. between 45 and 70, For particularly sludgy effluents it is advantageous to use an angle of inclination between 55 and 60 which should . . .
ensure the self-cleaning capacity as well as the gravitational sliding down of the sludge into the lower sludge collection space 26 and 36.
The inclined lamellar insert portion may be manufactured in a container-like (modular) manner e.g. in a steel frame, which provides for easy and modern transportation and mounting in position.
Regarding the direction of the movement of the liquid, the inclined lamellar insert 21 may be oriented or positioned in two ways: -.
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~S~6~1 For separating materials of specific gravity lower ~han that of the liquid, e.g. oils, fats, suspended materials etc., it is necessary to pass the liquid through the inclined lamellar insert 21 from above downwardly;
for separating materials of a specific gravity greater than that of the liquid, it is necessary to pass the liquid through from below upwardly.
As has already been mentioned and as can be seen in Figure 5, the raw effluent can be passed into the sedimentation space 25 directly from the duct 27 and then passed over the weir 28 directly into the inclined lamellar insert 21, to effect separation.
The partition wall 34 divides the sedimentation space into two spaces 26 and 36 (see Figure 5) to ensure that the presedimented effluent passes in a direct and forced flow through the inclined lamellar insert 21.
Just as the outer wall of the apparatus, the material of the partition wall may vary and may be made, e.g. from prefabricated concrete, steel, aluminium or a synthe~ic material, e.g. glass reinforced polyester.
Ramps inclined e.g. at an angle of 60, are provided at the sides of the sludge collecting spaces 26 and 36 and they may be prepared from concrete made in situ or from other constructional materials. The constructional material of the weir 31 may be an adjustable steel construction, while the overflow trough 32 may be either concrete or some other suitable constructional material ~see Figures 3 and 5).
As can be seen from Figure 4, the raw water e.g. effluent ; -arriving via the duct 18 flows directly downwardly under the effect of the suspended wall 20 to ensure the flow conditions for presedimentation, The sludge and sand collection space 26 under the presedimentation space 19 is j./ :

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~S~36~1 also expediently formed with inclined side walls ~See Figure 4).
The periodic removal of sand and sludge takes place via duct 37 either by means of a mobile sludge pump or by gravitation. Another possibility for collecting the sand and the sludge is to place, e.g. a steel container in this space which stores and collects the sludge under the water and then periodically lift out the container, transport it away and replace it with an empty container.
Referring now to a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention illustrated in Figures 6 to 9, there is shown a known circular-section sedimentation basin 40 provided with a circularly moving sludge dredger 41 which can have one, two or several arms. The dredger and its configuration are known.
The bottom of the sedimentation basin 40 has ramps and is in general made from concrete while in its central axis at the lower central line of the basin there is provided a trough 44. A water distribution system 43 coupled to an effluent duct 42 is also disposed at the cen~ral axis of the basin.
Along the periphery of the basin 40 is an annular overflow trough 46 and the guide rails of the circularly movable dredger 41 driven by a motor 48 at a desired speed around the basin about the central axis.
From the effluent inlet duct 42 the liquid to be settled passes into the central distribution system 43 whereafter in uniform circular distribution it passes radially across the full cross-section during which a sedimentation process arises, in which the sludge accumulates at the bottom of the basin and the circularly moving dredger 41 displaces the accumulating sludge into the central trough 44. From there, the sludge passes via the - 13 _ ~ .

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sludge duct 49 out of the system for concentration or other processing e,g.
decomposition or mechanised de-watering or incineration.
After sedimentation in the sedimentation basin ~0 the water passes over the weir 47 and the trough 46 into the duct 61 for settled water and from there it can be removed for further processing or use. A
suspended wall 45 placed before the weir 47 prevents the discharge of the so-called floating sludge so that the settled and partially cleaned water is retained together with the floating sludge.
In the apparatus according to this preferred embodiment at the surface of the sedimenting basin 40 there is at least one floating body 50 serving as a carrier for a lamellar sedimentation system 52 suspended under the water at a depth of about 20 to 80 cm in an inclined position with the aid of suspension elements 51. The lamellar sedimentation elements are distributed over the whole surface of the basin 40 in such a way that the direction of rising of inclined elements 52 should be radially outwardly .
i.e. towards the periphery of the circular basin 40. ~

The floating bodies 50 are connected to each other and *o the -circular dredger 41 by shaped connecting bodies 53 and thus the bodies 50 move with the dredger 41 along ~he circular path m the sedimentation basln 40, On the floating body 50 at the periphery of the basin 40 a curtain wall ~ 56 is arranged to gulde and force the liquid to be settled to flow through .~ the inclined lamellar elements 52. ;

`~ The raw water to be settled arrives via the effluent duct 42 and ~ passes from the central distribut-or 43 in a first step in a hori~ontal and `~ radial direction~ then rises to a higher level and enters the inclined ~~ lamellar insert 52. It then passes into a region of laminar flow and ! sedimentation. In the thus formed microcells or mi~rospaces an intensive .,.J
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separation and sedimentation process takes place during which materials with a specific gravity higher than that of the liquid pass along the lower edges and plates of the inclined insert 52 into a lower space to the bottom of the basin. Materials with a specific gravity lower than that of the liquid rise up to the surface of the water and form a so-called floating mud or sludge.
The floating sludge collected along the surface of the basin floats towards the periphery of the sedimentation basin where a per se known extension member connected to the circularly moving dredger 41 removes it from the surface of the water and passes it into the floating sludge collector 62.
The floating bodies 50 are provided with suitable radial openings 55 to ensure *he circulation of the water at the surface thereof and to ensure the passage of the floating sludge. The suspension elements 51 for the floating bodies 50 are provided with supporting leg portions 54 so that in the event of a fault, shut-down or periodical cleaning, the basin can be more easily emptied. In that case the floating bodies 50 and the sedimenting elements 52 "sit" via the supporting legs 54 on the bottom of the basin. The length of the supporting legs 54 may vary in accordance with the depth of the basin.
As may be seen in Figure 7, in the sedimentation basin 40 provided with the circular and circularly moving dredger 41, the floating bodies 50 are disposed in a radial direction and are ribbed and framed to suspend the inclined lamellar sedimentation elements or system 52. The floating bodies 50 are connected to each other as well as to the circularly moving dredger 41 so as to move with it and in the same direction as the dredger 41. The lamellar sedimentation elements 52 are held together by a plate holder 63. ~hen the circularly moving dredger 41 moves around only 64~

at the bottom of the basin and does not have an upper circularly moving dredging element, then the floating body suspension system may be fixed in position and a generally radial fixed bridge construction may be employed for assembling, monitoring and service purposes.
Modern prefabrication requirements may be maximally ensured with the apparatus according to the invention since the floating bodies 50 and the lamellar elements 52 can be prefabricated in a factory and may be made from various different economical and corrosion-resistant materials or devices, whether hollow or solid or sandwich or gas-filled systems. Thus, for instance, they can be made from different synthetic materials, primarily glass-reinforced polyester, P.V.C., polyethylene etc. or from other hollow closed shell elements made from steel or aluminium, or from hollow or cellular or sandwich-like wood-based construction, or from pneumatic air-or gas-filled rubber or other floating elements.
At the outer periphery of the basins 40 is located a drive motor 48 for driving the dredger 41 along its circular path. In plan~s according to the invention, a surplus of energy is required for operating the plant iD
order to enable the floating bodies 50 coupled together on the surface of the sedimentation plant to move along their circular path about the central axis and therefore it is necessary that the drive motor 48 should have sufficient output and therefore an existing motor may have to be exchanged for ~ one of a higher output or a supplementary drive motor may have to be installed.
;~ The peripheral floatlng bodies 50 provided with hollow or solid ribs have continuous radially extending ribs, while the rib provided perpendicularly thereto is an upper rib 57 with a holding and connecting function, and therefore underneath it the flow of water and of floating sludge - 16 ~

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is unimpeded and may take place continuously towards the outer edge.
The degree to which the ribbed floating bodies 50 submerge in the water is such as to ensure that a radial flow of water at the surface should be unimpeded.
The radial ribs of the floating bodies S0 are trihedral bodies 58 in the form of a wedge pointing downwardly to ensure that the sludge floating towards the surface is not impeded and can be floated up in a continuous manner. Lifting hooks 59 are provided on the floating bodies to facilitate their installation, lifting out and transportation. The floating bodies 50 may be provided on their ribs and peripheral connecting surfaces with some resilient material~ e.g. polyethylene foam or rubber to facilitate their alignment and matching together. The individual floating elements 50 are provided with releasable connection elements 60 to enable them to be fixed together in releasable manner, such elements being disposed either radially or at right angles to the floating elements 50 or are parallel with the outer periphery. These connecting elements 60 may be threadedly connectable fixing elements to enable the unitary and continuous floating element system 50 to be formed. When desired, the releasable connection 60 is released to enable the floating element system 50 to be dismantled to its constituent elements.
The floating element systems 50 may be formed to suit given basin dimensions or magnitude of radius, the elements being exchangeable and being utilisable for different basin dimensions; in other words, sets of elements may be fabricated for given values of radius.
The sedimenting elements shown as the lamellar insert system S ;~
andlor the lamellar insert system 7 in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, or .~
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the lamellar insert elements 21 in the preferred embodiment according to Figures 3 to 5, and the lamellar elements 52 in the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 6 to 9 function most efficiently and economically if they are formed according to Figures 10 to 15.
Figure 10 shows a lamellar construction which has vertically disposed channels 64 formed by circular partitioning elements 65.
In the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 11, the cross- -sectional shape illustrated gives rise to particularly advantageous characteristics of sedimentation and separation because the cross-section contains many acute angled corners or cusps along which the materials to be separated deposit particularly well. The edges of the individual circles are disposed at or connected to the centres of the adjacent circles.
Expediently, the radii r of the partition element 65 are equal.
From a point of view of manufacture and assembly and furthermore in the interests of achieving the greatest possible specific surface area, the centre-point of the individual circles fall at or coincide with every second intersection point 67 of the square or rectangle matrix 66. The distribution or pitch of the square or rectangular matrix 66 is designated by t which is expediently greater than the radius r but in;the case of a square matrix, t is smaller than r~ This is because where the spacing or distribution of *
is smaller than the radius r then an intricate cross section arises which is difficult to manufacture while if it is greater than rV~~in the case of a square matrix, the circular sections no longer intersect and the above-mentioned sharp angles do not arise.
In a further preferred embodiment shown in Figure 12, the lamellar construction is made up of tubes 68.

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On the outer surface of the tubes 68, there are slits 69 extending in the direction of the generatrix up to the half way of the length of the tube 68.
The tube 68 can be connected together with the slits 69 facing each other.
A suitable lamellar construction may also be constructed from the circular cross-section partitioning element 65 illustrated in Figure 13. Here the circular section elements are semi-circles and the individual partitioning elements are unitary components fixed together along their peripheral generatrices. The thus obtained elements shaped like a wavy line can be fixed toge~her by being turned towards each other in such a way that the edges of the circular arcs of one element should be connected with the centres of the circular arcs of the other element. The material of these elements is expediently a vacuum-formed synthetic material or other material which exhibits good resistance to the material or liquid to be treated. The elements may be connected together, e.g. by adhesive bonding or welding. The preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 14 differs from the previous embodiment in that the edges of the individual half-circle sections are connected together by means of planar plates 70.
In this way, the semi-circular arcs and the planar plates 70 can be manufactured as a unitary component.
Figure 15 illustrates a lamellar construction made up from the elements shown in Figure 14 wherein planar partitioning elements 72 are interposed between the partitioning elements 65, expediently along the lines of the square or rectangular matrix 66. Convex or arched portions 71 formed on the circular section partitioning element 65 and/or on the planar partitioning element 72 serve to increase further the specific surface area.
Reverting to Figure 11, at the edges of the lamellar construction, .

~SC~41 there are fully circular closing elements 73 the outer surface of which is slit along a single generatrix.
In addition to the above-illustrated Examples, the lamellar construction according to the invention shown in Figures 10 to 15 possess advantages in other applications also. Thus when placed at an inclination, it can be well utilised for gravitational sedimentation tasks for sedimenting mud or sludge containing waters in old or lexisting artifacts. But another important area of application is clarification of effluent by flo-cculation, more particularly for the settling out of the flake in flocculated drinking water or effluent, and further in third degree purification tasks.
A further significant area of application is the use of the invention in flotation systems where after flotation the laminar construction according to the invention may be used for separation. Here one may mention the separation and removal of fats, oils or fibrous materials, e.g.
contaminations in the paper industry, furthermore the separation of the suspended materials with a specific g~avity greater than that of water, e.g. in the purification of industrial effluents in metal and coal processing, as well as the concentration of sludges in effluent purification systems employing live sludge.
The oblique lamellar construction may be utilised in gravitational concentration systems in which the water content of the different sludges is to be reduced, while also reducing the volume of the sludge. The apparatus allows the use of a supplementaI vibrational concentration amongst the tubular elements.
~hen the lamellar construction is disposed vertically, flow can take place in the form of liquid film flowing downwardly on the surfaces - : ~

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36~i which are in the free atmosphere and which is then contacted with air flowing along and across the cross-section.
Such a use may be the contacting of liquid and gaseous materials, e~g. as a biological drop forming body having a synthetic resin fill for the biological purification of effluents. In another application, gas may be separated out from liquids, waters and effluents. Here the lamellar construction according to the invention is used by feeding the water to be de-gassed from above with the aid of gravitation and uniformly, whereupon the gas is readily removed from the liquid.
A very important area of application of the invention is the cooling of industrial waters because there the lamellar structure according to the invention provides for very advantageous cooling due to its high specific surface area per volume, since the construction provides a large active contact surface between the water to be cooled and the air flowing through it.

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Claims (8)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR
PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. Lamellar structure for the separation of foreign matter from liquids, or for the contacting of the liquid with a gaseous substance, or for the biolo-gical treatment or cooling of the liquid, comprising mutually parallel channels, the walls of the channels being circular so that the edges of the individual circles are disposed at the centers of the inside of the adjacent circular element, and the center point of the arcs coincide with every second intersection point of a square matrix.

2. Lamellar structure according to claim 1, wherein the pitch of the said matrix is greater than the radius of the circles.

3. Lamellar structure according to claim 1 , wherein the circular walls are tubes, the outer surfaces of which are slit along one-half of their length in the direction of the generatrix, and the individual tubes are inter-leaved from opposite directions with their slits.

4. Lamellar structure according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said walls of the channels are formed as a unitary component by being fixed together along their edge generatrices.

5. Lamellar structure according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said walls of the channels are formed as a unitary component by being fixed together along their edge generatrices with the intermediation of planar plates.

6. Lamellar structure according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein there are planar partitioning elements interposed between the walls of the channels along the lines of said matrix.

7. Lamellar structure according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least some of said elements are provided with convex surface-increasing portions.

8. Lamellar structure according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lamellar structure is provided at its edges with fully circular closing partit-ioning elements the outer surfaces of which are slitted along a single genera-trix.