ABSTRACT
Baffling is one of the most common Water and Wastewater Treatment Units (WWTU) design modifications applied to promote plug flow-like conditions. The primary effect of using baffles in WWTU is to promote a channel-like straight flow and prevent the formation of large recirculation regions, which are associated with the overall intensities of short-circuiting and mixing in the WWTU. The international technical and scientific literatures abound in reports of the effect of baffles on WWTU hydrodynamic performance. The primary reason for using deflectors in WWTU is, thus, to mitigate the formation of recirculation zones in the vertical and/or horizontal planes, in such a way to contribute to reducing the overall intensities of short-circuiting and mixing in the WWTU. In addition to the presence of baffles and other flow-modifier structures, their quantity, dimensions and arrangement inside a WWTU can have a substantial impact on the flow pattern.