This section is from the book "The Engineer's And Mechanic's Encyclopaedia", by Luke Hebert. Also available from Amazon: Engineer's And Mechanic's Encyclopaedia.
The process of clearing or fining any fluid from heterogeneous matter or feculence by chemical means, thus differing from filtration, which is merely a mechanical operation. Clarification is performed either by heat, of by the addition of some substance which will unite with, and either precipitate to the bottom, or carry to the surface, the matter which renders the liquid turbid.
 
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