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Filter media rehabilitation at a lime softening plant
Author(s) -
Sr. James R. Mayhugh,
Smith John A.,
Elder Douglas B.,
Logsdon Gary S.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8833.1996.tb06600.x
Subject(s) - softening , lime , filtration (mathematics) , turbidity , filter (signal processing) , water treatment , water softening , environmental science , environmental engineering , acetic acid , pulp and paper industry , materials science , waste management , chemistry , geology , composite material , engineering , metallurgy , mathematics , statistics , oceanography , electrical engineering , biochemistry
Treating filter media with glacial acetic acid proved an effective alternative to media removal and replacement at a lime‐softening plant. Water filtration plants treating surface water sources can be expected to routinely produce finished water of excellent quality when the source water quality remains steady or changes slowly. When the quality of the source water changes drastically over short periods, however, treatment plants may face severe challenges. Such a situation occurred at the Decatur, Ill., South Water Treatment Plant early in 1994. After a high‐turbidity episode, the lime‐softening plant experienced buildup of coagulant and calcium carbonate deposits in the filter beds. The filters and the deposits were evaluated, and an in situ filter media cleaning technique was successfully applied, using glacial acetic acid.