Important Terms and Definitions

Important terms related to filtration process:

i. Head loss across the filter
ii. Terminal head loss
iii. Water head
iv. Filter media
v. Filter media depth
vi. Effective size of sand/ media
vii. Uniformity co-efficient(U)
viii. Bed particle shape factor
ix. Filter support
x. Under drains
xi. Filtration
xii. Backwash
xiii. Bed porosity
i. Head loss across the filter:
The head lost due to the friction offered by the filter media, gravel layer and the under
drains during the (passage of water) filtration of water indicated by the level difference
between the water levels in two pilot tubes connected to near the top water level of the
filter and the under drains as shown in figure no. 14.29. The clean bed head loss ranges
between 0.3 to 0.6m. Clean filter head loss calculated by using the equation no. 14.31 and
14.32 is the minimum head loss.
ii. Terminal head loss:
It is the preselected head loss at which the filter run is terminated for backwashing. The
continuation of filtration beyond this results in deterioration of filtered water quality due
to increase in turbidity. It is one of the most important operating parameters.
iii. Water head:
The depth of water over the top of the sand media. ( Fig no. 14.31)
iv. Filter media:
The granular porous bed of a material like sand or anthracite to capture the suspended
impurities in the pores (figure no. 14.31)larger size media minimises the head loss while
smaller one captures particles better.
v. Filter media depth:
The depth of the porous bed up to top of the gravel layer. Usual depth is 0.6 to 0.75m in
case of RSF, could be even 0.9m, however 0.75m is recommended.
vi. Effective size of sand/media (d10)*:
The sieve size in millimetres (mm) which permits 10% of the total sand medium by weight
to ‘pass’. For RSF it varies between 0.45 to 0.7 mm.
vii. Uniformity co-efficient:
It is the ratio between the sieve size in millimetres which permits 60% by weight to pass
and the effective size. viii. Bed Particle shape factor:
Used as a multiplier to the diameter of the sand grain to account for the non spherical
shape of the sand particle
ix. Filter Support:
Several layers, usually five, of graded gravels(size ranging from 2 mm to 5 mm) laid between
under drains and the filter medium to prevent the loss of sand through leaking in to the under
drains and to uniformly distribute the back wash water(Figure 14.29). In case of RSF the
gravel layer depth is 0.45 m and the size of gravel is 50mm at bottom and 2 to 5 mm at
the top.
x. Under drains:
Placed immediately below the gravel layer to support the filter medium, collect the filtered
water and uniformly distribute the back wash water(and air if used for scouring). The
commonly used under drain system is the ‘Manifold and lateral’ system which comprises
of perforated pipe laterals discharging into a central (Manifold) pipe or channel.
xi. Filtration:
Removal of suspended impurities by passing the ‘impure’ water through a bed of porous
medium which retains/ entraps the suspended or colloidal particles in the pore spaces.
xii. Filtration rate:
The flow rate(m3/d) divided by the surface area of the filter(m2) gives the filtration rate
expressed as m3/d.m2.
xiii. Back wash:
An operation which involves introducing the filtered water(small proportion) in to under
drains for its up ward movement through the filter medium. In fact, the water is forced
through to expand the bed causing the bed cleaning. Adopted under any one of the following conditions:
a) Head loss reaches the ‘terminal values’
b) The filtrate turbidity reaches the upper permissible set value i.e. when the turbidity
break through occurs.
c) both terminal head loss and turbidity break through occurs simultaneously.
xiv. Porosity:
Defined as the ratio of volume of voids to the total filter bed volume and is expressed as percent