Section 1: Why Choose a Met-Chem Lamella Clarifier?
Met-Chem lamella clarifiers are built for industrial wastewater systems where solids removal, reliability, and serviceability matter.
Key advantages:
50-minute retention time for better settling and cleaner effluent
60-degree inclined plate design for high projected settling area
Compact footprint compared to conventional settling tanks
Built in America by Met-Chem in Cleveland, Ohio
Integrated wastewater systems including pH adjustment, polymer, sludge tanks, and filter presses
Replacement and retrofit options for older lamella clarifiers and Parkson-style plate packs
Section 2: How a Lamella Clarifier Works
Wastewater is chemically pretreated as needed, usually with pH adjustment, coagulant, and polymer. The flow then enters the lamella clarifier and travels upward through angled plate packs.
As the water rises, suspended solids settle onto the inclined plates. The solids slide down the plates into the sludge cone, while clarified water exits from the top of the unit.
The settled sludge can then be sent to a sludge holding tank or directly to a Met-Chem filter press for final dewatering.
Section 3: The 50-Minute Retention Time Advantage
Many lamella clarifiers focus only on plate area. Plate area matters, but retention time also matters.
A clarifier with more usable volume gives suspended solids more time to settle before the water exits the system. Met-Chem designs its lamella clarifiers with a 50-minute retention time to help improve solids capture, reduce carryover, and create a more stable treatment process.
This is especially important when treating industrial wastewater with variable flow, changing solids concentration, or fine precipitated metals.
Section 4: Common Applications
Met-Chem lamella clarifiers are commonly used for:
Metal finishing wastewater
Plating wastewater
Chrome, nickel, zinc, copper, cyanide and other metal hydroxide precipitation
Mining and aggregate wastewater
Industrial process water clarification
Groundwater treatment
Lab wastewater treatment
Filter press pre-thickening
Clarifier retrofits and replacement plate pack projects
Section 5: Complete Wastewater Treatment Systems
A lamella clarifier is often one part of a complete treatment system.
A typical Met-Chem system may include:
Equalization tank
pH adjustment system
Coagulant and polymer feed
Flash mix and flocculation tank
Lamella clarifier
Sludge holding cone tank
Filter press
Final pH adjustment or polishing equipment
This matters because a clarifier only performs as well as the treatment process around it. Met-Chem can help evaluate the full system, not just the clarifier tank.
Section 6: Lamella Clarifier Sizing
To size a lamella clarifier, Met-Chem typically reviews:
Flow rate in GPM
Solids concentration
Type of solids
pH and chemistry
Chemical pretreatment requirements
Desired effluent clarity
Sludge production rate
Available footprint
Whether a filter press is included
For proper sizing, send Met-Chem your flow rate, wastewater type, and any available jar test or lab data.
Common Problems Solved By a Lamella Clarifier
Many industrial facilities struggle with suspended solids that do not settle effectively in conventional tanks. This can lead to cloudy effluent, permit issues, and increased load on downstream filtration equipment.
A properly designed lamella clarifier helps solve these problems by improving solids settling, reducing carryover, and stabilizing treatment performance. When combined with proper chemical pretreatment, it allows operators to consistently meet discharge requirements while reducing the burden on downstream equipment such as filter presses or polishing systems.