Question 3 — Filtration Design Solution
Part (a) — Backwash Analysis (6 marks)
Given Information:
Parameter Value
Filter dimensions 4m×8m
Total flow treated 8,000 m³/day
Operation period 24 hours/day
Backwash rate 0.01 m³/s/m²
Number of troughs 4
Step 1: Calculate Filter Surface Area
A = Length × Width
A = 4 m × 8 m = 32 m²
Step 2: Calculate Average Filtration Rate
The filtration rate is the flow per unit filter area:
Flow rate = 8,000 m³/day ÷ 24 h/day = 333.33 m³/h
Filtration rate = Flow rate ÷ Filter area
Filtration rate = 333.33 m³/h ÷ 32 m²
Average Filtration Rate = 10.42 m³/h/m² (or 2.89 × 10■³ m/s)
Step 3: Calculate Quantity of Backwash Water
Assumptions for backwash:
• Backwash duration = 10 minutes (standard practice)
• Backwash occurs once per day per filter
Backwash flow rate = Backwash rate × Filter area
Backwash flow rate = 0.01 m³/s/m² × 32 m² = 0.32 m³/s
Volume of backwash water per wash:
V = 0.32 m³/s × (10 × 60 s) = 0.32 × 600
Volume of backwash water = 192 m³ per backwash
Step 4: Calculate Percentage of Water Used in Backwashing
% Backwash = (Backwash volume ÷ Total daily flow) × 100
% Backwash = (192 ÷ 8,000) × 100
Percentage of water used in backwashing = 2.4%
(This is within the acceptable range of 1–5% for rapid sand filters)
Step 5: Rate of Wash Water Flow Through Each Trough
Total backwash flow rate = 0.32 m³/s
Number of troughs = 4
Flow per trough = Total backwash flow ÷ Number of troughs
Flow per trough = 0.32 m³/s ÷ 4
Flow rate per trough = 0.08 m³/s per trough
Part (b) — Filter Area and Size Design (9 marks)
Given Information:
Parameter Value
Population 100,000 people
Water consumption rate 160 L/capita/day
Step 1: Calculate Total Design Flow
Total daily demand = Population × Unit consumption
= 100,000 × 160 L/capita/day = 16,000,000 L/day
Total design flow = 16,000 m³/day = 185.2 m³/h = 0.0514 m³/s
Design Assumptions:
Parameter Rapid Gravity Filter (RGF) Slow Sand Filter (SSF)
Filtration rate 5 m³/h/m² (5 m/h) 0.1–0.4 m³/h/m² (use 0.2 m/h)
Typical unit size Up to 100 m² per filter Up to 200 m² per filter
Min. no. of filters 2 (N+1 recommended) 2 (N+1 recommended)
Step 2a: Rapid Gravity Filter (RGF) Design
Design filtration rate = 5 m³/h/m² (typical design criterion for RGF)
Total filter area required:
A_total = Total flow ÷ Filtration rate
A_total = 16,000 m³/day ÷ (5 m/h × 24 h/day)
A_total = 16,000 ÷ 120 = 133.3 m²
Using N+1 provision (one filter out of service for backwash), use 4 filters:
Area per filter = 133.3 m² ÷ 3 operating filters = 44.4 m² → use 50 m²
per filter
Filter dimensions: 7.1 m × 7.1 m ≈ 7 m × 7 m per filter
RGF Result: 4 filters, each 7 m × 7 m (49 m²), Total area = 196 m²
Step 2b: Slow Sand Filter (SSF) Design
Design filtration rate = 0.2 m³/h/m² (typical design criterion for SSF)
Total filter area required:
A_total = Total flow ÷ Filtration rate
A_total = 16,000 m³/day ÷ (0.2 m/h × 24 h/day)
A_total = 16,000 ÷ 4.8 = 3,333 m²
Using N+1 provision, use 4 filters:
Area per filter = 3,333 m² ÷ 3 = 1,111 m² → use 1,200 m² per filter
Filter dimensions: ≈ 30 m × 40 m per filter
SSF Result: 4 filters, each 30 m × 40 m (1,200 m²), Total area = 4,800 m²
Step 3: Comparison and Comment
Parameter Rapid Gravity Filter Slow Sand Filter
Design rate 5 m/h 0.2 m/h
Total area needed ~133 m² ~3,333 m²
No. of filters 4 4
Size per filter 7m×7m 30 m × 40 m
Total footprint ~196 m² ~4,800 m²
Land requirement Very small Very large (~25× more)
Pre-treatment needed Yes (coag/floc/sed) Minimal
Disinfection needed Yes Can reduce need
Pathogen removal Moderate (needs disinfection) High (biological layer)
Operational complexity High Low
Capital cost Higher per unit Lower per unit
Running cost Higher (backwash, chemicals) Lower
Comments:
1. The SSF requires approximately 25 times more land area than RGF for the same flow, making it
impractical in urban or land-scarce settings.
2. RGF is preferred for large urban supplies due to its compact footprint and ability to handle variable raw
water quality.
3. SSF produces biologically safer water through the schmutzdecke (biological layer) but requires stable,
low-turbidity raw water.
4. RGF must be followed by disinfection (chlorination/UV) to meet drinking water guidelines, whereas SSF
can sometimes reduce the disinfection demand.
5. For a city of 100,000 people, RGF is the more practical and cost-effective choice, provided adequate
pre-treatment and disinfection are included.
Summary of Assumptions Made:
• Backwash duration assumed as 10 minutes (industry standard for RSF)
• One backwash per filter per day
• RGF design filtration rate: 5 m/h (WHO and standard design guideline)
• SSF design filtration rate: 0.2 m/h (WHO guideline range: 0.1–0.4 m/h)
• N+1 filter provision adopted (one standby filter) → 4 filters total for both types
• Per capita demand of 160 L/capita/day taken as the design flow (no peak factor applied)