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The Principal Filtration Methods Now Used With Reference To The Rate of Flow Through Gravity Filters May Be Classified As
The Principal Filtration Methods Now Used With Reference To The Rate of Flow Through Gravity Filters May Be Classified As
The Rapid Sand Filter (RSF) water treatment equipment differs from the Slow Sand Filter water treatment equipment in a variety
of ways, the most important of which are the much greater water treatment filtration rate and the ability to clean automatically
using back washing. The mechanism of particle removal also differs. Rapid sand Water treatment filter does not use biological
filtration and depends primarily on mechanical straining, sedimentation, impaction, interception, adhesion and physical
adsorption. In Rapid sand water filter the complete filtration cycle (filtration and back washing) occurs sequentially.
Water Treatment Filters that must be taken off-line periodically to back wash are classified operationally as semi-continuous.
Water Treatment Filters in which filtration and backwash operations occur simultaneously are classified as continuous.
There are a number of different types of Rapid sand filters depending upon bed depth (e.g., shallow, conventional and deep bed)
and the type of filtering medium used (mono-, dual-, and multimedia).
A further classification can be made based on the driving force as gravity Water Filters or pressure Water filters. Typically sand is
used as the filtering material in single medium filters. Dual- medium filters usually consist of a layer of anthracite over a layer of
sand. Multimedia filters typically consist of a layer of anthracite over a layer of sand over a layer of garnet.
The principal filtration methods now used with reference to the rate of
flow through gravity filters may be classified as
constant-rate of filtration with fixed head,
In the effluent controlled type of filters, the filter effluent lines are connected to a common header. A fixed orifice is built into the
effluent piping for each filter so that no filter after washing will take an undue share of the flow. The filtered water header
pressure may be regulated by a throttle valve which discharges to filtered water reservoir. Costly rate controllers are replaced
with fixed orifices and therefore, would make the units economical particularly in large water works involving batteries of filters.
For equal duration of filter runs the total output per day from a declining rate filter is higher than that in the conventional filters.
In group of filters operating at an average rate of 10 m3/m2/hr, the fixed orifice will be so designed that a recently cleaned filter
will begin operation at 15 m3/ m2/hr while the filter next in line for cleaning will have slowed down to about 5 m3/m2/hr. Usually
the depths of filter boxes for declining rate filters are more than those for the conventional ones. These would permit longer filter
runs and consequent reduced wash water requirements.
The filter beds are operated by scheduled cleaning in such a way that each of beds will be in different stage of filter cycle
producing the required average flow. When the rate of flow is reduced to the minimum design rate, the filter is removed from
service and back-washed. In an inlet-controlled filter, the rate of flow is controlled proportional to the rate of filtration with float
control arrangement to the inlet valve. Inlet control reduces the amount of work which has to be done on the filter to just clean it.
Filter media,
Gravel support,
The Above Figure shows a typical rapid sand filter water treatment with components. The filter is contained within a filter box,
usually made of concrete. Inside the filter box are layers of filter media and gravel.
Below the gravel, a network of pipes makes up the under-drain system which collects the filtered water and evenly distributes the
backwash water. Washwater troughs help distribute the in-fluent water and are also used in collecting the dirty washed water
during backwashing.
In addition to the components mentioned above, most rapid sand filters contain a flow controller, or filter control system, which
regulates flow rates of water through the filter. Other parts, such as valves, a loss of head gauge, surface washers, and a backwash
pump, are used while cleaning the filter.
Operation of a Rapid sand filter during water filtration is similar to operation of a Slow sand filter. The influent water flows down
through the sand and support gravel and is collected by the underdrain system is shown in the above Figure. However, the
influent water in a rapid sand filter is already relatively clear due to coagulation, flocculation and clarification, so RSFs operate
much more quickly than SSFs. The rate of filtration varies from 80 to 120 Lpm/ m2 (4800 to 7200 Lph/ m2) of filter bed area or 4.8
to 7.2 m/ h. The average rate of filtration for design purpose may be assumed as 100 Lpm/ m20f filter area or (6m/h).
Water treatment filter bed sizes vary from 25 to 100 m2 with lengths in the range of 4 to12 m and widths in the range of2.5 to 8 m
and length to breadth ratio of1.25 to 1.33. The wash water collection channel is located on one side along the length of the filter.
Filter beds of twice this size can be constructed as two identical beds separated by the wash water collection cham1el, thus
limiting the length of travel of feed water to 5 m. A minimum overall depth of 2.6 m including a free board of 0.5 m is adopted. Fig
shows the cut section of RSF box showing the under drainage system, gravel, sand media and wash water gutters.
Filter media
The filter media is the important component of the water treatments filter which actually removes the particles from the water
being treated. Water Treatment filter media is most commonly sand, though other types of media can be used, usually in
combination with sand. The sand used in rapid sand filters is coarser than the sand used in slow sand filters. This larger sand has
larger pores which do not fill as quickly with particles removed from the water. Coarse sand also costs less and is more readily
available than the finer sand used in slow sand filtration. The filter sand used in rapid sand filters is prepared from stock sand
specifically for the purpose. Most rapid sand filters contain 60 to 75 cm thickness of sand, but some newer filters are deeper. The
sand used as filter media in RSF is generally of effective size of 0.4 to 0.7 mm and uniformity coefficient of 1.3 to 1.7. The standing
water depth over filter varies between 1.0 and 2.0 m.
Graded Gravel
The water filter gravel at the bottom of the water filter bed is not part of the filter media and it is merely providing a support for
media above the underdrains and allowing an even distribution of flow of water across the filter bed during filtering and
backwashing. The gravel also prevents the filter sand from being lost during the operation. The filter gravel is usually graded of
size from 2.5 to 50 mm (largest size being at the bottom) in four to five layers to total thickness of 45 to 50 cm, depending on the
type of under drain system used. In case the under drainage system with pourous bottom or false floor no gravel base is required.
The filter gravel shall be classified by sieves into four or more size grades, sieves being placed with the coarsest on top and the
finest at the bottom.
False floor
The most common type of under-drain is a central manifold with laterals either perforated on the bottom or having umbrella type
strainers on top. Other types such as wheeler bottom, a false bottom with strainers spaced at regular intervals or a porous plate
floor supported on concrete pillars are all satisfactory when properly designed and constructed.
Washwater Troughs
Wash-water troughs placed above the filter media collect the backwash water and carry it to the drain system. Proper placement
of these troughs is very important to ensure that the filter media is not carried into the troughs during the backwash operation
and removed from the filter. The upper edge of the washwater trough should be placed sufficiently nearer to the surface of sand
so that a large quantity of dirty water is not left above the filter sand after completion of washing. At the same time, the top of the
wash-water trough should be placed sufficiently high above the surface of the sand so that the sand will not be washed into the
gutter.
Width of the filter bed must be equally divided by the troughs so that each trough covers an equal area of the filter. Maximum
clear spacing between the troughs may be 180 cm. The horizontal travel of wash-water to trough should not be more than 90 cm.
All the wash water troughs must be installed at the same elevation so that they remove the backwashed water evenly from the
filter so that an even head is maintained across the entire filter. The troughs may be made with the same cross-section throughout
its length or it might be constructed with varying cross-section increasing in size towards the outlet end. The bottom of the
troughs should clear the top of the expanded sand by 50 mm or more. These wash water troughs are constructed in concrete,
plastic, fiberglass, or other corrosion-resistant materials. The troughs are designed as free falling weirs.
Backwashing
Proper backwashing for cleaning the water treatment filter is a very important step in the operation of a water filter. If the filter is
not backwashed periodically, it will eventually develop additional operational problems. If a filter is to operate efficiently during a
filter run it must be cleaned regularly at every 24 to 48 hours. Treated water from storage is used for the backwashing. This
treated water is generally taken from elevated storage tanks or pumped in directly from the clear water drain by passing in the
reverse direction from under drains to the media. The below Figure shows the flow pattern during the backwashing.
During filtration, the grains of water filter media become coated with the floes, which plug the voids between the filter grains,
making the filter difficult to clean. Backwash should, therefore, be arranged at such a pressure that sand bed should expand to
about 130 to 150% of its undisturbed volume so as to dislodge the deposited floes from the filter media during the backwash.
Washing causes the sand grains to impinge on one another and thus dislodging adhering floc and, the rising wash water carries
the material and discharge into the gutters. The backwash flow rate has to be great enough to expand and agitate the filter media
and suspend the floes in the water for removal. On the other hand an unduly high rate of flow will cause more expansion than
needed, so that the sand grains will be separated further and scrubbing action will be decreased and the media will be washed
from the filter into the troughs and out of the filter. A normal backwash rate is 600 Lpm/ m2 of filter surface area without any
other agitation. The pressure of the wash water to be applied is about 5 m head of water as measured in under drains.
Backwashing normally takes about 10 minutes, though the time varies depending on the length of the filter run and the quantity
of material to be removed. Water filters should be backwashed until the backwash water is clean. For high rate back wash, the
pressure in the under drainage system should be 6 to 8 m with wash water requirement being 650 to 850 Lpm/ m2 of filter (40 –
50 m/hr) for a duration of 6 to 10 minutes.
Though the former results in better washing, the gravel is likely to be disturbed. The cleaning of water treatment filter with air
agitation followed by backwash is a very efficient method but requires the installation of a large air blower to produce the air. The
normal design of backwashing employing conjunctive air and water wash, air will be applied at 700 to 850 Lpm/ m2 of filter area
(45 – 50 m/hr) and water at 200 to 250 Lpm/ m2 of filter area (12-15 m/hr).
Surface Washing
The upper layer of the water filter bed becomes the dirtiest and any inadequate washing will lead to the formation of mud balls,
cracks and clogged apots in the water filters. These troubles are overcome by adequate surface wash which can be accomplished
by stirring the expanded water treatment filter bed mechanically with jet of water directed into the suspended sand. Surface
washers spray water over the sand at the top of the filter breaking down mud-balls. The below Figure shows the surface wash
arrangements.