Lamella gravity separator

Claim 1

In an apparatus for separation of solids suspended in a liquid, said apparatus including a tank having a lamella plate assembly located within said tank defining a plurality of parallel inclined flow passages therein, an inlet distribution means for directing liquid to be treated into said tank and upwardly through said flow passages, and an outlet trough means extending transversely with respect to said flow passages for receiving clarified liquid from said flow passages; an improved lamella plate assembly, comprising: a plurality of spaced-apart inclined parallel lamella plates defining said flow passages therebetween, said lamella plates having a generally rectangular inclined settling surface and a rear surface; each of said lamella plates having a leg portion extending substantially perpendicular to an upper end portion of said rear surface substantially along the entire width thereof, said leg portion extending between adjacent lamella plates such that the outer edges thereof contact an adjacent settling surface in closing relationship to a corresponding flow passage therebetween; and a plurality of horizontally spaced-apart orifices extending through said lamella plates at an elevation below the elevation of said leg portions said orifices being in communication with a corresponding flow passage and with an area above said lamella plate assembly in communication with said outlet trough means.