Solución lamelar de vanguardia en la PTAR más grande de México

Atotonilco is home to the largest wastewater treatment plant in all of Mexico. The plant treats wastewater from nearly 12.6 million citizens living in the Mexico City Valley. The plant stands out by being the only one of its kind to be constructed in a single phase. Brentwood aided in this large project by providing a highly efficient lamella system for the plant’s primary treatment process, covering more than 10,000 m² (107,639.1 ft²).

El desafío

Atotonilco faced high concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS), especially during the rainy season. TSS concentrations averaged approximately 250 mg/L during the dry season and increased to around 400 mg/L during the rainy season. Peak inflows of up to 42 m³/s (1,483.2 ft³/s) carried significant loads of sediment, waste, fats, and other coarse, heavy solids through the plant’s dedicated pretreatment process trains. The plant’s treatment objective was to reduce TSS levels to a target range of 40–75 mg/L.

Brentwood engineered a sedimentation solution that adhered to the plant’s stringent process requirements and budget. The heavy influent loading presented a high risk of plugging, which was mitigated through the use of TUBEdek. TUBEdek was installed in 23 tanks, 18 conventional primary clarifiers (TPC) and 5 chemically enhanced primary clarifiers (TPQ), covering a total footprint of 10,849 m² (116,777.7 ft²) and incorporating 14,046 m³ (496,029.8 ft³) of TUBEdek lamella packs. The final design also included an integrated support structure, anti-flotation system, and hydraulically designed launders in each tank.

The Advantages

• TUBEdek created a monumental effective projected sedimentation area of 73,802 m² (794,398.1 ft²) for the plant’s TPCs and 13,989 m² (150,576.3 ft²) for its TPQs while requiring a compact footprint of just 10,156 m² (109,318.3 ft²).
• High sedimentation efficiency and a minimized plugging risk.
• A fully integrated solution, incorporating a robust support structure and hydraulically optimized launder design to promote consistent and controlled water flow.

The Results

Within the footprint occupied by the TPC/TPQ treatment trains, TUBEdek successfully increased effective sedimentation capacity by 86%.

After two years of TPC/TPQ calibration, effluent concentrations were reduced by up to 45 mg/L, an improvement of approximately 90%. These performance gains significantly support the plant’s design objective of capturing nearly 100,000 tons of sand and waste material annually, that would otherwise be sent to the facility’s landfill.

By maximizing sedimentation capacity within a limited footprint, TUBEdek helped the Atotonilco Wastewater Treatment Plant achieve long-term treatment performance and operational efficiency.