Operation and performance evaluation of high-speed filter using porous non-woven filamentous fibre for the treatment of turbid water

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to identify the filter performance of fibre filter module treating high-turbidity water at extremely high filtration rates (1000–2500 m/day). The effects of filter aid chemical (polyaluminium chloride (PAC)), filtration rate and particles size on filter performance were investigated. It was found that PAC was a crucial factor influencing the separation process. Even though the optimum PAC dose for the raw water with turbidity of 50 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) was 0.5 mg/L, the turbidity removal efficiencies were similar as the raw water turbidity was no more than 50 NTU. As expected, the filter performance was negatively affected by the increased filtration rate. However, the turbidity removal efficiency at an extremely high filtration rate still was amazing and attractive (∼80% at 2500 m/day). Moreover, the D₅₀ and uniformity coefficient of the particles in raw water were not the factors greatly affecting the filter performance. The empirical model for the filter processes of granular filters did not work; therefore, an empirical model towards fibre filters at a high flow rate was suggested, which can be used to predict the treatment performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Fibre
• high speed
• micro-filter
• turbid water
• filter performance

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for their support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Smart Civil Infrastructure Research Program funded by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korea Government and Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement (13SCIPS04).