Ultra-Dense Thickeners from McLanahan

McLanahan Corporation has long supplied traditional High-Rate Thickeners to recover immediately re-usable process water. To add to this line, McLanahan is now offering ultra-dense thickeners such as the Deep Cone Thickener.


High-Rate and High-Density Thickeners

McLanahan’s High-Rate and High-Density Thickeners are simple in design and operation, but offer a multitude of benefits for producers. Although both sized based on hindered settling velocity, High-Rate Thickeners feature lower side walls and lower sludge densities, while High-Density Thickeners have higher side walls and denser underflows.

Mc Lanahan, High-Rate, High-Density Thickeners
McLanahan, High-Rate, High-Density Thickeners
McLanahan, High-Rate, High-Density Thickeners

Because this water is available adjacent to the plant site, pump horsepower is substantially reduced and the elimination of settling ponds means resources are not covered up.

Thickeners are typically found in the following applications:

  • Plant effluent treatment
  • Solids concentration
  • Counter current wash (CCW) or decantation (CCD) operations

Thickeners use a minimal amount of polymers/chemicals in order to help agglomerate very fine particles into larger particles that will settle much faster. Solids settle on bottom of the Thickener while clean water rises to the top. Rotating rake arms collect settled sludge and move it toward the center discharge cone. Solids are typically pumped out at 35-45 percent solids.

Deep Cone Thickeners:
McLanahan’s Deep Cone Thickeners process plant waste streams at higher rates of flow, in smaller areas than traditional High-Rate Thickeners by capitalizing on the principles of free settling velocity and compression thickening.

McLanahan, Deep Cone Thickeners
McLanahan, Deep Cone Thickeners
McLanahan, Deep Cone Thickeners
McLanahan, Deep Cone Thickeners

Tanks on these Thickeners are typically taller to provide a free settling zone. They also have a deep compression zone with long mud residence times, allowing sludge to compact under its own weight. Further significant sludge compaction can be accomplished by the use of a rotating picket mechanism that plows out channels in the compressed mud, creating passageways for trapped water to escape the bed. This results in thickened material forming a high-density sludge or paste.

Transportation of the sludge or paste from the underflow depends on its rheological properties. Centrifugal pumps may be employed at sludge yield stresses of up to 200 pascals, whereas higher yield slurries require a positive displacement pump for transport. Deep Cone Thickeners are free-standing, raised units that are available as either welded single piece tanks up to 12’ (3.66 m) in diameter or as field welded or bolted tanks up to 40’ (12.19 m) in diameter. They are characteristically tall with height to diameter rations ranging from 1:1 to 2:1.

These Deep Cone Thickeners offer producers underflow densities that are often not achievable with standard high-rate thickeners. Benefits of this performance include:

  • Maximum water recoveries from a gravity settling device
  • Production of an underflow that may be suitable for surface deposition
  • Higher wash efficiencies for CCW and CCD circuits
  • Reduction of evaporation losses
  • Smaller settling ponds
  • Reduced sizes and increased efficiencies of downstream dewatering equipment


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    200 Wall Street Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
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    McLanahan Corporation, headquartered in Hollidaysburg, PA, remains a world leader in the development and manufacture of aggregate process equipment and systems. Founder, James Craig McLanahan, established a focus on inventing, designing, improving and building the most efficient and rugged equipment for the most demanding industries. Today, 175 years since its founding, our reputation for these same qualities spans the globe. Now in its 6th generation of family ownership and a restructured organization, McLanahan is ready for the next century of business.

    McLanahan Corporation’s Aggregate Division offers a wide range of aggregate processing equipment for sand processing, scrubbing, classifying, crushing, fines recovery and water management. They specialize in process solutions for construction aggregates such as limestone granite, sand, gravel and other similar minerals.