A clarifier composed of a plurality of upright supports, perforated pipes and angulated flow directioning members is disclosed. The supports, pipes and directioning members are adapted for detachable association to form a clarifier which avoids short circuiting of the flow path. The various components of the clarifier, being integer and subject to detachable association, provide a clarifier system which may be transported through and installed in environments which are spatially restricted.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
1. Field 
This invention relates to apparatus and methods for separating a carrier 
fluid from solids suspended within that fluid. More particularly, the 
invention is directed to apparatus and methods of processing which utilize 
gravity to effectuate a liquid/solids separation. 
2. State of the art 
Various clarifier systems for use in separating carrier fluids from 
suspended solids are well known in the art. These systems typically 
include a vessel having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet and outlet are 
positioned to establish a flow path for a stream of fluid mixture 
introduced into the vessel. A separation unit is oriented within that flow 
path to intercept the stream of mixture and separate the carrier fluid 
from the solids suspended within the fluid. The carrier fluid is 
thereafter channeled off into one receiving area while the solids are 
directed to another. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,818 (Bosnjak) discloses a clarifier of the gravity 
separation type. Simply stated, this clarifier includes a vertical upright 
channel defined by a pair of separation elements. Each of the separation 
elements includes a vertical plate which is intersected at spaced 
intervals along its height by outwardly extending flow directioning 
plates. The directioning plates intersect the vertical plate at an acute 
angle; ie. the directioning plates are not arranged parallel to a 
horizontal plane. 
The vertical plates each define a predetermined plurality of sized orifi, 
positioned proximate each intersection of the vertical plate with a flow 
directioning plate; ie. proximate an apex. Each of the orifi communicates 
with the vertical channel thereby establishing a pathway from the body of 
fluid mixture to the vertical channel. 
The Bosnjak separation elements are suspended within a receiving vessel by 
two upright supports which are spacedly positioned one from another. The 
supports include a plurality of outwardly extending rods. The apex of each 
separation element, as formed by the intersection of the vertical plate 
with a directioning plate, is placed over a respective support rod and 
thereafter held in position by the action of the rod against the 
respective apex. 
In operation, clarifiers of the kind typified by the Bosnjak structure have 
experienced difficulty in operation. Conventionally, the vertical plates 
have not been held in a sealed relationship with upright supports. These 
upright supports form the sides of the respective compartments defined by 
the association of the vertical plate, directioning plates and supports. 
As a result of the unsealed relationship, short circuiting of the 
separation process occurs. Specifically, unclarified mixture may bypass 
the gravity separation action of the compartments by flowing around the 
vertical plates directly to the vertical channel. This short circuiting 
action results in the clarified carrier fluid being contaminated by an 
infusion of unclarified fluid mixture. This contamination imposes a 
practical limitation on the separation efficiency of the clarifier; ie. on 
the concentration of clarified carrier fluid obtainable. 
The requirement of a vertical channel makes clarifiers of the Bosnjak 
construction relatively large spatially. Considering that clarifiers may 
be installed in spatially restricted environments, such as in mines, the 
spatial requirements of this clarifier construction may prove 
disadvantageous. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,487 (Bosnjak) discloses a clarifier system composed of 
back-to-back positioned separation elements. Each element includes a 
vertical plate intersected at spaced intervals by outwardly extending flow 
directional plates similar to those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,818. 
The vertical plate and flow directioning plates form a series of apexes 
similar to the construction described above. The later structure differs 
from the former in that the apexes include a curved wall which 
substantially confines the area extant between each intersection of the 
vertical plate and a directioning plate thereby forming an open-ended 
horizontally oriented pipe. This horizontal channel functionally 
substitutes for the vertical channel of the former construction as a means 
of withdrawing clarified carrier fluid from the clarifier. As shown in 
FIG. 6B of U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,487, the vertical plate/flow directioning 
plates assembly appears to be fixedly mounted on the side supports to form 
a fully integrated separation unit. 
While clarifier configurations of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,544,487 remedy the short circuiting complications of prior clarifiers 
and reduce somewhat the clarifier's spatial requirements, such clarifiers 
engender a different problem. Specifically, clarifiers must often be 
installed in spatially confined environments. Often, the access way to the 
installation site is sufficiently narrow that clarifier components having 
dimensions, such as those of the separation units described in U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,544,487, may not pass through that access way. Resultingly, the user 
must disassemble or remove preexisting structure to permit the passage of 
the clarifier components. 
In view of the disclosed clarifiers, there exists a need for a clarifier 
system which circumvents the possibility of the fluid mixture short 
circuiting the clarifier process. Further, this clarifier should be 
suitable for conveyance through spatially restricted access ways as well 
as be adapted for installation in spatially confined environments. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A clarifier constructed according to the instant invention includes a 
vessel having an inlet and outlet. The inlet and outlet are oriented to 
establish a flow path therebetween for a fluid mixture composed of a 
carrier fluid having suspended solids therein. Positioned and supported 
within the vessel, and oriented to intercept that flow path, is a 
separator unit. This separator unit includes an assembly of integral 
carrier tubes and flow deflector plates having a support system adapted to 
retain those tubes and plates in a predetermined spatial relationship. A 
fluid conveyance system is associated with the separator unit for draining 
off clarified carrier fluid. 
The separator unit includes a pair of spaced upright supports, which may be 
oriented substantially parallel one another. 
A plurality of fluid carrying pipes are releasably secured to each of the 
supports whereby each pipe extends from one support to the other. The 
pipes are preferably positioned one above another in a generally vertical 
orientation. Each of the pipes may have orifi therein positioned along its 
length which communicate with a hollow interior channel within the pipe. 
Each pipe also includes at least one open end or port which communicates 
with the pipe's interior channel. At least one upright support defines 
openings at spaced intervals along its length to coincide with the open 
ends or ports of the pipes whereby fluid contained within the interior 
channel may be drained from that channel through the support. 
A flow directing member having a "V" or "U"-shaped configuration is 
preferably associated with each of the fluid carrying pipes. Each member 
may be inverted and positioned atop a respective carrying pipe to rest 
thereon. A flow directing member may be positioned between each pair of 
adjacent pipes. Preferably, each flow directing member has an inverted 
"V"-shape. The top of each pipe, ie. its outer surface, may be formed by 
two planar, angled surfaces which are configured to form a suitable 
mounting for a respective flow directing member. The mounting may 
correspond in shape to the configuration of the downward facing surface of 
the flow directing member. In some embodiments, each carrying pipe may 
actually be fixedly mounted to a flow directing member positioned atop 
that carrying pipe. It should be understood that the orifi in the carrying 
pipes are arranged in those regions of the pipes that are not covered by 
the flow directing members. 
Each of the pipes are secured to the supports in a manner permitting their 
manual detachment therefrom. Further, the pipes are adapted to form a 
substantially sealed relationship with the support whereby access to the 
interior channel of each pipe is substantially restricted to the orifi and 
to the open ends of the pipes, which are held in a sealed relationship 
with the upright supports. The open ends of the pipe communicate through 
the support openings with a clarified carrier fluid receiving means which 
is positioned proximate the support. The receiving means does not 
communicate with the fluid mixture within the vessel except through the 
carrying pipes and their associated orifi. 
In preferred constructions, the pipes may be secured to the upright 
supports in a slide and slide-way manner. Thus, the uprights and the ends 
of the pipes may define complementary inter-engaging formations that fit 
together in a sliding manner. In some constructions, each upright may 
define a lipped channel. Each pipe may be fitted with a flange on each 
end, configured to be slidably received within the upright channels. 
In a preferred embodiment, the uprights are extruded with a suitable 
profile. They may have a body web with the lipped channel for the pipes on 
one side. On the opposing side of the body web a set of attaching 
formations may be provided, whereby a riser defining component may be 
attached to the upright. A set of coupling formations may also be provided 
on the opposing side of the body web. The coupling formations may provide 
a means w+ereby two uprights may be coupled together, adjacent one another 
by a suitable member. 
The flanges of the pipes may be formed from rectangular or square pieces 
which define openings therein. The ends of the pipes are received within 
the flanges such that the openings in the flanges communicate with the 
interior channels of the pipes. These pieces may be fastened to the pipes 
in a suitable manner, such as by means of an adhesive. 
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the openings in the uprights 
should vary in size from one end of the upright to the other. To achieve 
this, a separate element having graded apertures may be engaged with each 
upright support. The apertures are oriented to register with the upright 
support openings. Preferably, all of the openings within the support are 
of the same size. Conveniently, the coupling formations may also be used 
for this purpose, so that two arrays may be coupled together at one end 
and each may have a riser with an apertured element at its other end. 
The association of the carrying pipes, upright supports and flow directing 
members form a plurality of open-sided compartments. Each compartment is 
defined by a top and bottom formed by the surfaces of adjacently 
positioned flow directing members. An exterior surface of the carrying 
pipe defines the back wall of the compartment. The sidewalls of the 
compartment are formed by the portions of the upright supports which 
extend between the described flow directing members. The front of the 
compartment remains open thereby permitting the introduction of fluid 
mixture into the compartment. 
The fluid mixture is driven into each compartment due to the effects of 
hydrostatic pressure operating on the mixture. Due to the angulated 
orientation of the flow directing members, fluid mixture entering the 
compartment is driven upwards. Since the fluid is driven at a relatively 
low velocity and typically under laminar flow conditions, solids suspended 
within the mixture begin to settle out of the mixture due to the effects 
of gravity. As the mixture progresses through the compartment, the 
concentration of solids within the mixture decreases. 
Upon the mixture reaching the carrying pipe which forms the back wall of 
the compartment, the mixture is substantially composed solely of carrier 
fluid, ie. little if any solids remain within the mixture. At this 
juncture, the carrier fluid enters the orifi and is channeled through the 
pipe interior to receiving means positioned proximate the upright 
supports. The solids, which settle to the bottom of the compartment, are 
drained from the compartment through the open front and eventually drained 
from the vessel. 
The invention extends to a clarifier which has at least one stacked 
(preferably vertical) array in accordance with the invention. 
The invention provides a stacked array which may easily be assembled on 
site. The array is composed of integers that are easily transportable, 
even down into a mine. Not only is it easier to transport the integers 
than an assembled array or stack, but furthermore, the integers permit the 
array to be transported through and installed in environments which are 
spatially restricted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 1, a clarifier for use in clarifying water in a mine is 
designated generally by reference numeral 10. Clarifier 10 includes a 
vessel 11 defined by a plurality of upstanding walls 12 and a bottom 13. 
The association of walls 12 and bottom 13 constitute a receptacle suited 
for retaining a fluid mixture, generally 15. Vessel 11 includes a drain 16 
positioned within the bottom 13. 
The clarifier 10 has four stacks or separation units 14, through which 
clear water passes. Water to be clarified is supplied via feed launders 
20. Clear water passes into the stacks and exits via risers 22 and 
discharge launders 24. 
Referring now to FIG. 2 through 4 and 9 through 14, the stack 14 is shown 
in more detail. The stack 14 is formed primarily from two uprights 26, a 
number of pipes 28 and an equal number of inverted "V"-shaped flow 
directing members 30. The uprights 26, the pipes 28 and the members 30 are 
all extruded and are of a suitable synthetic plastics material. The 
profiles of the uprights 26, the pipes 28 and the members 30 are shown in 
FIGS. 6, 7 and 5 respectively. Thus, the uprights 26 have a planar body 
web 32 which on one side has a slideway defined by a lipped channel 34 
which has sidewalls 36 and lips 38 extending along the complete length of 
upright 26. On its other, ie. opposing, side, the upright 26 has two 
further slideways 40 and 42. The slideway 40 is defined by lips 44 and the 
slideway 42 by lips 46. Lips 44 and 46 also extend along the complete 
length of upright 26. A number of openings 53 are formed in some of the 
uprights 26 at spaced intervals along the length of these uprights. The 
purpose thereof will be explained below. 
Each of the pipes 28 includes a sidewall 47 which defines a hollow interior 
cavity or channel 49. Each pipe 28 includes an access opening or port 51 
at each end thereof which communicates with channel 48. The pipes 28 are 
substantially diamond-shaped in cross section. Further, each of the pipes 
28 may be viewed as being formed by the association of two elongated 
planar sections 50 and two further elongated planar sections 54. The 
sections 50 are shorter in width than the sections 54. Sections 50 
intersect one another at an angle designated generally A. As shown in FIG. 
7, the exterior surface of the intersection 56 of sections 50 may be 
rounded. 
The members 30 have two planar pieces 58 that define an angle B 
therebetween. Angle A and angle B are generally equivalent in degree 
measure. Planar pipes 58 meet in a rounded region which has the same 
radius of curvature as the rounded region 56 so that the members 30 are 
snugly received on the sections 54 of the pipes 28. However, the pieces 58 
are about twice as wide as the sections 54 so that the members 30 extend 
substantially beyond the pipes 28. 
A number of holes 60 are formed in the sections 50. Holes 60 communicate 
with the interior channel 48 of the pipe 28. The pipes 28 are cut to 
length and square plates 52 having openings in them complementary in shape 
to the pipes 28 are adhesively secured to the ends of pipes 28. 
As shown in FIG. 15, plates 52 may be composed of two square plates of 
varying dimensions. A first plate 52A is configured to abut snugly against 
lips 38, while a second plate 52B is dimensioned to snugly abut against 
sidewalls 36. As each respective plate 52 is slidably inserted into 
channel 34, adjacent plates 52 abut one against another thereby sealing 
the channel 34 from fluid mixture entering that channel 34 from the side 
of upright 26 proximate separation unit 11. The members 30 are cut from 
lengths thereof to be slightly shorter than the pipes 28. 
The separation unit 14 is assembled by sliding one end of a first pipe 28 
into the slideway 34 of a first upright which has the openings 53 and the 
other end into the slideway 34 of a second upright 26 that does not have 
the openings 53. A member 30 is then placed on top of the pipe 28. A 
further pipe 28 is then slid along the slideway 34 until it engages and 
abuts against the member 30, a further member 30 is placed on pipe 28 and 
the process is repeated until the uprights 26 have been filled. It will be 
appreciated that the openings 53 are located in suitable locations so that 
they are aligned with the open ports 51 of pipes 28. 
Two separation units (such as 14 and 59) can be coupled together in a 
back-to-back manner by means of a coupling 62 which is engaged in the 
slideway 44 of two adjacent uprights 26 that do not have openings 53 in 
them. However, even if they do have openings 53 in them, these openings 
are closed off if a coupling 62 equal in length to the uprights 26 is 
used. 
The risers 22 are formed from trough-like components 66 which have flanges 
68 that engage the lips 46 defining the slideway 42. The bottom of the 
riser 22 defined by the components 66 is closed off by a cap 70. 
Riser 22 provides for the transfer of carrier fluid from the pipes 28 
outward through vessel wall 74 to a suitable receiving means (not shown). 
As shown in FIG. 16, a separation unit 14 of the instant invention may be 
mounted within a vessel 11 by means of a plurality of support brackets 76. 
Each bracket 76 is oriented to extend into the interior of vessel 11 and 
provide a mounting platform 78. A mounting bracket 79, having a length 
which dimensionally exceeds the distance separating two adjacent brackets 
76 rests on the platform 78. Mounting bracket 79 includes an attachment 
means for securing the bracket 79 to a separation unit 14. As shown in 
FIG. 16, this attachment means may include the provision of bolt holes 80 
within the bracket sized to receive bolts 82, which are mechanically 
connected to the separation unit 14 forming a union of the bracket 79 and 
separation unit 14. The bracket 79 is then positioned to straddle two 
adjacent brackets 76 and thereby support the separation unit 14 from the 
wall of vessel 11. A similar procedure on the opposing end of the 
separation unit provides a support means on each end of the separation 
unit 14. As shown in FIG. 16, bracket 79 may also be fitted with a notch 
83 which is configured to receive the top portion of the uppermost 
directing plate 30. The bracket 79 thereby also operates to retain the 
pipes 28 and directing plates in a fixed relationship. Fluid within riser 
22 is withdrawn through a nozzle 57 which passes through an aperture 88 in 
the wall of vessel 11. The nozzle 57 is received in an outlet hole 90 in 
the component 66. 
It will be appreciated that the pipes 20 of the separation unit 14 should 
not communicate with the riser 22 through equal openings. Thus, a flat 
strip 72 is provided which is slidably received in a slideway 40, and 
which has a series of graduated apertures 74 which align with the openings 
53. 
Accordingly, it will be understood that the constituent integers of a 
separator unit for a clarifier may be easily transported to the place 
where the clarifier is to be located and the separator may be easily 
assembled on site with relatively unskilled labour. 
The physics operable in the separation process effected by the instant 
apparatus is well known in the art. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,487 (Bosnjak), 
Cols. 7 and 8. 
The association of the directioning plates, upright supports and carrying 
pipes defines a plurality of vertically disposed, open-sided compartments. 
In use, the compartments are positioned adjacent a flow stream of mixture 
80 thereby facilitating an introduction of that mixture into the various 
compartments through the open side or ingress. 
As the fluid mixture enters each compartment, the mixture is directed by 
hydrostatic pressure upward (indicated by arrow 84) toward the orifi 60. 
Due to the relatively low velocity of the mixture, differences in 
densities between the carrier fluid and solids suspended therein and the 
structure of the compartments, the force of gravity effects a separation 
of the carrier fluid from the solids. Specifically, the solids typically 
settle out of the fluid mixture before the fluid mixture reaches the 
orifi. In contrast, the carrier fluid typically reaches the orifi and is 
withdrawn from the clarifier through the vertical channel. 
Those skilled in the art will recognise that the embodiments hereinbefore 
discussed are illustrative of the general principles of the invention. The 
embodiments herein described are not intended to limit the scope of the 
claims, which themselves recite what applicant regards as his invention.