The clarivac units are operated by reversing motors which are activated by clarifier dogs to limit their travel. A control panel allows the plant operators the ability to increase or decrease the speed, in feet per minute, that the clarivacs travel. The sludge, pressurized water, and polymer enter into the actual DAF tanks, which are at atmospheric pressure. The difference in pressures causes air to come out of solution as fine bubbles, which rise to the surface of the DAF tank. The sludge attaches to the fine bubbles and is floated to the surface where it is concentrated, thickened.
Polymer is used as an aid in thickening.
The equipment that makes up the DAF is two 32,300 gallon DAF tanks. There are two hydrostatic tanks each of which is supplied air by its' own air compressor. The anaerobic digesters at the City of Santa Fe have a wide and varied history. In the past, they have served as both digesters and also as sludge storage tanks. A major modification and replacement project was to use existing tankage, with a new addition for the pumping and heating equipment, and reuse them again as anaerobic digesters.