Optimization of the extended terminal subfluidization wash (ETSW) filter backwashing procedure

The increased passage of particles and microorganisms through granular media filters immediately following backwashing is a common problem known to the water treatment community as filter "ripening" or maturation. While several strategies have been developed over the years to reduce the impact of this vulnerable period of the filtration cycle on finished water quality, this research involves a recently developed filter backwashing strategy called the extended terminal subfluidization wash (ETSW). ETSW is a method of terminating the backwash cycle with a subfluidization wash for a period of time sufficient to pass one theoretical filter-volume of water upward through the filter. ETSW was shown to remove significantly greater quantities of backwash remnant particles thereby reducing the magnitude of filter ripening turbidity and particle count spikes. Optimum ETSW flow rates were determined for deep-bed anthracite and granular activated carbon filters herein by monitoring filter effluent turbidities and particle counts during the filter ripening period. Optimality of the coagulation process was also shown to influence the magnitude of filter ripening particle passage. ETSW was found to be equally effective for biological and conventional deep-bed anthracite filters.     

Using a geotextile with flocculated filter backwash water and its impact on aluminium concentrations

The use of geotextiles (i.e. geotextile tubes) in wastewater treatment applications is ever increasing. This paper examines the potential of using a geotextile to improve upon the treatment of aluminium present in a filter backwash water that is generated from a water treatment plant in Halifax, Canada. A field investigation to ascertain the distribution of aluminium in the filter backwash water treatment process is provided and compared to regulatory guidelines at the environmental compliance point. It is shown that aluminium is undergoing incomplete treatment at various times throughout the year. To examine a potential corrective action, the results of bench scale studies are presented in which cationic additives (i.e. CaO, MgO, and Fe₃O₄) are combined with a polymer to remove aluminium from solution and flocculate particulate matter from the filter backwash water. A geotextile is utilized to retain particulate matter generated from this process. It is shown that the combined use of the cationic additive with polymer can successfully reduce aluminium concentrations in the filter backwash water and that filtration via a geotextile can retain the aluminium particulate in the filter backwash water to levels close to regulatory requirements. Further optimization with the flocculation process is recommended prior to pilot testing.     

Improving removal of turbidity causing materials by using polymers as a filter aid

With recognizing that particles represent transport vehicles for undesirable chemical contaminants, and potentially disease causing microbial pathogens, the removal of particle materials becomes important to protect the public health. However, due to the complicated filtration mechanisms and interactions between the polymer and particles, the selection of polymers currently remains empirical. This study was initiated to investigate the feasibility of the use of polymers as filter aids for water containing lime softening particles; explore the roles of polymer characteristics in the filtration process; and examine major factors affecting the performance of polymer aided filtration. Seven representative polymers with different molecular weights and charges were tested using a declining rate filter pilot plant. The results show that at a starting flow rate of 15 m/h, the removal of turbidity particles could be significantly improved by using polymers as a filter aid. It was also found that the impacts of initial filter ripening could be substantially reduced and no turbidity breakthrough was observed after 3 days of operation. However, the use of polymer might significantly increase the filtration headloss, especially for the polymers with high molecular weight. To produce a high quality filtrate while ensuring the acceptable filtration productivity, low or moderately low molecular weight polymers are recommended. For a low molecular weight polymer, its optimum mixing intensity and polymer dose were found around 700 s⁻¹ and 0.01 mg/l, respectively. On the basis of the results and particle properties, it is believed that interparticle bridging is the dominant mechanism underlying the interactions between polymers and lime softening particles.     

Impact of backwashing procedures on deep bed filtration productivity in drinking water treatment

Backwash procedures for deep bed filters were evaluated and compared by means of a new integrated approach based on productivity. For this, different backwash procedures were experimentally evaluated by using a pilot plant for direct filtration. A standard backwash mode as applied in practice served as a reference and effluent turbidity was used as the criterion for filter run termination. The backwash water volumes needed, duration of the filter-to-waste period, time out of operation, total volume discharged and filter run-time were determined and used to calculate average filtration velocity and average productivity.     

Virus attenuation by microbial mechanisms during the idle time of a household slow sand filter

The biosand filter (BSF) is a household slow sand filter that is operated intermittently such that an idle time of typically 18-22 h occurs in between daily charges of water. Virus attenuation during the idle time was investigated over repeated daily filtration cycles to capture the effect of media aging that encompasses processes occurring throughout the filter depth rather than restricted to the schmutzdecke at the media surface. A threshold aging period of about one to two weeks was required before virus attenuation began. The observed rates of MS2 and PRD-1 reduction were first-order and reached maxima of 0.061- and 0.053-log per hr, respectively, over seven-to-ten weeks. Suppression of microbial activity by sodium azide eliminated virus reduction during the idle time thus indicating that the operative media aging process was microbially mediated. The mechanism of virus reduction was not modification of media surfaces by physical/chemical or microbial processes. Instead, it appears that the activity of the microbial community within the filter is responsible. The most likely biological pathways are production of microbial exoproducts such as proteolytic enzymes or grazing of bacteria and higher microorganisms on virus particles. Implications of these findings for BSF design and operation and their relevance to other biological filtration technologies are discussed.     

Examining metal migration through geotextiles during dewatering

This paper presents a study conducted to assess the influence that a filter cake deposited on the surface of the geotextile has on the mobility of three metals (Cu, Pb, Zn) during filtration of a contaminated sediment. Two chemical additives (cationic coagulant and cationic polymer) were introduced to the sediment to increase the particle size and improve the filtration efficiency. Bench scale experimentation was conducted to identify contaminant reduction using a small volume of sediment. A field test was applied to observe what effect three-dimensional filtration and a larger filter cake had on metal mobility. Analysis of the effluent was conducted to determine total and dissolved metal contaminants, as well as particulate matter. Effluent chemical properties (pH, E_h, and zeta potential) were analyzed to identify a possible rationale for variations in concentration during filtration. The results of the study show that as an increasing buildup of filter cake on the surface of a geotextile developed, filtrate quality was improved with respect to the metal and particulate contaminants considered. In addition, the metals detected in the effluent were primarily in the solid state, suggesting further reduction could be achieved through subsequent filtration (if desired).     

Removal of particle-associated bacteriophages by dual-media filtration at different filter cycle stages and impacts on subsequent UV disinfection

This bench-scale study investigated the passage of particle-associated bacteriophage through a dual-media (anthracite-sand) filter over a complete filter cycle and the effect on subsequent ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. Two model viruses, bacteriophages MS2 and T4, were considered. The water matrix was de-chlorinated tap water with either kaolin or Aldrich humic acid (AHA) added and coagulated with alum to form floc before filtration. The turbidity of the influent flocculated water was 6.4+/-1.5 NTU. Influent and filter effluent turbidity and particle counts were measured as well as headloss across the filter media. Filter effluent samples were collected for phage enumeration during three filter cycle stages: (i) filter ripening; (ii) stable operation; and (iii) end of filter cycle. Stable filter operation was defined according to a filter effluent turbidity goal of <0.3 NTU. Influent and filter effluent samples were subsequently exposed to UV light (254 nm) at 40 mJ/cm(2) using a low pressure UV collimated beam. The study found statistically significant differences (alpha=0.05) in the quantity of particle-associated phage present in the filter effluent during the three stages of filtration. There was reduced UV disinfection efficiency due to the presence of particle-associated phage in the filter effluent in trials with bacteriophage MS2 and humic acid floc. Unfiltered influent water samples also resulted in reduced UV inactivation of phage relative to particle-free control conditions for both phages. Trends in filter effluent turbidity corresponded with breakthrough of particle-associated phage in the filter effluent. The results therefore suggest that maintenance of optimum filtration conditions upstream of UV disinfection is a critical barrier to particle-associated viruses.     

微细颗粒物在过滤介质中过滤特性的CFD-DEM模拟

基于CFD-DEM（离散单元法）方法模拟了微细颗粒物在纤维过滤介质中的气-固两相流动特性,模拟时,充分考虑了颗粒群组成、粒径分布、颗粒间及颗粒与纤维间的反弹作用以及颗粒团聚等因素,分析了纤维过滤中颗粒群的运动特性和微细颗粒的沉积形式。结果表明：采用CFD-DEM模拟过滤介质的过滤过程以及微细颗粒在介质表面沉积过程和形式的方法是方便且可行的,模拟结果与前人的实验观测结果基本吻合;在过滤过程中,表面过滤的贡献较大,大部分的颗粒在介质表面即被捕集,进入到介质内部的部分粒径较小的颗粒经深层过滤作用而被捕集;大量的颗粒捕集是由颗粒-颗粒捕集机制来实现的;不同颗粒体系的颗粒群其过滤效果也有所差别,对于本文所研究的过滤介质模型,多颗粒体系的过滤效率比单一的颗粒体系的过滤效率高20%左右。     

活性炭滤池中颗粒物数量和粒径分布的研究

结合水厂水处理工艺及活性炭深度处理装置,探讨了生物活性炭滤池出水中颗粒物数量的变化及粒径分布规律。结果表明,在过滤周期内活性炭滤池出水颗粒物数量与浊度会出现相似的变化规律,二者之间相关性较好,但活性炭滤池出水浊度的变化滞后于颗粒物数量的变化。生物活性炭滤池过滤初期,滤后水中大于2μm的颗粒物数量可达到111个／mL,50min后数量降至50个／mL以下。生物活性炭滤池出水中大于2μm的颗粒物主要由粒径为2～7μm的颗粒物组成。     

Biofiltration for removal of BOM and residual ammonia following control of bromate formation

Nitrification was developed within a biological filter to simultaneously remove biodegradable organic matter (BOM) and residual ammonia added to control bromate formation during the ozonation of drinking water. Testing was performed at pilot-scale using three filters containing sand and anthracite filter media. BOM formed during ozonation (e.g., assimilable organic carbon (396-572 microg/L), formaldehyde (11-20 microg/L), and oxalate (83-145 microg/L)) was up to 70% removed through biofiltration. Dechlorinated backwash water was required to develop the nitrifying bacteria needed to convert the residual ammonia (0.1-0.5 mg/L NH(3)-N) to nitrite and then to nitrate. Chlorinated backwash water resulted in biofiltration without nitrification. Deep-bed filtration (empty-bed contact time (EBCT) = 8.3 min) did not enhance the development of nitrification when compared with shallow-bed filtration (EBCT = 3.2 min). Variable filtration rates between 4.8 and 14.6 m/h (2 and 6 gpm/sf) had minimal impact on BOM removal. However, conversion of ammonia to nitrite was reduced by 60% when increasing the filtration rate from 4.8 to 14.6 m/h. The results provide drinking water utilities practicing ozonation with a cost-effective alternative to remove the residual ammonia added for bromate control.     

The role of aluminum in slow sand filtration

Engineering enhancement of slow sand filtration has been an enigma in large part because the mechanisms responsible for particle removal have not been well characterized. The presumed role of biological processes in the filter ripening process nearly precluded the possibility of enhancing filter performance since interventions to enhance biological activity would have required decreasing the quality of the influent water. In previous work, we documented that an acid soluble polymer controls filter performance. The new understanding that particle removal is controlled in large part by physical chemical mechanisms has expanded the possibilities of engineering slow sand filter performance. Herein, we explore the role of naturally occurring aluminum as a ripening agent for slow sand filters and the possibility of using a low dose of alum to improve filter performance or to ripen slow sand filters.     

BIOFILM FORMATION IN GRANULAR-BED FILTERS

A high microbiological quality of drinking water must be ensured to protect public health. The filtration techniques that are used in treating drinking water play an important role; however, a biofilm can form on granular-media filters and the accumulated bacteria can slough off and enter the filtered water.
The aim of this research was to examine (a) the potential for biofilm formation and detachment from filter sand, and (b) the effect of different backwash regimes on biofilm removal. During the operation of the filter, bacteria became attached to the sand media, particularly in the top 30 mm of the filter bed. A water-only backwash at 20% and 40% bed expansion demonstrated poor removal of biofilm throughout the depth of the bed. Collapse-pulsing is a more efficient method and results in a reduction in the number of bacteria in the filtered water.     

The interface between filtration and backwashing

A conceptual model of the initial degradation phase of filtration is presented as an interface effect between backwashing and filtration. It is shown that the initial degradation of effluent quality is due to the backwash water remnants within the media and the backwash water above the media. The two peak characteristics of initial degradation due to the backwash water remnants within the media and above the media is established by an extensive experimental investigation. A mathematical model for the quality of backwash water as a function of backwash water volume is developed. Deductions made from the mathematical expression confirm the validity of some accepted facts on backwashing and also lay the basis for the peaks in initial degradation.     

A sand/granular carbon filtration treatment system for removing aqueous pesticide residues from a marine toxicology laboratory effluent

Flow-through toxicity tests using marine organisms can generate large volumes of contaminated seawater effluent which should be treated to remove the contaminants before discharge into the environment. We have developed a sand filtration/carbon treatment system that removes from these effluents a diversity of organophosphate, organochlorine and pyrethroid pesticide residues down to their detection limit. The sand filter removed an average of 72% (range 4–99%) of the chemicals by continuously filtering suspended particulates and chemicals associated with the particulate. Following sand filtration, effluent water slowly percolates through granular carbon. Overall, organic removal efficiencies average 91% (range 24–99%). Initial construction cost was less than $20,000.     

Removal and fate of Cryptosporidium parvum, Clostridium perfringens and small-sized centric diatoms (Stephanodiscus hantzschii) in slow sand filters

The decimal elimination capacity (DEC) of slow sand filtration (SSF) for Cryptosporidium parvum was assessed to enable quantitative microbial risk analysis of a drinking water production plant. A mature pilot plant filter of 2.56m(2) was loaded with C. parvum oocysts and two other persistent organisms as potential surrogates; spores of Clostridium perfringens (SCP) and the small-sized (4-7microm) centric diatom (SSCD) Stephanodiscus hantzschii. Highly persistent micro-organisms that are retained in slow sand filters are expected to accumulate and eventually break through the filter bed. To investigate this phenomenon, a dosing period of 100 days was applied with an extended filtrate monitoring period of 150 days using large-volume sampling. Based on the breakthrough curves the DEC of the filter bed for oocysts was high and calculated to be 4.7log. During the extended filtrate monitoring period the spatial distribution of the retained organisms in the filter bed was determined. These data showed little risk of accumulation of oocysts in mature filters most likely due to predation by zooplankton. The DEC for the two surrogates, SCP and SSCD, was 3.6 and 1.8log, respectively. On basis of differences in transport behaviour, but mainly because of the high persistence compared to the persistence of oocysts, it was concluded that both spores of sulphite-reducing clostridia (incl. SCP) and SSCD are unsuited for use as surrogates for oocyst removal by slow sand filters. Further research is necessary to elucidate the role of predation in Cryptosporidium removal and the fate of consumed oocysts.     

江北水厂水质稳定性处理介绍

重庆市万州江北水厂水源为甘宁水库，净水工艺采用机械混合-超脉冲澄清池-气水反冲洗均质滤料滤池。针对该水厂供水区出现的黄水问题，进行了水质稳定性分析，并提出了相应的解决措施。     

普通快滤池改造为气水反冲洗均质滤料滤池工程实践

针对大连大沙沟净水厂原有普通快滤池过滤周期短、产水量下降、反冲洗效果不佳等问题,进行了技术改造。将原有中阻力陶瓷滤砖配水系统改为Azurfloor整体滤板小阻力长柄滤头配水,煤-砂滤料改为石英砂均质滤料,单一水反冲洗改为气水反冲洗,并完善了滤池的自动控制系统。运行情况表明,改造后滤池出水水质提高,反冲洗效果明显改善,产水量增加了10×104m3/d,运行成本减少且滤站实现了自动化运行,经济效益和社会效益显著。     

Attrition of granular filter media during backwashing with combined air and water

Attrition resistance of granular filter media is becoming increasingly important as materials such as GAC and anthracite are being more frequently used as filter media. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the attrition experienced by various media during backwashing by performing accelerated backwash tests in a pilot column, using a combined water and air backwash at combinations that gave the condition known as collapse-pulsing. Since the dominant mode of attrition was assumed to be abrasion, the effluent was sampled at a number of intervals to determine the amount of fine material in the effluent. Coal based GAC exhibited the highest weight loss (∼ 7%) and sand the least (∼ 2%).     

On the measurement of particulate association of americium in freshwater

A laboratory investigation tested various filtration methods to study the particulate-water fractionation of ²⁴¹Am added to filtered freshwater (Monaco tap water) adjusted to different pH's. By using a system of washed Nuclepore polycarbonate filters, the particulate association (>0.2 or >1 μm) was found to increase hyperbolically with pH and with time, so that less than 1% of the Am was filterable (i.e. retained by a filter) at pH 4.2 and about 5% was filterable at pH 8.2 after 1 day; light had no apparent effect on the filterability of the Am. These values are somewhat greater than those for particle association of Am in seawater but substantially lower than previous estimates of Am particulate association in filtered freshwater. Filter adsorption problems are identified for other filtration systems commonly employed to assess metal particulate association. The results suggest that Am in freshwater is unlikely to form particles to an appreciable extent at pH's ?8.     

Survey of total and respirable suspended particulate matter in an iron foundry. Comparison of stationary sampling and personal monitoring

In the workshop of an iron foundry total and respirable suspended particulate matter was collected. The performances of (1) filtration systems with 47 mm membrane filters, (2) Andersen cascade impactors, and (3) personal total or respirable monitoring, were compared at a position away from intense sources of particulate debris.Using 15 stationary samplers a survey was made of the particulate levels in the workshop, over a period of 2 weeks. Very large concentration gradients and concentration variations as a function of time were measured for total suspended particulate matter.In the three major source areas, i.e. the pouring department, the core-making department and the shake-out department, special studies were performed to compare stationary and personal monitoring.In the immediate vicinity of intense point sources of coarse particles, such as core-making or shake-out, stationary sampling cannot be used to estimate the personal exposure to total suspended particulates. For respirable particles, however, one or two well-situated stationary size-selective samplers can provide a good estimate of the personal exposure as measured with a personal respirable monitor. The differences found are in the order of 10–20%.