Flash Mixer & Pipe Flocculator

Flash mixing and pipe flocculation are chemical pre-treatment processes that precede solid-liquid separation units such as dissolved air flotation (DAF) systems, conventional clarifiers, and lamella clarifiers. Effective chemical mixing is critical to the performance of downstream separation: coagulants must be rapidly and uniformly dispersed throughout the water column within milliseconds of dosing, while flocculants require a gentler, more prolonged mixing environment to build large, strong flocs without shear destruction.

A pipe flocculator is a plug-flow reactor — a length of pipe through which wastewater flows at a controlled velocity. Turbulence within the pipe, induced by the flow velocity and optional static mixing elements, achieves rapid chemical dispersion without any mechanical moving parts. Chemical injection ports are located at precisely calculated positions along the pipe to allow each reagent to react for the correct duration before the next chemical is introduced. Typical chemical sequences include coagulant injection (rapid dispersion zone), followed by flocculant addition (slow-build floc zone), followed by pH adjustment if needed.

The absence of mechanical moving parts is a key advantage of pipe flocculators over conventional agitated flash mix tanks: there are no impellers to maintain, no seals to fail, and no gearboxes to service. The system operates using only the energy in the flowing water. Multiple sampling and dosing ports (typically up to 4 each) allow on-site optimisation of chemical dosing points and dosages without modifying the pipe structure. Materials of construction — mild steel, stainless steel, or high-density polyethylene — are selected based on chemical compatibility and site corrosion conditions.