As the AguaClara project continues to expand, the desire to design and construct water treatment plants as efficiently and effectively as possible is becoming more relevant. The plate settlers that AguaClara is currently designing and suggesting that the communities build are relatively cheap to build, but are extremely meticulous and time intensive to construct. This page is dedicated to an assessment of outsourcing the construction and possibly the design of the settlement systems in AguaClara water treatment plants. It takes into account economics, maintenance, durability, environmental impact, and supply chain issues.
Current AguaClara Plate Settler Module Cost
All of the plates for one module are stacked up with a slight offset between each plate to give the module a tilt. A 7/8" hole is drilled in 6 to 9 (depending on the size of the module) places through the stack plates. A 1/2" PVC tube fits tightly through these 7/8" holes. We cut lengths of 1/2" PVC as long as the module will be thick. At the end of each tube (I'll call them skewers from now on) we put a 1/2" union, which serves as a stopper, so nothing slides off the end. The 1/2" union is not glued, just stuck on tight. Then we start stringing the plates on the skewers like beads on a necklace, only that in each space between the plates we put a spacer made out of 3/4" PVC pipe. The 3/4" PVC slips right over the 1/2" PVC. After all of the plates and spacers have been put on, we stick another 1/2" union on to cap it off. No glue.
-John Erickson, AguaClara Engineer 2007-2009
Brentwood Industries
Enviropax
Siemens
Meurer Research Inc.
Analysis
Recommendations After Analysis