Backwash Optimization for Drinking Water Treatment Biological Filters

.................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................................. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ iv LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................. ix CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Problem Statement ................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Research Objectives ............................................................................................................... 2 1.2.1 Main Objective ................................................................................................................ 2 1.2.2 Specific Objectives ......................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Organization of Thesis Document ......................................................................................... 3 CHAPTER 2LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................... 4 2. 1 Filtration in Drinking Water Treatment ................................................................................ 4 2.1.1 Removal Mechanisms ..................................................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Types of Filters ............................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Biologically Active Filters in Drinking Water Treatment ..................................................... 7 2.2.1 NOM Removal by Biofiltration ...................................................................................... 7 2.2.2 Operational Parameters of Biologically Active Filters ................................................... 8 2.3 Backwashing of Drinking Water Biofilters ......................................................................... 11 2.3.1 Backwash Theory and Backwashing Strategies ............................................................ 15 2.3.2 Filter Ripening .............................................................................................................. 19 CHAPTER 3MATERIALS AND METHODS ........................................................................... 23 3.1 Biofiltration System ............................................................................................................. 23 3.1.1 Experimental Setup Description ................................................................................... 23 3.1.2 Process Configuration and Description ......................................................................... 25 3.2 Phases of Research and Backwashing Experiments ............................................................ 26 3.3 Analytical Methods .............................................................................................................. 32 3.3.1 Dosing Solutions ........................................................................................................... 32