Upflow Filtration System Using Fiber-Ball Filter Media for the Treatment of Nonpoint Pollution

Abstract

Objectives : The objective of this study is to investigate the performance of the fiber-ball media upflow filtration system for non-point pollutants treatment.Methods : The additional air backwashing nozzle were installed between upper and lower fliter media cartridge. The effect of feed SS concentration, surface overflow rate, retention time, head loss on the removal efficiency were investigated respectively. Particle size distribution, SEM, and backwashing effect were also analyzed.Results and Discussion : The operated of upflow filter mean retention time, mean head loss were 1.99 min, 7.2 cm. On condition of SOR 480 m<sup>3</sup>/m<sup>2</sup>/day, results indicate that the range of removal efficiency of turbidity and SS were 76.8 ~ 93.21% (mean 88.3%) and 85.4 ~ 97.9% (mean 92.7%), respectively. The effluent turbidity and SS were under 15 NTU, 20 mg/L, respectively.Conclusions : Since turbidity can be continuously monitored in a filtration non-point pollution treatment system, turbidity can be used as a operation factor in evaluating operating conditions. The particle size the effluent larger than the influent was due to bonding, collision and adsorption between particles in the pores of the filter media. SEM analysis showed that after backwashing, very fine particles in the filter medium were not removed but adhered to the fiber yarn and remained. The average recovery rate of fiber-ball media filtration was 88.7%, which is evaluated as excellent in backwashing.