An improved clarifier tank having a rake arm assembly with one or more rake arms, a rake arm driveshaft operatively connected to the rake arms and a rake arm drive, and a sump scraper driveshaft, operatively connected to a plurality of sump scrapers and a sump scraper drive.

Methods and systems for removing pollutants from water include one or more filter systems and a hybrid wetland system. Hybrid wetland systems may include a first pipe transporting water from a body of water to a settling tank, a first constructed wetland connected to the settling tank via a second pipe, and a first filter system removing pollutants from water passing through the second pipe. A second filter system is positioned within the first wetland to further remove pollutants. The system also includes a second constructed wetland connected to the first constructed wetland via a third pipe and a water control chamber. Filtered water exiting the first constructed wetland flows through the water control chamber, through the third pipe, and into the second constructed wetland. A fourth pipe extends between the second constructed wetland and the body of water, returning filtered water to the body of water.

Rapid removal of settled solids in secondary clarifiers is critical in sewage treatment plants having nutrient removal permits, especially phosphorus, to prevent solids from surfacing after going aerobic and releasing phosphorus. Release of phosphorus could impact the plant's permit limit. This is addressed by the described design of rake blade flights and squeegees that quickly move solids on the clarifier floor to the sludge pickup tubes, usually in one revolution. In a preferred form the blade flights are curved and may be spiral in shape, causing gathered sludge to advance outwardly toward the pickup tube at each flight, usually in one revolution. Previous blade flights included angled linear sections that progressively move the sludge in incremental movements with each revolution of the clarifier mechanism.

Apparatuses and methods are described herein. An example embodiment may include a balanced diagonal sludge removal assembly configured for use in a basin, the balanced diagonal sludge removal assembly including a discharge pipe, a collection pipe configured to slideably receive the discharge pipe, one or more header pipes extending from the collection pipe to define a first sludge communication path between the one or more header pipes and the collection pipe, and one or more balancing diagonals extending between the collection pipe and the one or more header pipes to define a second sludge communication path between the one or more header pipes and the collection pipe, wherein the one or more balancing diagonals balance flow distribution throughout the one or more header pipes.

An improved clarifier tank having a rake arm assembly with one or more rake arms, a rake arm driveshaft operatively connected to the rake arms and a rake arm drive, and a sump scraper driveshaft, operatively connected to a plurality of sump scrapers and a sump scraper drive.

An improved clarifier tank having a rake arm assembly with one or more rake arms, a rake arm driveshaft operatively connected to the rake arms and a rake arm drive, and a sump scraper driveshaft, operatively connected to a plurality of sump scrapers and a sump scraper drive.

A nozzle is provided for a header conduit. The nozzle includes an inlet that is resistant to clogs caused by flat materials covering the inlet. The inlet generally includes multiple pathways to an elongated passageway through which waste liquid and sludge (“waste”) are guided and enter the header conduit. In one embodiment, the elongated passageway is oriented to guide the waste along a path that is tangential to at least the inner surface of the header conduit which such incoming waste first contacts. When the conduit has an inner surface of circular cross-section, the passageway may optionally be elongated enough that the incoming waste enters the header conduit along a path tangential to the circular surface. To better assure axial flow of the waste in the conduit to an outlet, in one embodiment the passageway provides both the tangential flow and is at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the conduit. The incoming waste is thereby provided with an axial component. In this manner, the passageway assures that the energy and momentum of the incoming waste is helical in direction. The waste previously admitted into the header conduit is urged by the newly entering waste to continue to flow helically in the conduit. The passageways are provided at spaced intervals along the length of the conduit to collect sludge from a wide area of the bottom of the basin. Because of the tangential orientation of each of the passageways and the resulting initial tangential flow of the incoming waste, the waste incoming from each of those multiple passageways reinforces the existing helical flow of waste in the conduit.

A nozzle is provided for a header conduit. The nozzle includes an inlet that is resistant to clogs caused by flat materials covering the inlet. The inlet generally includes multiple pathways to an elongated passageway through which waste liquid and sludge (waste) are guided and enter the header conduit. In one embodiment, the elongated passageway is oriented to guide the waste along a path that is tangential to at least the inner surface of the header conduit which such incoming waste first contacts. When the conduit has an inner surface of circular cross-section, the passageway may optionally be elongated enough that the incoming waste enters the header conduit along a path tangential to the circular surface. To better assure axial flow of the waste in the conduit to an outlet, in one embodiment the passageway provides both the tangential flow and is at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the conduit. The incoming waste is thereby provided with an axial component. In this manner, the passageway assures that the energy and momentum of the incoming waste is helical in direction. The waste previously admitted into the header conduit is urged by the newly entering waste to continue to flow helically in the conduit. The passageways are provided at spaced intervals along the length of the conduit to collect sludge from a wide area of the bottom of the basin. Because of the tangential orientation of each of the passageways and the resulting initial tangential flow of the incoming waste, the waste incoming from each of those multiple passageways reinforces the existing helical flow of waste in the conduit.

A nozzle is provided for a header conduit. The nozzle includes an inlet that is resistant to clogs caused by flat materials covering the inlet. The inlet generally includes multiple pathways to an elongated passageway through which waste liquid and sludge (waste) are guided and enter the header conduit. In one embodiment, the elongated passageway is oriented to guide the waste along a path that is tangential to at least the inner surface of the header conduit which such incoming waste first contacts. When the conduit has an inner surface of circular cross-section, the passageway may optionally be elongated enough that the incoming waste enters the header conduit along a path tangential to the circular surface. To better assure axial flow of the waste in the conduit to an outlet, in one embodiment the passageway provides both the tangential flow and is at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the conduit. The incoming waste is thereby provided with an axial component. In this manner, the passageway assures that the energy and momentum of the incoming waste is helical in direction. The waste previously admitted into the header conduit is urged by the newly entering waste to continue to flow helically in the conduit. The passageways are provided at spaced intervals along the length of the conduit to collect sludge from a wide area of the bottom of the basin. Because of the tangential orientation of each of the passageways and the resulting initial tangential flow of the incoming waste, the waste incoming from each of those multiple passageways reinforces the existing helical flow of waste in the conduit.

An improved clarifier tank having a rake arm assembly with one or more rake arms, a rake arm driveshaft operatively connected to the rake arms and a rake arm drive, and a sump scraper driveshaft, operatively connected to a plurality of sump scrapers and a sump scraper drive.