Flow capacity increases up to 100% with Leopold Texler lamella clarifier, the company claims
Xylem has unveiled the new Leopold Texler lamella clarifier to support the removal of solids in water treatment applications. Made from a recyclable, hydrophobic geotextile material, the new solution is said to reduce service and maintenance requirements while cutting solids by more than 80%.
Current lamella plate clarifiers are made from heavy stainless steel plates which requires extensive support structures and significant capital investment. When exposed to sun, steel reflects UV rays and promotes algae growth in the clarifier, reducing the clarification performance and requiring regular, manual cleaning.
The Leopold Texler system uses hydrophobic geotextile, a woven HDPE which repels water and reduces the need for cleaning. The flexible design allows for cost-effective retrofitting by using existing rectangular basins, thus reducing the overall construction costs while increasing the flow capacity by up to 100%, Xylem claimed. Carbon dioxide footprint for raw material production is reduced by 80% due to a change in material from virgin stainless steel to virgin HDPE, along with reduced material weight.
Texler comes with a UV cover to prevent algae growth and protect against debris entering the clarifier. Unlike steel plates, HDPE is also corrosion free. This extends the lifetime of the product and reduces service and maintenance requirements. A trough cover design provides a catwalk for operators to access the system for servicing, eliminating exposure to slippery walking surfaces.
Salvador Dominguez, global product manager at Xylem, said: “Utilities are under pressure to meet growing demand for clean water. This challenge is paired with aging infrastructure and tightening resources.
“The Leopold Texler lamella clarifier will help solve these challenges, reducing the overall construction costs, minimising maintenance and providing a flexible and sustainable solution that can be easily retrofitted into existing basins, helping utilities to cost-effectively increase treatment capacity and improve service for their communities.”
Xylem’s Leopold Texler employs a lamella clarifier design feature whereby lamella sheets are installed at an inclined 55o angle to expand the clarification surface area. Solids settle on the lamella sheets as water flows through trough covers featuring an integrated v-notch weir, resulting in even distribution of flow throughout the clarifier. As a result, water treatment capacity of existing rectangular clarification systems can be increased by up to 100%, with over 80% reduction in solids and turbidity values starting as low as 1 NTU. The Texler solution’s modular design allows for easy maintenance as each lamella sheet can be removed independently.
