SAB 2912-Water Treatment
5.5 FILTRATION
- Filtration is a passage of water through a porous medium to remove
suspended solids
- needed for most surface waters in order to provide a second barrier against
the transmission of water borne disease
- Although, disinfections are today the primary defences, filtration can assist
significantly by reducing the load on the disinfections process, increasing
disinfections efficiency.
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Mechanism of Filtration
- Mechanical straining:
size of suspended solids is bigger than size of porous medium
- Electrolytic action:
occurs due to the friction between medium and suspended solids
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SAB 2912-Water Treatment
- Sedimentation and adsorption:
the interstices between the sand grains act as minute sedimentation basins
in which the suspended particles smaller than the voids in the filter-bed
settle upon the sides of the sand grains
the particles stick on the grains because of the physical attraction between
the two particles of matter and because of the presence of the gelatinous
coating formed on the sand grains by the previously deposited bacteria and
colloidal matter.
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Types of Filtration
- Pressure Filter System
- Gravity Filter System
commonly used
there are 2 general categories:
o Slow Sand Filter (SSF)
o Rapid Sand Filter (RSF)
Items SSF RSF
3 2
Filtration rate (m /m /hr) 0.15 0.2 5 10
2
Area (m ) 50 - 2000 < 400
Size of Sand (SE) 0.25 0.3 >0.55
Distribution of medium
Not stratum Stratum
size
Replace the upper
Washing method Backwash
layer of sand
Operation cost Low High
Efficiency of disinfections 99% 60%
Expertise (Necessitate) Low High
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SAB 2912-Water Treatment
Example 1:
Determine the percentage of filtered water required for wash water based on the
following criteria:
Flow, Qf = 250 L/s
Rate of filtration, of = 150 m3/m2.day
Time of washing = 10 min/24 hr
Rate of washing, oBW = 15 mm/s
Solution
1. Quantity of filtered water every 24 hrs operation:
= Qt
f = 250 L/s x 24 hr x 60 s/min x 60 min/hr x m3/103 L
= 21600 m3
2. Filter area , As
As = Qf/of
= (250 L/s)/(150 m/day) = 144 m2
3. Quantity of wash water
QBW = As x oBW = 144 m2 x 15 mm/s = 129.6 m3/min
BW = 129.6 m3/min x 10 min = 1296 m3
4. The percentage of filtered water required for wash water
BW 1296
= x100 = 6%
f 21600
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SAB 2912-Water Treatment
Effluent level
during filtering
How filter operates:
1. Open valve A. (This allows effluent
to flow to filter)
Water level 2. Open valve B. (This allows effluent
during to flow through filter)
backwash 3. During filter operation, all other
valves are closed.
How filter is backwashed:
Washwater 1. Close valve A.
trough 2. Close valve B when water in filter
drops down to top of overflow.
3. Open valves C and D. (This allow
water from wash water tank to flow
up through the filtering medium,
Influent Air loosening up the sand and washing
the accumulated solids out of the
filter. Filter backwash water is
returned to head end of treatment
Drain plant.)
effluent How to filter to waste (if used):
1. Open valves A and E. All other
valves closed. Effluent is
sometimes filtered to waste for a
Backwash water
few minutes after filter has been
(usually filtered and
washed to condition the filter before
chlorinated
it is put into service.
Underdrain secondary effluent
system
Sketch for operation of conventional downflow, granular-medium, gravity-flow filter
Washwater weir operating cylinder
Washwater penstock Inlet penstock operating cylinder
Water surface Filter probes
Schematic layout of a slow sand filter
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