TRICKLING FILTERS

“ATTACHED
GROWTH
BIOLOGICAL
REACTORS”
Trickling filters : a reactor in which randomly
packed solid forms provide surface area for
biofilm growth.

A biofilm is a complex aggregation of microorganisms

growing on a solid substrate
4
 Over 90% of all bacteria live in
biofilms.
 Biofilms can form on just about any
imaginable surface: metals, plastics,
natural materials (such as rocks),
medical implants, kitchen counters,
contact lenses, teeth, the walls of a
hot tub or swimming pool.
ALL TRICKLING FILTERS
CONSIST OF 3 PARTS:
1. Filter medium
2. Rotary distributor
3. Underdrain system
Rotary distributor

Filter medium

Underdrain system
 Filter medium
(i) Provide a surface for biological growth
 Filter medium
(ii) Provide voids for passage of liquid and air
Filter medium

9
 Rotary distributor
Provides uniform hydraulic load on the filter
surface
 Underdrain system
Carry away the treated wastewater and the
sloughed biomass
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
Disadvantages
- Not as efficient as newer treatment
methods - limited future
- Large land requirement
- Variations in effluent quality
- Odour problems, filter flies

16
• Often operated in series to increase
the effective contact time with the
biofilm.

• Generally followed by a secondary

clarifier to remove sloughed solids.

• CONTACT TIME and ventilation can be

improved by recirculation
BIO-TOWERS
• Innovation from trickling
filters (essentially deep
trickling filters)
• Synthetic / Plastic
medium
- effectively prevents
blockage
- ensures an adequate
flow of air
- small area

19
 Biotower
Traditional trickling
filters
• Effectively prevents blockage
• Ensures an adequate flow of air
Design
Hydraulic loading, Qv

Q 3
Qv  m / m . min
2
(10.1)
A
where
Q = flow rate without recirculation,
m3/min
A = area

22
BOD loading

W = li Q (10.2)

where
li = influent substrate concentration,
BOD5 mg/L
Q = wastewater flowrate

23
Eckenfelder formula (with recirculation)

 kD
Qvn
le e
  kD (10.3)
la Qvn
(1  R)  Re
Where
le = effluent substrate concentration, BOD5 mg/L
D = depth of the medium, m
k = treatability constant relating to the wastewater and the
medium characteristics, min-1 = 0.06 min-1
n = coefficient relating to the medium characteristics
= 0.5

24
R = ratio of the recycled flow to the
influent flow = Qr /Q
Qr = recirculation flow rate
la = BOD5 of the mixture of raw and
recycled mixture

= l i  Rl e
1 R

25
Correction for other temperature can be
made by adjusting the treatability factor:

(10.4)
T 20
KT  K 20o C (1.035)
Example
An existing 6 m deep tower trickling filter plant cannot
meet the effluent standard of less than 10 mg/L. The plant
influent BOD is 220 mg/L, the primary effluent BOD is 150
mg/L, the plant final effluent is 30 mg/L and the
recirculation flow is 1.5 of the wastewater flow entering the
plant. One proposal is to change the recirculation ratio, to
reduce the effluent BOD from 30 to 10 mg/L. The constants
for the random plastic media, n of 0.44 and K20 of 0.055
min-1. Design temperature is 25oC.
i. Calculate the hydraulic loading
ii. By using the recirculation ratio = 2.0, check whether the
plant effluent meet the standard
 Flow diagram

Bio-tower Target le :
(trickling filters) < 10 mg/L
Primary Secondary
Clarifier li : Clarifier le :
BOD5: 220 mg/L
Plant influent

150 la : D : 6m 30
mg/L ? n: 0.44 mg/L
25°C

Recirculation rate:
1.5
 Bio-tower Target le :
(trickling filters) < 10 mg/L
Primary Secondary
Clarifier li : Clarifier le :
BOD5: 220 mg/L
Plant influent

150 la : D : 6m 30
mg/L ? n: 0.44 mg/L
25°C

Recirculation rate:
1.5

Find la (BOD5 of the mixture of raw and recycled mixture)

150  1.5( 30 )
li  Rl e la 
la  1  1.5
1 R = 78 mg/L
The treatability constant must be
adjusted for temperature

25 20
K 25  K 20 (1.035)
= 0.055 (1.035)5 = 0.065 min-1

30
Find the hydraulic loading, Qv - using Eq. 10.3

 kD
Qvn
le e
  kD
la Qvn
(1  R)  Re
Where;
le = 30 mg/L
la = 78 mg/L
D = 6m
k = 0.065 min-1
n = 0.44
31
 0.065( 6 )
Qv0.44
30 e

78 0.065( 6 )
Qv0.44
(1  R)  Re
Make it simple, if m  0.065(6)
Qv0.44
So the Eq. become:

m
30 e
 m
78 ( 1  R )  Re

32
then,
m
e
0.39  m
2.5  1.5e
1.585e-m = 0.975
e-m = 0.61
m = ̶ ln 0.61
and, m = 0.494
m  0.494  0.065(6) 0.44
Q
v

Qv0.44 = 0.789
Qv = 0.584 m3/m2.min

34
By using the recirculation ratio, R = 2.0, check whether the plant
effluent meet the standard (less than 10 mg/L BOD5)

0.065( 6 )
0.5840.44
le e
  0.065( 6 )
la 0.5840.44
(1  2)  2e
0.610
  0.343
3  2 x0.610
le le
  0.343
li Rl
la  150 2lee 
 
 1 3 R 
R = 2 ; then,

le le
  0.343
la  150  2le 
 
 3 
le  17.13  0.228le
= 22.19 mg/L

le = 22.19 mg/L > 10 mg/L

- not satisfied

37