Machines · FTC series
Thickener and Clarifier
Gravity thickening and clarification for process and effluent duty. Filcare builds the mechanism — drive head, rake, feedwell and launder — to suit the tank, whether that tank is existing civil, new civil, or a steel tank in our scope. Underwater parts are mild steel rubber lined as standard for brine and chloride service.
How it works
- Feed enters a centre feedwell designed to dissipate velocity and promote flocculation without shearing the floc.
- Solids settle to the floor; the rake sweeps them to a central cone at a tip speed slow enough to avoid resuspension.
- Clarified overflow leaves over a peripheral launder weir, protected by a scum baffle.
- Underflow is withdrawn at controlled density; rake torque is the process signal that tells the operator how dense the bed has become.
- Torque protection acts in three stages — alarm, automatic rake lift, then drive trip — so the mechanism is never the thing that fails.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Tank diameter | 3 – 30 m standard; larger to enquiry |
| Standard drive range | To 50 000 ft-lb (67 800 Nm) rated torque |
| Torque required | K × D² — see the selection table. Above the standard range the mechanism is built to enquiry with a larger slewing ring |
| Duty classes | Light K=5 · Medium K=12 · Heavy K=22, where T(ft-lb) = K × D(ft)² |
| Rake tip speed | 3 – 12 m/min, 6 m/min typical |
| Mounting | Bridge mounted to 24 m; column or centre-pier above |
| Rake lift | Manual screw or motorised, 300 – 600 mm travel |
| Torque sensing | Electro-mechanical as standard; convertible to load cell |
| Protection | Torque alarm 100 % · auto rake lift 100 % · drive trip 120 % |
| Drive | Helical-bevel or worm with slewing ring, 415 V 3-ph 50 Hz |
Size and selection
Standard build sizes. Filtration areas are calculated from the geometry, not nominal — a small is exactly what the arithmetic says it is. Intermediate and larger sizes are built to duty.
| Tank Ø (m) | Settling area (m²) | Mounting | Light T (ft-lb) | Medium T (ft-lb) | Heavy T (ft-lb) | Heavy T (Nm) | Drive range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 7.1 | Bridge | 500 | 1200 | 2100 | 2900 | Standard |
| 6 | 28.3 | Bridge | 1900 | 4700 | 8500 | 11600 | Standard |
| 9 | 63.6 | Bridge | 4400 | 10500 | 19200 | 26000 | Standard |
| 12 | 113.1 | Bridge | 7800 | 18600 | 34100 | 46200 | Standard |
| 15 | 176.7 | Bridge | 12100 | 29100 | 53300 | 72200 | Extended — to enquiry |
| 18 | 254.5 | Bridge | 17400 | 41900 | 76700 | 104000 | Extended — to enquiry |
| 21 | 346.4 | Bridge | 23700 | 57000 | 104400 | 141600 | Extended — to enquiry |
| 24 | 452.4 | Bridge | 31000 | 74400 | 136400 | 184900 | Extended — to enquiry |
| 27 | 572.6 | Column / centre pier | 39200 | 94200 | 172600 | 234100 | Extended — to enquiry |
| 30 | 706.9 | Column / centre pier | 48400 | 116300 | 213100 | 289000 | Extended — to enquiry |
The area you need comes from a test, not from this table. Send the slurry, the throughput, the target cake moisture and any wash requirement, and we will size the machine against a leaf or pilot test so that the offer carries a guaranteed duty. Try the sizing calculator →
Materials of construction
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Underwater parts | MSRL — mild steel rubber lined (standard for brine) |
| Rake arms and blades | MSRL · SS 316L · MS epoxy |
| Squeegees | Neoprene · natural rubber · UHMWPE |
| Feedwell | MSRL · SS 316L · FRP |
| Launder and weir | SS 316L · FRP · MS epoxy |
| Bridge and walkway | Mild steel, hot-dip galvanised or epoxy |
| Drive head | Cast steel housing, slewing ring bearing |
Scope of supply
- Drive head with slewing ring, geared motor and torque sensing
- Rake arms with replaceable blades and squeegees
- Centre shaft or torque tube
- Rake lifting device — manual or motorised
- Centre feedwell with de-aeration and flocculant addition point
- Peripheral launder, V-notch weir plate and scum baffle
- Access bridge with walkway, handrail and toe plate
- Underflow cone and offtake connection
- Local control panel with torque indication and interlocks
Not included as standard
- Civil foundation, grouting, anchor bolts and civil works
- Erection, alignment and commissioning supervision unless separately quoted
- Slurry feed pump, vacuum pump and filtrate pump unless listed in scope
- Power, air, water and effluent lines up to the equipment terminal points
- Instrumentation beyond the items listed in scope of supply
- Any statutory approvals, insurance or third-party inspection charges
Options
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Motorised rake lift | Auto lift on torque alarm, with position indication |
| Load cell torque sensing | 4–20 mA torque output to plant DCS |
| High-rate feedwell | Deep-cone type for flocculated high-rate duty |
| Flocculant dosing skid | Preparation, ageing and dosing with in-line mixer |
| Bed level instrument | Ultrasonic or optical interface tracking |
| Full rubber lining | All wetted steel lined for chloride and acid service |
| Steel tank in scope | Shop-fabricated or site-welded tank with floor cone |
Applications
- Brine clarification for chlor-alkali and soda ash
- Water and wastewater primary and secondary clarification
- Mineral concentrate and tailings thickening
- Neutralisation and effluent sludge thickening
- Sugar, starch and food process clarification
Utilities at battery limit
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Power | 415 V ± 10 %, 3-phase, 50 Hz, 4-wire |
| Control supply | 240 V AC 1-phase / 24 V DC |
| Instrument air | 6 bar (g), oil-free, dew point −20 °C |
| Vacuum | By Filcare-supplied pump or client system, at battery limit |
| Wash water | Client supply at 3 bar (g), free of suspended solids > 200 µm |
Inspection and test
- Material test certificates (EN 10204 3.1) for all pressure-retaining and wetted plate
- Dye-penetrant examination of wetted welds
- Hydrostatic / leak test of vat, drum and filtrate lines
- Dimensional inspection against approved GA drawing
- No-load trial run at works: rotation, valve timing, agitator sweep
- Drive and gearbox test certificates from the OEM
Painting and finish
Surface preparation to SA 2½, two coats epoxy primer (2 × 40 µm DFT) and two coats epoxy finish (2 × 50 µm DFT). Stainless steel parts supplied pickled and passivated, unpainted.
Downloads
Thickener and Clarifier datasheetPDF · 3 pages · A4
Filcare product cataloguePDF · 16 pages · A4
Capability sheetPDF · 1 page · A4
Certified data is issued with the approved general-arrangement drawing.
Send us the slurry. We will send you the machine.
Slurry description · solids wt % · throughput · target cake moisture · wash requirement · temperature and pH. Offers are prepared by Mr. T. Srikanth.