What is the general purpose of using baffles in a sedimentation tank?

The use of baffles in a sedimentation tank primarily serves the purpose of slowing down the water velocity as it flows through the tank. By reducing the flow rate, baffles help create a more quiescent environment, allowing suspended particles to settle more effectively to the bottom of the tank. This settling process is critical in wastewater treatment because it enables the separation of solids from liquids, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the treatment process.

Baffles also help in directing the flow of water through the tank in a controlled manner, which can further support optimal settling conditions. By ensuring that water flows uniformly and steadily, baffles contribute to the effective sedimentation of suspended solids, which is crucial for maintaining water quality and preparing the effluent for further treatment or discharge.

While other options might touch on different aspects of wastewater treatment, they do not accurately capture the specific function of baffles within a sedimentation tank. For example, filtering out large solids is typically accomplished by screens or coarse bar racks before the sedimentation tank, and increasing temperature is not a function of baffles but could be related to other treatment processes. Aggregating biological floc, while important for the overall treatment process, is more directly related to processes such as secondary treatment and not the action