What are the types of wastewater thickeners?
August.12,2025
A thickener is a solid-liquid separation device based on gravity settling. It is typically a shallow cylindrical trough with a conical bottom, constructed from concrete, wood, or welded metal plates. It concentrates a slurry with a solids content of 10% to 20% by weight into an underflow slurry with a solids content of 45% to 55% by weight through gravity settling. The thickened underflow slurry is discharged from the underflow outlet at the bottom of the thickener by means of a slow-moving rake (1/3 to 1/5 rpm) installed within the thickener.
A relatively clear clarified liquid (overflow) is produced at the top of the thickener and discharged through a circular chute at the top.
Thickeners are widely used in hydrometallurgy, mineral processing plants, chemical plants, and other production sites requiring solid-liquid enrichment and separation.
Common thickeners
are commonly used in mineral processing plants. This type of thickener features a simple structure, reliable production, and easy management. However, due to its large diameter, it occupies a large area and has a relatively low production capacity per unit area.
Inclined plate thickener
This thickener features a series of inclined plates (tubes) installed along the circumference of the cylindrical tank of a conventional thickener, tilted toward the center of the thickener at an angle of approximately 60° to the horizontal. This accelerates the separation of ore particles, shortens material settling time, enhances the separation and sedimentation process, and improves equipment efficiency. However, due to its complex structure, the inclined plates are prone to falling off, aging, and deformation, making maintenance and operation more difficult.
High-efficiency thickener
This thickener features inclined plates in the thickener tank and a separate flocculant addition mechanism. It is no longer solely a sedimentation device, but rather a new type of dewatering equipment combined with slurry filtration.
