TRICKLING FILTER
DESIGN
Trickling Filter
◦ A trickling filter is an attached
growth process i.e. process in which
micro-organisms responsible for
treatment are attached to an inert
packing material.
◦ Packing material used in attached
growth processes include rock,
gravel, slag, sand, redwood, and a
wide range of plastics and other
synthetic materials.
Trickling Filter (TF)- side view
◦ TF consists of:
rotating distributor arms A rotating arm that sprays
wastewater over a filter medium.
Filter medium: rocks, plastic, or
other material.
Packing ◦ The water is collected at the
media bottom of the filter for further
treatment.
Underdrain
Wastewater
Trickling Filter Working Principle
Trickling Filter Working Principle
Trickling Filter System
Factor affecting the operation of TF
❑ Organic (BOD) loading rate
▪ A high organic loading rate results in a rapid growth of biomass.
▪ Excessive growth may result in plugging of pores and subsequent
of the media
❑ Hydraulic flow rates
▪ Increasing the hydraulic flow rate increases sloughing and helps to
keep the bed open.
❑ Relative temperature of wastewater and ambient air
▪ Cool water absorbs heat from air, and the cooled air falls toward
the bottom of the filter in a concurrent fashion with the water.
▪ Warm water heats the air, causing it to rise through the
underdrain and up through the medium.
Design consideration
Influent wastewater characteristics
Degree of treatment anticipated (BOD & TSS removal).
Temperature range of applied wastewater
Pretreatment processes
Type of filter media
Recirculation rate
Hydraulic and organic loadings applied to the filter
Underdrainage and ventilation systems
Design consideration - Pretreatment
Trickling filters shall be preceded by primary clarifiers
equipped with scum and grease collecting devices, or
other suitable pretreatment facilities.
If fine screening is provided the screen size shall have
from 0.03 to 0.06 inch openings.
Bar screens are not suitable as the sole means of
primary treatment.
Filter media
Crushed rock
◦ Durable & insoluble
◦ Locally available
◦ But, reduce the void spaces for passage of air
◦ Less surface area per volume for biological growth
Plastic media
◦ Random packing media
◦ Modular packing media
Design consideration - Filter media
The ideal filter packing is material that
has a high surface area per unit of volume
is low in cost
has a high durability
has a high enough porosity so that clogging is
minimized
provides good air circulation
Flow Diagram for Trickling Filters
Recirculation= A portion of the TF effluent recycled through the filter
Recirculation ratio (R) = returned flow (Qr)/ influent flow (Q)
Recycle
Qr
Final
clarifier
Final
Influent effluent
Q
Primary Waste
clarifier sludge
Trickling
filter
Design consideration - Recirculation
Why is recirculation required?
◦ maintain constant wetting rate
◦ dilute toxic wastes
◦ increase air flow
◦ recirculation flow dilutes the strength of raw wastewater
& allows untreated wastewater to be passes through the
filter more than once.
A common range for recirculation ratio
◦ 0.5~3.0
Underdrain System
Two purposes:
(a) to carry the filtered wastewater and the biomass
lump (sloughed solids) from the filter to the final
clarification process
(b) to provide for ventilation of the filter to maintain
aerobic conditions.
The underdrain system is generally designed to flow one-third
to one-half full to permit ventilation of the system.
Ventilation systems
In TF system,
◦ Air is supplied by natural draft or forced draft fan.
◦ The forced draft fans have been applied in order
to provide the adequate oxygen.
Design Criteria for TF
Trickling Filter Process
Single stage
a. PC TF SC
b. PC TF SC
c. PC TF SC
Two stage
PC TF TF SC
PC TF SC TF SC
PC TF SC TF SC
Stone media TF design
Hydraulic loading rate:
◦ the rate of total influent flow is applied to the surface of
the filter media
◦ Expressed as m3 wastewater/m2 filter*day or gpd/ft2
◦ Total influent flow = the raw WW + recirculated flow
◦ Typically, 9.4 m3/m2/d
◦ Maximum, 28 m3/m2/d
Ex) Influent flow = 8.5ML/d, the recirculation ratio is
2:1. Diameter of the filter is 16 m & the depth of the
filter is 2m. Calculate the hydraulic loading rate.
Stone media TF design
Organic (BOD) loading rate:
◦ The organic (BOD) loading rate is a measure of the amount of
organic waste, expressed as Biochemical Oxygen Demand
(BOD), applied to a wastewater treatment system over a
specific period and volume.
◦ It is calculated by dividing the daily kg or lb of BOD by the
volume of the treatment media.
◦ Expressed as kg/m3/d
◦ Typically, 0.320-0.640 kg/m3/d for single-stage filters
◦ Typically, 0.640-0.960 kg/m3/d for two-stage filters
Ex) Influent BOD =200mg/L, influent flow = 1.8 ML/d,
diameter of the filter is 16 m & the depth of the filter is 2m.
Calculate the organic loading rate.
Stone media TF design
NRC (national research council) formula
100
E1 =
w1 First stage or single stage
1 + 0.4432
VF
where:
E1 = BOD removal efficiency for first-stage filter at 20oC, %
w1 = BOD load applied, kg/day
V = volume of filter media, m3
F = recirculation factor
Stone media TF design
NRC formula
100
E2 =
0.4432 w2 Second stage
1+
1 − E1 VF
Where:
E2 = BOD removal efficiency for second-stage filter at 20oC, %
E1 = fraction of BOD removal in the first-stage filter
w2 = BOD load applied, kg/day
V = volume of filter media, m3
F = recirculation factor
Stone media TF design
NRC formula
1+ R
F=
(1 + R / 10) 2
where:
F = recirculation factor
R = recycle ratio
Stone media TF design
The Overall BOD removal efficiency of a two-stage filter system
can be computed by
The effect of temperature on the BOD removal efficiency
T − 20
E = E (1.035 )
T 20
where:
ET = BOD removal efficiency at ToC, %
E20 = BOD removal efficiency at 20oC, %
Stone media TF design
Example 1
◦ Estimate the BOD removal efficiency and effluent BOD5
of a two-stage trickling filter using the NRC formula
with the following given conditions:
Stone media TF design
Solution I
Stone media TF design
Solution I
Stone media TF design
Solution I
Stone media TF design
Example 1I
◦ Determine the size of a two-stage trickling filter using the
NRC equations. Assume both filters have the same efficiency
of BOD5 removal and the same recirculation ratio. Other
conditions are as follows.:
Stone media TF design
Solution II
Stone media TF design
Solution II
Stone media TF design
Solution II
Stone media TF design
Solution II
Stone media TF design
Exercise 1
◦ Calculate the BOD loading, hydraulic loading, BOD
removal efficiency, and effluent BOD concentration of a
single-stage trickling filter based on the following data:
◦ Design assumptions:
Influent flow =1530 m3/d
Recirculation ratio = 0.5
Primary effluent BOD = 130 mg/L
Diameter of filter = 18 m
Depth of media = 2.1 m
Water temperature =18oC
Stone media TF design
Exercise 2
◦ A municipal wastewater having a BOD of 200 mg/L is to be
treated by a two-stage trickling filter. The desired
effluent quality is 25 mg/L of BOD. If both of the filter
depths are to be 1.83 m and the recirculation ratio is 2:1,
find the required filter diameters. Assume the
following design assumptions apply.
◦ Design assumptions:
Influent flow =7570 m3/d
Recirculation ratio = 2
Depth of media = 1.83 m
Water temperature =20oC
BOD removal in primary sedimentation = 35%
E1=E2
Stone media TF design
Exercise 2
BOD=200mg/L Primary Secondary
Clarifier TF1 TF2 Clarifier
BOD=25mg/L
100 100
E1 = E2 =
w1 0.4432 w2
1 + 0.4432 1+
VF 1 − E1 VF
