Filtration

1. Operation

The conventional filtration is probably the most important single unit

operation of all water treatment processes. It is an operation process to
separate suspended matter from water by flowing it through porous filter
medium or media. The filter media may be silica sand, anthracite coal,
garnet, ilmenite, or finely woven fabric. Filter is very effective for removing
flocs containing microorganisms such as algae, bacteria, and virus.

Fig. 1: Filter Sand, Gravel, Garnet, and Anthracite

Fig.2: Filter medium and media

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Filtration usually follows the coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation
processes. However, for some water treatment, direct infiltration is used due
to the high quality of raw water. Duel media filters (sand and anthracite,
activated carbon, or granite) give more benefits than single-media filters and
became more popular.

Fig. 3: Mechanisms of filtration

The filters are also classified by allowing loading rate. Over flow Loading
rate (OFR) is the flow rate of water applied to the unit area of the filter. It is
the same value as the flow velocity approaching the filter surface and can be
determined by:

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OFR= over flow loading rate. m3/m2.d or gpm/ft2, the typical OFR for rapid
sand filter is 120 m3/m2.d.

Q= flow rate, m3/d or ft3/d or gpm

A= surface area of filter. m2 or ft2

Example (finding the number and surface area): A city is to install rapid
sand filters downstream of clarifiers. The design loading rate is selected to
be 160 m3/m2.d. The design capacity of the waterworks is 0.35 m3/s. The
maximum surface per filter is limited to 50 m2. Design the number and size
of filters and calculate the normal filtration rate.

Solution:

Step 1: Determine the total surface area required:

Step 2: determine the number (n) of filters

Select four filters

The surface area (a) for each filter is

We can use 7 m x 7 m or 6 m x 8 m, or 5.9 m x 8 m (exact) ‫انمساحت انحقٍقٍت‬

Step 3: if 7 m x 7 m filter is installed, the normal filtration rate is

061‫ٌذا انحقٍقً َنٍس‬

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2. Filter medium size

Before medium size is selected, a grain size distribution analysis should be

performed. The sieve size and percentage passing by weight relationships
are plotted on logarithmic-probability paper.

The most common parameters used to characterize the filter medium are
effective size (ES) and uniformity coefficient (UC) of medium size
distribution.

Sieve analysis: d10, d20, d30, d40, d50, d60, d70, d80, d90

The size of filter media is specified by EFFECTIVE SIZE (ES): is that grain size
for which 10% of the grain (d10) are smaller by weight.
The uniformity of filter media is specified by UNIFORMITY
COEFFICIENT (UC): is the ratio of the 60% (d60) to the 10 % (d10).
ES=d10 , UC=d60/d10.
These two important parameters are determined by
SIEVE ANALYSIS

Also, the 90 % (d90) is the size for which 90% of

the grains are smaller by weight. d90 is used for
computing the required filter backwash rate and can
be found from sieve analysis or from the following
equation:

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Example: Draw the grain size distribution curve. Determine effective size
and uniformity coefficient

Solution

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 ‫ورسم انعمُدٌه انثاوً َانخامس كما مُضح ادواي‬

Example: A sieve analysis curve of a typical filter sand gives d10=0.42 mm

and d60=0.66 mm. what its uniformity coefficient and d90?

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3. Mixed filter

Mixed media are popular for filtration unit. For the improvement process
performance, activated carbon or anthracite is added on the top of the sand
bed. The approximate specific gravity (s) of ilmenite sand, silica sand,
anthracite, and water are 4.2, 2.6, 1.5, and 1, respectively. For equal settling
velocities, the particle sizes for media of different specific gravity can be
computed by:

Where d1, d2=diameter of particles 1 and 2, respectively.

s1, s2, and s = specific gravity of particles 1, 2, and water, respectively.

Example: Estimate the particle sizes of illuminate (specific gravity=4.2) and

anthracite (specific gravity =1.5) which have same settling velocity of silica
sand 0.6 mm in diameter (specific gravity=2.6)

Solution: step 1: Find the diameter of anthracite

‫نهفحم‬

step 2: Find the diameter of illmenite ‫ٌجب ان ٌذخم انرمم بانحساباث‬

‫تكتب انسؤال َانحم بخط انٍذ‬

‫َاجب انجمعت‬

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4. Hydraulic of filter
4.1 Head loss for fixed bed (normal operation of filter)

The conventional fixed bed filters use a granular medium of 0.5 to 1 mm size with a
loading rate or filtration velocity of 4.9 to 12.2 m/h. when the clean water flows through a
clean granular (sand) filter, the loss of head (pressure drop) can be estimated by Kozeny
equation:

( )

Where: h= head loss in filter depth L, m

k= dimensionless Kozeny constant= 5 for sieve opening, =6 for size of separation
g= acceleration of gravity=9.81 m/s2
= density of water, kg/m3 ; = viscosity of water, pa.s or kg/m.s
=porosity
A/V=grain surface area per unit volume
= 6/d for spheres
= 6/ Ψ deq for irregular grains
Ψ= grain sphericity or shape factor
deq= grain diameter of sphere of equal volume
= filtration superficial velocity= OFR=Q/Afilter, m/s

Example: A dual media filter is composed of 0.3 m anthracite (mean size of 1 mm) that
is placed over a 0.6 m layer of sand (mean size of 0.5 mm) with a filtration rate of 9.78
m/h. Assume the grain spherricity is Ψ=0.75 and porosity for both is 0.4. Estimate the
head loss of the filter at 15 °C.
Solution: Step 1 Determine head loss through anthracite layer:
Using Kozeny equation

( )

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Where: k=6 , g=9.81 m/s2 , µ/ρ=1.131x10-6 m2/s, =0.4 ,

A/V=6/(0.75d)=8/d=8/0.001 (1/m)

=9.78 m/h =0.00272 m/s

L=0.3 m

Then

= 0.203 m

Step 2: Compute the head loss passing through the sand:

k=5 , d=0.0005 m, L=0.6 m

then

-6 2
= 0.3387x10 /d = 1.355 m

Step 3: compute total head loss h=h anthracite +h sand = 0.203+1.355=1.558 m

Example : Using the same data given in the previous example except the average size of
sand is not given. From the sieve analysis, d10=0.53 mm, d30=0.67 mm, d50=0.73 mm,
d70=0.8 mm, and d90 =0.86 mm, estimate the head loss of a 0.6 m sand filter at 15 °C.

Solution: Step 1: calculate head loss for each size of sand in the same manner as step 2 of
previous example:

h10= 0.3387x10-6/d2 = 0.3387x10-6/(0.00053)2=1.206 m

h30=0.755 m

h50=0.635 m

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h70=0.529 m

h90=0.458 m

Step 2: taking average h=0.717 m

‫ نكىٍا تعتبر اكثر دقت‬1.355 ‫والحظ ان انقٍمت اقم مه انقٍمت فً انمثال انسابق نهرمم‬

4.2 Determination of minimum fluidization velocity

‫ َحجم انمٍاي انمطهُبت نهغسم‬،‫ كمٍت انضخ‬،‫مٍم فً اٌجاد سرعت‬

The minimum fluidization velocity (Umf) is the superficial fluid velocity needed to start
fluidization. The minimum fluidization velocity is important in determining the required
minimum backwashing flow rate.

= Galileo number (unitless)=

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Example: Estimate the 1) Galileo number, 2) minimum fluidization velocity, 3)

backwash rate, and 4) the washing volume for the sand filter at 15°C. The d90 size of

sand is 0.8 mm. the density of sand is 2650 kg/m3. Also, find the volume of washing

water if the washing time is 1 min and the area of filters is 50 m2.

Solution:
step 1. Compute the Galileo number:
At 15°C: ρ=999 kg/m3 ; µ=0.00113 N.s/m2 = 0.00113 kg/m.s
g=9.81 m/s2 ; d=0.8x10-3 m=0.0008 m ; ρs=2650 kg/m3

Step 2. Compute Umf:

Step 3. Compute backwash rate:

Apply a safety factor of 1.3 to as backwash rate
Back wash rate=1.3x0.00627=0.00815 m/s = 0.00815 m/s x 86400
s/d=690. 2 m/d or (m3/m2.d)

Step 4. Compute the volume of the washing water:

Q=OFRxAfilters =0.00815 m/s x50 m2=0.407 m3/s
Volume of the washing water= 0.407 m3/s x 60 s=24.42 m3 use tank of
volume=25 m3

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4.3 Wash water troughs

In practice the wash water troughs are in installed at even spaced intervals (5
to 7 ft apart) above the gravity filters. The wash water troughs are employed
to collect spent wash water. The total rate of discharge in a rectangular
trough with free flow can be calculated by:

Where: Q=flow rate, m3/s

w= trough width , h= water depth in trough, m

Example: Troughs are 6.1 m long, 0.46 m wide, and 2.44 m center to the
center with a horizontal flat bottom. The backwash rate is 0.61 m/min
(m3/m2.min). Estimate (1) the water depth of the troughs, and (2) the
distance between the top of troughs and 0.75 m sand bed. Assuming 40 %
expansion and 15 cm of freeboard in the troughs and 20 cm thickness.

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 ‫نتصمٍم انقىاة ٌجب معرفت انجرٌان انذي تستُعبً انقىاة انُاحذة َمه ثم تطبٍق انقاوُن‬ 
‫فً حانت معرفت عذد انقىُاث وقسم انجرٌان انكهً عهى انعذد الٌجاد جرٌان انقىاة انُاحذة‬ 

Solution:

Step 1. Estimate the maximum water depth (h) in trough.

A of flow to the trough =6.1 m x 2.44 m= 14.884 m2

Q=OFRxA=0.61 m3/m2.minx14.884 m2=9.079 m3/min

Q=0.151 m3/s (This is the discharge in each trough)

But: ‫حسب انمعادنت‬

Then: h=[Q/(0.808x w)]1/1.5 =0.55 m

Say: h= 0.6 m or 60 cm
Step 2 : Determine the distance (y) between the sand bed surface and the top trough
Depth of sand=0.75 m
Height of expansion=0.75 m x 0.4=0.3 m

Thickness= 20 cm= 0.2 m

Free board= 15 cm= 0.15 m

 y= 0.3 m (expansion)+0.2 m (thickness) + 0.6 m (h) + 0.15 m (freeboard)= m

Trough

Sand

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