Optimizing Your Plant's Filter Performance

With all the talk about water plant optimization, we would do well to review a few of the operational techniques for filters. The normal cycle for a rapid sand filter begins with the placement of a cleaned filter into service and follows through the steps of filter ripening, effluent production, and subsequent head loss increase. It finally results in particle and turbidity breakthrough, bringing the need for the backwash sequence. During these stages, flow rates through the filter can increase or decrease, and different quality pretreated water can be introduced. What is done with these steps can greatly affect finished water quality.