Method and apparatus for separating solid impurities from a fluid

An apparatus for separating solid impurities from a fluid containing solid impurities, comprising:

• a receptacle;
• an inlet section for flow of influent comprising a fluid containing solid impurities into the receptacle;
• a plurality of plates disposed within the receptacle, each plate having a bottom edge, a top edge and at least one side edge connecting the bottom and top edges, the plurality of plates being stacked substantially parallel to one another and at an incline defined by an acute angle measured from a vertical edge joined to a side edge of a plate comprising said plurality of plates;
• a plurality of channels formed between adjacent plates of said plurality of plates, the plurality of channels being configured to permit fluid to flow upwards and to permit solid impurities to settle on said plurality of plates or to slide downward along said plurality of plates;
• a side wall positioned adjacent to at least one side edge of the plurality of plates, the side wall having a bottom edge, a top edge, and at least one side edge connecting the bottom and top edges, the bottom and top edges of the side wall being positioned perpendicular to the bottom and top edges of each plate, the side wall containing a plurality of apertures leading to the plurality of channels;
• and
• an outlet section at the top edges of said plurality of plates, which is configured to discharge effluent out of the receptacle,
• wherein said apertures are configured to introduce influent above the solid impurities, which have separated from the fluid by settling on or sliding down said plurality of plates,
• wherein each of the apertures is positioned on an upper half portion of a gap that spans a distance between adjacent plates of said plurality of plates, and
• wherein each of the apertures contain a lower edge positioned vertically above the bottom edge of each plate.