Chemical Engineering Journal 362 (2019) 712–720

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Chemical Engineering Journal

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/cej

Fluid dynamics in continuous settler T

F.D.T Luna, A.G Silva, N.K. Fukumasu, O. Bazan, J.H.A. Gouveia, D. Moraes Jr., J.I. Yanagihara,
⁎
A.S. Vianna Jr.
University of the São Paulo – USP, Prof. Luciano Gualberto – Trav. 3, 380, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil

H I GH L IG H T S G R A P H I C A L A B S T R A C T

• PIV measurement and CFD simulation

of water flow of a settler were studied.
• RANS turbulence models were tested
to predict the water flow inside the
settler.
• BSL-RSM model showed good con-
sistence with experimental data.
• Multiphase simulations with the
Eulerian-Eulerian model were per-
formed.
• Separation efficiency in the sedi-
mentation tank was investigated for
various sizes of solid particles.

A R T I C LE I N FO A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Continuous settlers are present in the treatment of effluents and domestic water. They have low operational and
Water treatment maintenance cost; however, they can reach high separation efficiency. In this work, the fluid dynamic char-
Sedimentation acteristics of the settler in bench scale, with no-concentric axial inlet in the feedwell were precisely evaluated,
Turbulence using both experimental and numeric approach. The velocity fields were experimentally obtained by PIV
Computational fluid dynamics
(Particle Image Velocimetry). Numerically, the three-dimensional flow was studied using the ANSYS CFX
Particle image velocimetry
package. For more adequate representation of velocities, the RNG κ-ε, SST κ-ω, and BSL-RSM turbulence models
were analyzed. After the validation of fluid dynamics, it was possible to perform multiphase simulations, ana-
lyzing the efficiency of solid particles removal. The Eulerian-Eulerian multiphase model was applied, along with
the particle interfacial transfer model. The profiles of axial U and radial V velocity components allowed ob-
serving that the BSL-RSM model showed consistent results when compared to the experimental data. In relation
to the separation efficiency, smaller particles (10 μm) were verified to tend to be more evenly distributed in the
settler, while larger particles are quickly deposited on the bottom. From the diameter of 100 μm, there was no
difference between the separation efficiency values obtained.

1. Introduction
Sedimentation is one of the processes used in the solid and liquid
phase separation. It consists of a separation technique based on the
action of gravity and the difference in density of the components: the
heavier particles deposit at the bottom of the settler tank and the lighter
component (usually the liquid) is collected at the top of the equipment,
in order to achieve the phase separation [1,2].
Settlers are equipment widely used industrially. With low operating
and maintenance costs, high separation efficiency can be obtained.
According to Farrow et al. [1], White et al. [3], Goula et al. [4] and Al-
Sammarraee et al. [5], the sedimentation performance depends on the

⁎
Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: flaviadaylane@usp.br (F.D.T. Luna), deovaldo@unisanta.br (D. Moraes), jiy@usp.br (J.I. Yanagihara), ardson@usp.br (A.S. Vianna).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2019.01.088
Received 30 August 2018; Received in revised form 5 December 2018; Accepted 15 January 2019
Available online 16 January 2019
1385-8947/ © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
F.D.T. Luna et al.
characteristics of the suspended solids, geometry and dimensions of the
separator tank and the flow field inside the equipment.
Many papers apply CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) techni-
ques to model the flow within different sedimentation tanks. CFD
techniques apply the theory of continuous mechanic mixtures, using
continuity and motion equations for each constituent of the mixture,
besides incorporating the appropriate constitutive equations. This
mathematical point of view has a huge development [6–10].
Using CFD, Goula et al. [1] studied geometric adaptation in a settler
of potable water (low concentrations of solid). The authors proposed
stretching the inlet piping of the suspension to facilitate the flow into
the sedimentation region. With this modification, no recirculation
zones near the heavier component outlet were observed, reducing the
chance of resuspension of the particles already deposited.
Tarpagkou and Pantokratoras [11], also through CFD, observed that
the separation efficiency (rate of sediment solids on rate of solids in the
feeding) obtained with the use of the conventional settler was 75%,
while the one presented by an inclined parallel plate tank was 93%.
Another methodology to get details about the behaviour of the fluid
inside the settler uses PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry), which can be
defined as the mean displacement mapping of particle groups in a short
time interval. In essence, the PIV requires seeding particles, laser light
illumination of a plane of that stream, and the particle image capture in
the plane at two moments out of phase in the order of microseconds.
Depending on the configuration of the PIV equipment, three compo-
nents of the velocity vector can be directly obtained in the region of
interest [12].
Sutalo et al. [13] combined the PIV techniques with CFD simula-
tions to describe the influence of the rake on the fluid behavior in the
settler. In their paper, the authors presented several configurations and
dimensions of rakes.
Alonso-Martínez et al. [14] performed PIV experiments and CFD
simulations for the process of gravitational sedimentation. For the au-
thors, the results of PIV experiments were useful for the reliability of
the numerical data, thus enabling to optimize and to investigate the
characteristics of the flow with low cost.
The objective of this paper was to evaluate the solid removal effi-
ciency in a continuous settler through CFD simulations. For this, 3D
single phase simulations (ANSYS/CFX) are initially performed, ap-
plying some type RANS turbulence models. These simulations were
validated by experiments performed in a continuous settler of labora-
tory scale, where the velocity fields were obtained by the PIV 2D-2C
technique. Posteriorly, multiphase numerical simulations were per-
formed to accurately evaluate the separation efficiency for several
particle sizes.
2. Fundamentals (Prediction of flow fields by CFD)
2.1. Equations
The mathematical representation of the flow within the settler is
based on the following considerations: (a) Incompressible fluid with
constant physicochemical properties; (b) Isothermal, stationary and
turbulent flow; (c) Smooth and static wall.
With these weights, the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS)
equations are:
∇ ·(f α ρα Ūα) = 0
∇ . [fα (ρα Ūα ⊗ Ūα)] = −fα ∇pα + ∇ . {fα μα [∇Ūα + (∇Ūα )T − ρui′¯u′ j]}
+ S̄Mα + M̄α
in which fα and ρα represent the volumetric fraction and the specific
mass of the α phase, and Ūα indicates the velocity of the α phase. μα
denotes the dynamic viscosity and − ρui′¯u′j is the Reynolds tensor,
which can be related to (μt) turbulent viscosity, depending on the
Chemical Engineering Journal 362 (2019) 712–720
turbulence model used. S̄Mα represents the gravitational force and M̄α is
the sum of the interfacial forces, here defined by the sum of the drag
force and turbulent dispersion force.
Many authors, such as Goula et al. [5], Al-Sammarraee et al. [15],
Tarpagkou and Pantokratoras [16], apply the Eulerian-Lagrangian
multiphase model with one-way or two-way coupling to study fluid
dynamics in settlers. However, according to Clercq et al. [16] and
Tarpagkou and Pantokratoras [17], although the Eulerian-Lagrangian
approach provides a more detailed and realistic modeling of particle
deposition, this multiphase model should not be applied to the system
which has particle volume fractions surplus of 10–12%. Therefore, as
there are regions in settlers that have high concentrations of the solid
phase, the study of volume fraction fields using the Eulerian-Lagrangian
multiphase model is unfeasible. Therefore, as also used by Zhou et al.
[18] and Panda et al. [19], we decided to study the multiphase system
using the Eulerian-Eulerian model combined with the particle model.
2.2. Turbulence model
The turbulence models of the RANS type represent a consolidated
solution to describe the turbulence within a settler tank [1,4,16,20,21].
They are models that present a relatively low computational cost. They
are divided into two groups: the ones adopting the Boussinesq hy-
pothesis (two-equation models) and the ones that directly solve the
components of the Reynolds tensor.
The RNG κ-ε is a two-equation model. It applies turbulent kinetic
energy (κ) and turbulent dissipation rate (ε) to calculate turbulent
viscosity and turbulent tension. The model notoriously has serious re-
strictions when applied to flow simulations near the walls, and to
problems in which turbulence anisotropy has a dominant effect over the
flow, or when the Reynolds number is low or moderate [22]. Ironically,
these situations are very important to the sedimentation process.
The SST κ-ω is a zonal model that uses the κ-ω model (based on
turbulent kinetic energy and specific dissipation) in the viscous sub-
layer and changes to the κ-ε in the developed zone, combining the
qualities of each of the two models [23]. Its robust formulation near
walls allowed its use in industrial cases; however, this model has a
higher computational processing time when compared to the previous
one.
The Reynolds stress model (RSM) computes the turbulent stresses
directly by solving partial differential equations, one for each compo-
nent of the Reynolds tensor. The RSM includes the anisotropic effects of
turbulence, the yields of which are superior to the models based on the
Boussinesq approach (previous models) when used to simulate rota-
tional flows and secondary currents [24]. For turbulence closing, the
BSL-RSM model uses a combined function for the dissipation equation,
applying the same scope of the SST κ-ω model.
3. Material and methods
3.1. Experimental apparatus
The settler developed for this study, as shown in Fig. 1, is a cy-
lindrical recipient of transparent acrylic crystal, measuring 0.2 m and
0.17 m in diameter and height, respectively. The tank has one inlet at
the top of the equipment and two outlets: one at the top (Overflow —
Clarified outlet) and the other at the center of the equipment base
(1) (Sludge outlet). Inside the settler, there is a feedwell, which is a cy-
lindrical body, also of transparent acrylic crystal, measuring 0.08 m in
diameter and 0.150 m in height. The fluid enters the feedwell through
an axial tubing, non-concentric to the central axis, with length equal to
(2)
0.075 m. The ratios between the studied dimensions are based on real
sedimentation tanks.
The experimental unit contains a storage tank (Tank III) for the
flows of the settler two outlets, as depicted in Fig. 1. The stored sus-
pension is used to feedback the settler tank. To ensure a uniform feed,
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F.D.T. Luna et al.
Fig. 1. Experimental apparatus; (I) feedwell; (II) sedimentation tank; (III) storage tank; (IV) pump; (V) control panel; (VI) area of interest (in the laser sheet section)
and 2D coordinate system; (VII) CCD camera and (VIII) YAG: laser.
the storage tank contains an axial mixer moved by a variable rotation
motor. The suspension circulates through this system using a cen-
trifugal pump with a 22-mm diameter rotor.
The design of the used prototype followed the geometry of the in-
dustrial circular clarifiers that can serve as thickeners [25]. The di-
mensions of the circular prototype were defined from the high-rate
settlers, which have not presented long diameter-depth ratios [26].
Besides that, two design elements were improved. The extensive length
of the feedwell was designed in order to prevent that short circuits in
the feeding with high turbidity would interfere on the clarified over-
flowing performance; and the non concentric feedwell inlet improved
the recirculations within this feedwell, which maximized the mixture in
this region.
3.2. PIV measurements
As shown in Fig. 1, the experimental flow field was measured by
PIV, acquired by DANTEC Dynamics based on a Nd: YAG pulsed laser
emitter (532 nm, 1200 mJ, 7 Hz, Litron Lasers Ltd., Rugby, UK), CCD
camera (FlowSense 4M MK II, 2048 × 2048 pixels, focal length of
500 Mm), narrow optical filter of 532 nm and computer with a digital
data acquisition system. The fluid in the settler was followed by hollow
glass microspheres coated with silver of diameter equal to 10 μm.
3.3. CFD simulations
For the present work, two situations were adopted, applying the
CFX code, version 16.0:
3.3.1. Single phase flow
Only the water flow was studied to verify the mathematical model
comparing it with the results obtained experimentally (PIV analysis). In
this case, the volumetric fraction (fα) is equal to 1, and the interfacial
forces (M̄α ) are equal to zero (Eqs. (1) and (2)). Three turbulence
models were evaluated: RNG κ-ε, SST κ-ω and BSL RSM models (models
that presented more adequate results in a previous analysis, among κ-ε,
RNG κ-ε, κ-ω SST κ-ω, SSG-RSM and BSL RSM models).
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Chemical Engineering Journal 362 (2019) 712–720
3.3.2. Multiphase flow
Water and calcium carbonate flows were analyzed. The Eulerian-
Eulerian multiphase model was applied, along with the particle inter-
face transfer model. The drag force was calculated by the Gidaspow
model, and turbulence by the BSL-RSM model. The cases studied were
monodisperse with different diameter sizes of the solid phase.
To quantify the equipment separation efficiency, the Eq. (3) is used,
a relation also used by [5]:
C
E(\%) = 100. ⎛1 - L ⎞
⎜ ⎟
⎝ Co ⎠ (3)
in which E represents the liquid/solid separation efficiency; CL and Co
represent the mass fraction of solid particles in the clarified outlet and
the mass fraction of solid in the settler feeding, respectively.
3.3.3. Geometry and mesh
The geometry was developed for the sedimentation tank using the
ICEM CFD, version 16.0. The dimensions are equal to the settler used in
the experimental step, except for two adaptations: (a) it was necessary
to delimitate the clarified outlet region for the numeric study, placing a
top wall of the sedimentation tank and considering a 1.856. 10−3 m2
area representing the outlet and, (b) in the feedwell outlet, the arches in
the experimental unit were not taken into account. For the simulations,
a continuum lateral area representing the outlet was considered; how-
ever, the outlet area size was the same as that of the experimental unit
(10−3 m2).
The mesh was developed from a blocking strategy, using the ICEM
CFD, version 16.0. The blocking used was the result of several strategies
tested in this study and comprised 156 blocks. A mesh dependency
study was performed to determine the best relation among precision,
stability, and computational cost. Some meshes (0.4; 1.0; 1.4; 2.5 and
3.5 million of cells) were considered and, obviously, the results are
slightly different. The mesh used is composed of 2.5 million hexahedral
volumes presented in Fig. 2.
The final mesh showed good quality, since met the orthogonal
quality and skewness criteria. Indeed, a large number of elements,
around 94.8% for orthogonal quality and 96.5% for skewness, showed
quality values over 0.80, since the value 1 corresponds to the ideal
value for both criteria studied.
F.D.T. Luna et al.
Fig. 2. Geometry and hexahedral mesh used in the numerical study.
3.4. Boundary conditions
The operational conditions used in the PIV analysis consist in con-
trolling the feeding flow (water and solid particles) equal to
43.5 ml.s−1. In the sludge outflow, two situations were studied:
15.5 ml.s−1 and 3.5 ml.s−1. In the clarified outlet, the ambient pressure
(1 atm) was established.
Aiming to obtain the efficiency data of the experimental multiphase
flow for each diameter studied, the flow rates (water and calcium
carbonate with equal diameter size) of the inlet and sludge outlet were
simultaneously controlled by valves and maintained equal to
43.5 ml.s−1 and 15.5 ml.s−1, respectively; the solid volumetric fraction
in the inlet was kept equal to 20%. Sludge and clarified outlet flow rates
were collected for a certain period of time and, posteriorly, the obtained
mass was placed in the oven in order to obtain the value of solid flow
present in each outlet.
For validating the mathematical model (single phase flow) through
CFD simulations, the same conditions were applied to the inlet and to
the clarified outlet. In the sludge outlet, a flow equal to 15.5 ml.s−1 was
used.
In relation to the multiphase study, the volume fraction of the
feeding was equal to 20% of the solid phase; the carbonate diameter
varied from 10 μm to 250 μm and the other contour conditions were
kept constant, equal to those for the single phase flow study.
4. Results and discussions
4.1. Experimental results
The water flow lines on the xy plane, obtained in both cases ex-
perimentally studied, are shown in Fig. 3. A fluid recirculation zone is
observed at the top and at the bottom of the jet that leaves the feedwell.
These vortices position and intensity changes with the variations in the
flow rate in the sludge outlet.
According to Shahrokhi et al. [2], the existence of these recircula-
tion zones has adverse effects, which are mainly decreasing the tank
effective area of separation and inducing high turbulence intensity. This
can not only reduce the possibility of the particle deposit, but also cause
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Chemical Engineering Journal 362 (2019) 712–720
resuspension problems.
4.2. Validation of the velocity profiles
Fig. 4 displays the indications of the experimental velocity vector
diagrams, using sludge outflow equal to 15 ml.s−1, and the numerical
velocity diagrams (for the RNG, SST and BSL-RSM turbulence model).
Under the same operation conditions, a similar flow pattern is observed
with the presence of a recirculation zone. The vortices were also ver-
ified by Joodi and Hameed [27], analyzing the water flow in horizontal
sedimentation tanks; by Goula et al. [15], when they investigated the
influence of temperature on the flow lines inside a circular settler, and
by Tarpagkou and Pantokratoras [11], studying the sedimentation be-
havior in lamellar tanks using the κ-ε, SST κ-ω and RNG κ-ε turbulence
models, respectively.
In relation to the fluid jet that leaves the feedwell, there is a dif-
ference between the experimental and numerical results: in the ex-
perimental result, the outflow jet is smaller, with a slope slightly up,
while those obtained numerically present greater range of velocity, and
are directed to the settler base.
Figs. 6 and 7 respectively show the profiles of U velocity component
(velocity in the direction x – Fig. 5) and V velocity component (velocity
in the direction y – Fig. 5), obtained using the RNG κ-ε, SST κ-ω and
BSL-RSM turbulence models, and comparing them to the values from
the PIV analysis, shown with their standard deviation (represented by
bars). Velocity components data were collected in the axial positions
distant from the base (0.070 m, 0.080 m, 0.090 m and 0.100 m), as
presented in Fig. 5.
Fig. 6 shows that the RNG κ-ε model properly presents the velocity
profile trend, but the values are overestimated, which was equally ob-
served by Al-Sammarraee et al. [5], when they studied turbulence in
rectangular settlers, using the standard κ-ε model. Values obtained
using SST κ-ω turbulence model cannot properly describe the flow (a
velocity central peak is not numerically observed).
For the present study, the model that best represents the U velocity
component is that which directly calculates Reynolds tensors (BSL
RSM), except in the 0.100 m position (Fig. 6(a)). White et al. [4] also
observed the efficiency of the RSM model to describe turbulence in
F.D.T. Luna et al. Chemical Engineering Journal 362 (2019) 712–720

Fig. 3. Streamlines of the water in a diametral plane of the settler for the sludge outlet flows equal to: (a) 3.5 ml.s−1 and (b) 15.5 ml.s−1.

Fig. 4. Vector maps for each case under study; (a) Experimental (PIV); (b) RNG κ-ε turbulence model; (c) SST turbulence model and (d) BSL-RSM turbulence model.

settler tanks, comparing numerical velocity profiles to experimental
values obtained by the LDV technique.
The V velocity component (Fig. 7) allows observing that the RNG κ-ε
model cannot rightly predict the velocity profile. Despite being widely
used, this model is not adequate to flows with low Reynolds number
[28]. For the settler under study, we have low Reynolds number values:
in the sedimentation region (experimentally studied), the value of the
higher dimensionless number is around 2.104.
The SST model correctly represents the velocity variation near the
wall, as expected, since its advantage is the accurate prediction of the
boundary layer flow [23]. The results, however, show velocity values
smaller than the ones from PIV, mostly in the positions closer to the
bottom (Fig. 7(c) and (d)).
The BSL RSM model enables to correctly verify the velocity profile
near the wall, even though the results still present velocity values below
the empirical data. However, if the standard deviation is taken into
account, the numerical values obtained using this model are in ac-
cordance with the experimental results.
In general, among the turbulence models studied, the BSL RSM
model is verified to better represent the profiles of the two velocity
components studied. This can be justified by its being a model that does
not use the Boussinesq hypothesis in its formulation.

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F.D.T. Luna et al.
Fig. 5. Position of studied lines.
4.3. Multiphase simulation: particle sedimentation efficiency
Fig. 8 shows the streamlines for the water continuous phase on a xy
plane going through the settler central axis (z = 0), obtained from the
multiphase study with diameter of solid phase equal to 25 μm. Re-
circulation areas are observed on the plane shown. Inside the feedwell,
Fig. 6. Component of the U velocity as a function of the radial position for distances (a) 0.100 m from the bottom; (b) 0.090 m from the bottom; (c) 0.080 m from the
bottom and (d) 0.070 m from the bottom.
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Chemical Engineering Journal 362 (2019) 712–720
two mixture zones are verified, one located on the feedwell bottom,
anticlockwise, and the other located at the top of the feedwell. Ac-
cording to Zhou et al. [18], for flocculation, a stage that normally
happens inside the feedwell, a mixture maximum is convenient to op-
timize the process.
Near the clarified outlet (settler top), the presence of vortices is
verified. According to Shahrokhi et al. [2], this may be an advantage for
the sedimentation process by allowing the particles that were being
dragged to return to the separation process, consequently increasing the
particle resistance time inside the equipment.
Fig. 9 shows the planes of solid volume fraction on a xy plane, going
through the central axis (z = 0), for three studied diameters: 10 μm,
50 μm and 250 μm. As expected, it is difficult for the smaller particles to
settle (small-size particles are imprisoned in the fluid recirculations)
and, therefore, as can be seen on Fig. 9 (a), the plane of concentration
presents an almost homogeneous behavior along most of its extension.
The solid volume fraction is 20% (value established at the entrance),
also observed by Al-Sammarraee et al. [5], studying the sedimentation
of particles with 20 μm diameter in rectangular tanks.
With diameters equal to 50 μm and 250 μm (Fig. 9(b) and (c)), a
higher solid concentration is observed at the bottom of the settler. The
diameter increase causes an extension of the clarified liquid region,
which leads to the conclusion that larger particles (Fig. 9(c)) are not
F.D.T. Luna et al.
Fig. 7. Component of the V velocity as a function of the radial position for distances (a) 0.100 m from the bottom; (b) 0.090 m from the bottom; (c) 0.080 m from the
bottom and (d) 0.070 m from the bottom.
Fig. 8. Continuous phase streamlines using the Eulerian-Eulerian multiphase
model.
dragged by the liquid (as observed in Fig. 10(c), the V velocity com-
ponent exhibits negative values, which means the particles are settling).
Fig. 10 shows the V velocity component behavior in the dispersed
phase (calcium carbonate) on a xy plane going through the central axis
of a settler for the three diameter sizes studied (10 μm, 50 μm and
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Chemical Engineering Journal 362 (2019) 712–720
250 μm). The V velocity is observed to show higher values (in module)
within the feedwell, around 0.45 m.s−1 for the three cases studied.
However, in the feedwell external area, the higher discrepancy is ver-
ified to be obtained for the 250 μm diameter case (Fig. 10(c)), which
presents negative velocity values, meaning the particles sedimentation.
For the smaller diameters, geometric adaptations are verifiably neces-
sary, especially in regions of fluid recirculation, to enhance these par-
ticles settling. The process was also performed by Goula et al. [1], Al-
Sammarraee and Chan [19], Shahrokhi et al. [20], Lane et al. [29] and
Panda et al. [30].
The separation efficiency was calculated using Eq. (3) for the cases
studied. Fig. 11 shows these efficiency values as a function of the solid
phase diameter, obtained both numerically and experimentally. It is
possible to observe that both values are in accordance. As expected,
sedimentation efficiency rises as the particles size increases, because
the larger particles quickly settle due to their heavier masses and higher
inertia in relation to turbulence [5]. For both methodologies, a con-
siderable difference in the efficiency value obtained is no longer ob-
served from diameter 100 μm.
5. Conclusions
PIV 2D measurements were performed in an acrylic settler on pilot
F.D.T. Luna et al. Chemical Engineering Journal 362 (2019) 712–720

Fig. 9. Volume fraction of the solid on a xy plane for cases of solid phase diameters equal to: (a) 10 μm; (b) 50 μm and (c) 250 μm.

Fig. 10. Component of the V velocity of the dispersed phase for cases of diameters equal to: (a) 10 μm; (b) 50 μm and (c) 250 μm.

observed. The slugde flow rate variation was observed to influence the
positioning and size of the vortices within the settler.
Initially, in the numerical study, models for the single phase system
(water) were tested and verified by qualitative and quantitative com-
parisons with the experimental results, noticing that the velocity fields
calculated using the turbulence model BSL-RSM were in accordance
with the measured experimental results. However, the velocity results
obtained from RNG κ-ε and SST κ-ω models failed to correctly represent
the fluid behavior in the settler.
With the consistency between computational and experimental re-
sults, it was possible to use the numerical data to obtain details of the
flow characteristics in the settler. The numerical analysis of the fluid
dynamics behavior of the suspension (water/calcium carbonate) within
the equipment could be verified by streamlines, volume fractions and V
velocity component.
Numerical results of the water/solid separation efficiency using the
settler presented values within the range of 3–70%, with calcium car-
bonate diameter variation in the interval from 10 μm to 250 μm. This
showed that, to improve the sedimentation of small particles, it will be
necessary to make geometric adaptations to the sedimentation tank
under study.

Acknowledgement
Fig. 11. Separation efficiency as a function of the solid phase diameter.
The authors acknowledge Brazilian National Research Council
(CNPq) for the financial support, Brazil.
scale and a 3D numeric model was used to simulate the hydrodynamics
within the equipment. The tank flow was studied under the code ANSYS
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