Vertical Sand Filters Research Articles

Comparison of the design criteria of 141 onsite wastewater treatment systems available on the French market

New EC standards published in 2009 led to a surge in onsite wastewater treatment systems reaching the European market. Here we summarize their technical aspects and compare them to known values used in centralized wastewater treatment. The paper deals with two types of processes: attached-growth systems (AGS) on fine media and suspended-growth systems (SGS). Covering 141 technical approvals and 36 manufacturers, we compare onsite design criteria against the centralized wastewater design criteria for each process.The systems use a wide range of materials for bacterial growth, from soil, sand or gravel to zeolite, coconut shavings or rockwool cubes, with a huge range of variation in useful surface, from 0.26 m2/PE for one rockwool cube filter to 5 m2/PE for a (traditional system) vertical sand filter. Some rockwool can handle applied daily surface load of 160 g BOD5/m2.SGS design parameters range from 0.025 to 0.34 kg BOD5 per kg MLVSS/d with hydraulic retention times of 0.28–3.7 d. For clarifier design, water velocity ranges from 0.15 to 1.47 m/h. In the sludge line, sludge storage volume ranges from 0.125 down to just 0.56 m3/PE.

Oxygen profile and clogging in vertical flow sand filters for on-site wastewater treatment

13 million people (about 20% of the population) use on-site wastewater treatment in France. Buried vertical sand filters are often built, especially when the soil permeability is not sufficient for septic tank effluent infiltration in undisturbed soil. Clogging is one of the main problems deteriorating the operation of vertical flow filters for wastewater treatment. The extent of clogging is not easily assessed, especially in buried vertical flow sand filters. We suggest examining two possible ways of detecting early clogging: (1) NH4–N/NO3–N outlet concentration ratio, and (2) oxygen measurement within the porous media. Two pilot-scale filters were equipped with probes for oxygen concentration measurements and samples were taken at different depths for pollutant characterization. Influent and effluent grab-samples were taken three times a week. The systems were operated using batch-feeding of septic tank effluent. Qualitative description of oxygen transfer processes under unclogged and clogged conditions is presented. NH4–N outlet concentration appears to be useless for early clogging detection. However, NO3–N outlet concentration and oxygen content allows us to diagnose the early clogging of the system.

Numerical prediction of the performance of horizontal sand filters as the pitch of the spiral protrusion changes

The height of vertical sand filters are limited due to their structural cost. A horizontal sand filter may offer a better alternative; however, flow channels to the least resistance zone generated at the top of the filter as the sand gets wet and settles. A horizontal sand filter, internally baffled with spiral protrusion, is numerically modelled to study the effect of these spirals in reducing the channelling and enhancing the filter's effectiveness. Three different spiral pitches, 1.0, 0.75, and 0.5 m have been numerically modelled using Ansys FLUENT software. The parameters investigated were the power needed to run a flow rate through the horizontal filter and the residence time. The results show that as the spiral pitch decreases, the channelling reduces while the power increases. The power needed to pump a given flow rate of water in a 10 m long horizontal filter in all three cases investigated was less than the power needed to pump the same flow rate to the top of a 10 m long vertically standing sand filter. Results also showed that the time required for the flow to traverse through the sand filter increases in a nonlinear fashion as the pitch size decreases; however, the effectiveness of the filter increases.

Numerical Modeling of Flow in a Horizontal Sand Filter

Problem statement: Horizontal sand filters may offer some advantage over vertical sand filters as they could be used for in-line treatment of wastewaters. Horizontal pipelines of tens and if not hundreds of meters length, filled with ordinary sand or permeable reactive media such as activated carbon or natural zeolite or iron filings, may be used to remove impurities from mine drainage waters, sewer and storm waters. Approach: However, in reality, in industrial-scale applications, the sand filled horizontal structures are almost always avoided due to the fact that water seeks out the path of least resistance. Once such a path is created, the vast majority of the water channels towards the least resistance zone and very small percentage of the water will go through the sand. Results: This study, applying numerical modeling using FLUENT software, which is based on the integral control volume approach, explores a number of geometries to identify a design that helps the inlet water to sweep the entire sand with the least channeling. The Navier Stokes equations for laminar and incompressible flow through porous media (i.e., the sand) including the viscous resistance were solved. Retention time of a fluid with properties similar to water, called tracer, were also estimated using Eulerian unsteady two phase flow analysis. Conclusion: The results of the models showed that the geometries involving a pipe with spiral protrusions or plate (baffles) inside, would be partially successful in drawing the water away from the channeling zone and moving it through the sand, however the geometry with the spiral protrusions uses much less power than the one with the baffles.

Removal of bacterial and viral indicator in vertical flow constructed wetlands and intermittent sand filters

The removal of faecal coliforms (FC), Escherichia coli, somatic coliphages and F-specific bacteriophages was monitored over a period of 2 years in two vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs) and four intermittent sand filters (ISFs) that treat pond effluent. Tracer tests (NaCl) were performed to estimate the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the filters. The contribution of Phragmites australis to the removal of the faecal indicators was examined. The effect of media characteristics (depth, type of sand), hydraulic load and water application schedule on disinfection was also addressed. Planted and non-planted vertical sand filters were equally effective in removing microorganisms. The disinfection capacity was very sensitive to the depth and operation of the filters. HRT was the key parameter regarding filter disinfection capacity. Bacterial indicators were removed at a higher rate than viral ones. Somatic coliphages were removed at higher rates than F-specific bacteriophages.

Effect of plants and filter materials on bacteria removal in pilot-scale constructed wetlands

Due to the lack of testing units or appropriate experimental approaches, only little is known about the removal of bacteria in constructed wetlands. However, improved performance in terms of water sanitation requires a detailed understanding of the ongoing processes. Therefore, we analyzed the microbial diversity and the survival of Enterobacteriaceae in six pilot-scale constructed wetland systems treating domestic wastewater: two vertical sand filters, two vertical expanded clay filters and two horizontal sand filters (each planted and unplanted). Samples were taken from the in- and outflow, from the rhizosphere, and from the bulk soil at various depths. Colony-forming units of heterotrophic bacteria and coliforms were analyzed and the removal of bacteria between the in- and outflow was determined to within 1.5–2.5 orders of magnitude. To access the taxon-specific biodiversity of potential pathogens in the filters and to reduce the complexity of the analysis, specific primers for Enterobacteriaceae were developed. While performing PCR–SSCP analyses, a pronounced decrease in diversity from the inflow to the outflow of treated wastewater was observed. No differences were observed between the bulk soil of planted and unplanted vertical filters. Some bands appeared in the rhizosphere that were not present in the bulk soil, indicating the development of specific communities stimulated by the plants. The fingerprinting of the rhizosphere of plants grown on sand or expanded clay exhibited many differences, which show that different microbial communities exist depending on the soil type of the filters. The use of the taxon-specific primers enabled us to evaluate the fate of the Enterobacteriaceae entering the wetlands and to localize harboring in the rhizosphere. The most abundant bands of the profiles were sequenced: Pantoea agglomerans was found in nearly all samples from the soil but not in the effluent, whereas Citrobacter sp. could not be removed by the horizontal unplanted sand and vertical planted expanded clay filters. These results show that the community in wetland system is strongly influenced by the filtration process, the filter material and the plants.

Epuration d'eaux residuaires par filtration non saturee sur un filtre de perlite expansee

Abstract The treatment of urban sewage by high‐rate filtration on vertical sand filters give satisfactory physicochemical results but bacteriological treatment capacity is limited by the factors governing detention time: load and thickness of the filter bed. With the same hydraulic load and thickness of material, use of expanded perlite with a particle size similar to that of medium grade sand allows an increase in detention time while conserving good drainage characteristics. A pilot high‐rate filtration installation in an unsaturated medium on an expanded perlite filter was monitored for two years. The effluent treated was from an activated sludge microstation. The filter was 1 m thick and fed sequentially with a load of 0.35 m per day. Samples were taken after filtration through thicknesses of 0.25 m, 0.55 m and 1 m. The treatment capacities observed for suspended matter (71 to 91%), COD (54 to 76%) and nitrogen (75 to 80%) were comparable to those of sand filters. Bacterial decontamination figures wer...