Raw data for the manuscript "MLSens Settler: Development and Evaluation of a Novel Self-Cleaning Approach for Horizontal Tube Settlers

This dataset contains the raw experimental data and theoretical upscaling analyses supporting the findings of the manuscript "MLSens Settler: Development and Evaluation of a Novel Self-Cleaning Approach for Horizontal Tube Settlers".

Research Hypothesis and Context: The research addresses the historical limitation of horizontal tube settlers, which are theoretically more efficient but were abandoned due to a lack of a continuous self-cleaning mechanism. The central hypothesis is that incorporating a longitudinal bottom slot in each horizontal tube can solve this drawback, enabling effective self-cleaning without compromising sedimentation performance.

Data Collection: The data was gathered from a custom-built, pilot-scale MLSens settler treating synthetic raw water under controlled laboratory conditions. Key performance parameters, including turbidity, apparent color, pH, and temperature, were systematically monitored at the inlet and outlet of the settler during 10 independent experimental runs (n=130 total measurements).

Data Findings and Interpretation: The data presented here validates the success of the MLSens concept. The experimental data demonstrates the settler's high performance, showing consistent turbidity removal efficiencies exceeding 95% and a stable effluent quality (< 4 NTU), suitable for subsequent filtration stages. The upscaling analysis data provides the calculations that show the design's potential to achieve high surface overflow rates (13–21 m/h) and significantly reduce the footprint (~51%) of sedimentation units compared to conventional inclined settlers.

File Structure: The dataset is organized into two main spreadsheets:

Experimental_Raw_Data.xlsx: Contains all data related to the pilot-scale experiments, including raw time-series measurements, summary statistics, and a simple upscaling scenario based on the pilot unit.

Upscaling_Analysis_Data.xlsx: Contains the detailed theoretical upscaling and parametric sensitivity analyses for a full-scale design.

Please refer to the README.txt file for a detailed description of the contents of each file and their respective sheets.