Patent ID: 7384551

Claim:
A trapezoid settler having a longitudinal axis that extends between an upstream region and a downstream region and a transverse plane generally normal to the longitudinal axis, comprising: a base the lies in a generally horizontal plane, wherein the base has a downstream end and an upstream end; a weir assembly located at the downstream end of the base at a first axial position; a first side wall, having a first inner face, that extends between the upstream end of the base and the weir assembly, wherein the first side wall is oriented at a first angle to the longitudinal axis and wherein said first angle is greater than zero degrees; a second side wall opposing the first side wall, having a second inner face, that extends between the upstream end of the base and weir assembly, wherein the second side wall is oriented at a second angle to the longitudinal axis and wherein said second angle is greater than zero degrees; and a first coalescence fence connected to the first side wall and the second side wall, wherein the first coalescence fence extends between the inner face of the first and second side walls at a second axial position along the longitudinal axis, wherein the first coalescence fence comprises: a first screen; a second screen oriented generally parallel to the first screen; and a media disposed between the first screen and the second screen; wherein the first and second side walls each respectively comprise first sections that extend at angles inwardly, toward one another, as they extend from the upstream end of the base toward the first coalescence fence, respectively.