Trickling Filter

Trickling filter
• This process utilize a solid media upon which

bacteria solids are accumulated, in order to
maintain a high population.
• Trickling filter utilize a relatively porous media

such as rock or plastic material or wood.
Bacteria growth occurs upon the surface while
oxygen is provided by air diffusion through the
void spaces.
The wastewater is applied to the surface usually

in an intermittent fashion and percolates
through the filter.
• As the bacteria on the filter surface
metabolize the waste they will reproduce
gradually producing thickening of the
biological layer, the bacteria in the interiors
layer find themselves in a nutrient limited
situation since the organic matter and oxygen
are utilized.
Filter classification
• Low rate trickling filter:
• The organic loafing rate range from 0.3 to 1.5
kg/ cubic meter.
• High rate trickling filter:

• Organic load 1.5 – 19 kg/ cubic meter.
• Employing recirculation of wastewater around
the filter.
Distribution system
• There are two types of distribution system
• 1. rotary distributors: consist of a hollow arm

pivoted at center fitted with nozzel which provide
a uniform flow / unit area.
• 2. fixed nozzel: it is less expensive than rotary

distributors and they are located so as to ensure
reasonably uniform distribution of wastewater.
5.8.2 Trickling Filter
The trickling filter is an established biological treatment process removing 65 to

85% BODS and suspended solids. The process consists of a bed of highly
permeable medium. An overhead rotating distributor applies sewage to the
media. The flow trickles over and flows downward to the underdrain system.
The media provides a large surface area to develop biological slime growth which
is also known as zoogleal film. The film contains living organisms that break down
organic material in the sewage.
Many variations of the trickling filters have been constructed, however the recom
mended designs are given in Table 5.12.
5.8.3 Design Requirements for Trickling Filters
Secondary screens and flow balancing tanks to equalise the flow must be provided
before trickling filters.
Provisions shall be available for even distribution to achieve complete wetting of
the filter media.
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5.8.4 Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBR)
Sequencing Batch Reactors are suspended activated sludge systems where flow of
sewage into a reactor, biological oxidation, and clarification of the sewage take
place within the same reactor on an alternative sequence of cyclical mode.
There are five (5) basic sequences in a cycle, namely:
1. Fill
2. React (Aeration)
3. Settle
4. Decant
5. Iddle
SBR plants typically consist of a minimum of two (2) reactors in a plant. When one
unit of reactors is in, the fill mode, the other reactor(s) may be in the stage of
react, settle, decant or iddle.
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Flow Diagram 5.8 : SBR Operation
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Figure 5.9 : Flow Diagram of Bandar Tun Razak STP
Screen Pit
(Existing
Pumping Station)
Outfall
Grit Chamber Equalization Sequential Measuring
Tank Batch Reactor Tank
Tank
Screening, Grits Waste

and Oil sludge
Supernatant Mechanical Thickener
Filtrate Disposal
Sludge
Dewatering
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MLVSS is the volatile portion of the MLSS and ranges from 0.75 to 0.85.
Typically they are related, for design purposes, by MLVSS = 0.80 MLSS.
5.12 Trickling Filter
The trickling filter is the most commonly used unit of the fixed-growth
film-flow type process. A trickling filter consists of a bed of coarse
material, such as stone slates or plastic media, over which wastewater
from primary effluent is sprayed.
The underdrain is used to carry wastewater passing through the

biological filter and drain to the subsequent treatment unit and to
provide ventilation of the filter and maintenance of the aerobic
condition. Wastewater from the primary effluent is distributed to the
surface of the filter bed by fixed spray nozzles or rotary distributors.
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Biological slime occurs on the surface of the support media while oxygen is
supplied by air diffusion through the void spaces. It allows wastewater to
trickle downward through the bed media.
Organic and inorganic nutrients are extracted from the liquod film by the
icroorganism in the slime. The biological activity of the trickling filter
process can be described as shown below.
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The microbial layer on the filter is aerobic usually to a depth of only 0.1 ~
0.2mm. Most of the depth of the microbial film is anaerobic. Almost all
trickling filters constructed in the late 1980s have been of high rate media
type. Plastic media have become popular. The depth of plastic media
range from 4 to 12m.
NRC formula.
The NRC (National Research Council) formula for trickling-filter
performance is an empirical expression developed by the National
Research Council from an extensive study of the operating data of trickling
treatment plants at military bases within the United States during World
War II in the early 1940s (NRC 1946). The equation for a single-stage or
first-stage rock filter is
E1 = 100 (SI units)
1 + 0.532 √W/VF
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Where
E1 = efficiency of BOD removal for first stage at 20oC

including recirculation and sedimentation, %
W = BOD loading to filter, kg/d
= flow times influent concentration
V = volume of filter media, m3
F = recirculation factor
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The recirculation factor is calculated by
F = 1 + r
(1 + 0.1r)2
Where
r = recirculation ratio, Qr/Q
Qr = recirculation flow, m3/d
Q = wastewater flow, m3/d
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The recirculation factor represents the average number of passes
of the influent organic matter through the trickling filter. For the
second-stage filter, the formula becomes
E2 = 100 (SI units)

1 +0.0532 W1
1 – E1 √ VF
Where
E2 =efficiency of BOD5 removal for second-stage filter, %
W1 = BOD loading applied to second-stage filter, kg/d
Other terms are as described previously. Overall BOD removal

efficiency of a two-stage filter system can be computed by
E = 100 – 100 1 - 35 1 - E1 1 - E2
100 100 100
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Where the term 35 means that 35 percent of BOD of raw wastewater is
removed by primary settling.
BOD removal efficiency in biological treatment process is significantly

influenced by wastewater temperature. The effect of temperature can
be calculated as
ET = E20 1.035T-20
Formulation for plastic media.

Numerous investigations have undertaken to predict the performance of
plastic media in the trickling filter process. The Eckenfelder formula (1963)
and the Germain (1965) applied Schulze formulation (1960) are the ones most
commonly used to describe the performance of plastic media packed trickling
filters.
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Eckenfelder formula. Eckenfelder (1963) and Eckenfelder and Barnhart (1963)
developed an exponential formula based on the rate of waste removal for a
pseudo-first-order reaction, as below :
Se/Si = exp - KA
1 + m D/qn
s
Where
Se =effluent soluble BOD5, mg/L
Si = influent soluble BOD5, mg/L
K = observed reaction rate constant, m/d or ft/d

As =specific surface area
= surface area/volume, m2/m3 or ft2/ft3
D = depth of media, m or ft
q =influent volumetric flow rate

= Q/A
Q = influent flow, m3/d or ft3/d
A = cross-sectional area of filter, m2 or ft2
m,n = empirical constants based on filter media
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Also may be simplified to the following form :-
Se/Si = exp - kD/qn
where k is a new rate constant, per day
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The mean time of contact t of wastewater with the filter media is related to
the filter depth, the hydraulic loading rate, and the nature of the filter packing.
The relationship is expressed as
t = C = C
D qn (Q/A)n
an
d
C ~ 1/Dm
Where
t = mean detention time
C, n = constants related to the specific surface and

configuration of the packing
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Trickling filter

• This process utilize a solid media upon which

• Trickling filter utilize a relatively porous media

The wastewater is applied to the surface usually

• High rate trickling filter:

• 1. rotary distributors: consist of a hollow arm

• 2. fixed nozzel: it is less expensive than rotary

The trickling filter is an established biological treatment process removing 65 to

5.8.3 Design Requirements for Trickling Filters

There are five (5) basic sequences in a cycle, namely:

Screening, Grits Waste

Supernatant Mechanical Thickener

5.12 Trickling Filter

The underdrain is used to carry wastewater passing through the

E1 = 100 (SI units)

E1 = efficiency of BOD removal for first stage at 20oC

V = volume of filter media, m3

r = recirculation ratio, Qr/Q

Qr = recirculation flow, m3/d

Q = wastewater flow, m3/d

E2 = 100 (SI units)

E2 =efficiency of BOD5 removal for second-stage filter, %

W1 = BOD loading applied to second-stage filter, kg/d

Other terms are as described previously. Overall BOD removal

BOD removal efficiency in biological treatment process is significantly

Formulation for plastic media.

Si = influent soluble BOD5, mg/L

K = observed reaction rate constant, m/d or ft/d

q =influent volumetric flow rate

Se/Si = exp - kD/qn

where k is a new rate constant, per day

t = mean detention time

C, n = constants related to the specific surface and

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