DESIGN EXAMPLE 1

A slow sand filter to treat raw water for 1000 people is designed to have two filter cells so that when
one cell is out of operation all flow will pass through the cell in service. The design per capita water
use is taken to be 946 l/cap. day, which is the peak day demand. The total bed area for the two filter
boxes is 153 m2. Calculate the hydraulic loading rate.

Solution:

Peak daily consumption = per capita daily consumption x number of people

= 0.946 m3/cap. day x 1000
= 946 m3/day
= 946/24 m3/h
= 39.4 m3/h.

Hydraulic loading rate = peak daily consumption/ total bed area

= Q/A
= (39.4 m3/h) / (153 m2)
= 0.26 m3/m2.h

Range: 0.04 0.40 m3/m2.h OK

 DESIGN EXAMPLE 2
Design a rapid sand filter to treat an inflow of 20000 m3/d allowing 2 % filtered water for backwashing,
for a duration of 30 minutes. Assume a rate of filtration of 10 m3/m2.h over two filters. The length:
width ratio of filters is 1.3. The depth of the sand media = 1.00 m.

Solution:

Parameters

Q = 20000 m3/d
Q_bw = 2 %
Q_tbw = 0.5 h
HLR = 10 m3/m2.h
L:B ratio = 1.3
h = 1.0 m

Total filtered water = (20000 m3/d x 1.02)/ (24 0.5)h/d

= 868 m3/h
 DESIGN EXAMPLE 2
Solution:

From, HLR = Q/A

Area of filter = Q/HLR
= (868 m3/h) / (10 m3/m2.h)
= 86.8 m2

Each bed area = 86.8/2 = 43.4 m2

Since L:B ratio = 1.3;

Area = 1.3B x B
43.4 = 1.3 B2
B = 5.78 m
L = 7.51 m