A patented new generation high rate clarifier Source: Bruce Holliday, Stefanutti Stocks Mechanical
A new generation S&P High Rate Clarifier (S&P HRC) is a consequent development of the initial clarifier developed in house by Stefanutti Stocks Mechanical (previously Skelton & Plummer) in 1988. The S&P Clarifier was developed for dirty water treatment in gold, platinum and other base metal mines, with the objective of achieving a four to six times higher specific throughput rate, compared with conventional conical settlers. This requirement became apparent in the mining industry as many settlers were, because of increased production, hydraulically overloaded, and the existing infrastructure could not be extended by blasting new and or bigger excavations to accommodate additional water facilities.
The clarifier has been well received by all the major mining houses in South Africa and Southern Africa for both new installations and retrofitting. To date 75 clarifiers have been installed. Its popularity is largely due to its throughput rate of up to six litres per m² per second under peak flow conditions.
The S&P HRC can be installed underground or on surface, dependent on the feed arrangements. The smaller shape and dimensions of the clarifier also means that installation can occur with only minor interruptions of the ongoing operations. In cases where the S&P HRC is used in new installations (or extensions or deepening of shaft systems) it requires only 16% of the surface area of a conventional settler. Compared with a conventional settler, with the same flow rates, the saving of the S&P HRC in excavation volume and related requirement for roof support, linings or similar measures, are more than 90%. The smaller dimensions also result in less rock stresses, particularly beneficial where bad ground conditions prevail or at deep mining operations.
The S&P HRC requires no more flocculant than conventional settlers, but achieves overflow clarities of 10 ppm S.S. Because of its unique design features the S&P HRC maintains this overflow water quality over is full throughput range, from zero to design capacity. The underflow sludge density is comparable to that of
conventional settlers.
An additional feature of the S&P HRC is its capability to collect, and to trap in one compartment, contaminants that are lighter than water and which are fed to the clarifier with the dirty water stream, for example: oil, grease, plastics and general debris.
Another distinctive feature of the S&P HRC is the fact that is has no moving parts, and as it accepts any feed fluctuation over the full throughput range without adjustments, the clarifier is user friendly and does not need operators input. All clarifiers are of completely bolted design, which allows hot dip galvanizing of all
components. That in turn, permits easy transport to the underground installation sites and effortless erection. It also guarantees a long life expectancy at very low maintenance costs.
Please contact Stefanutti Stocks Mechanical for further information on +27 11 254 5700.