Effect of sedimentation time on the granulometric composition of suspended solids in the backwash water from biological activated carbon filters

Abstract

The paper presents the results of analyzes of the granulometric composition of suspended solids in backwash water from biological activated carbon (BAC) filters and its changes during sedimentation. Backwash water samples were taken during backwashing of two pilot filters after different filtration time. It was found that regardless of the concentration of suspended solids in the collected backwash water, particle sizes vs. their percentage volume contributions for all samples were similar. Particle sizes were in the range of 2–100 μm. However, the two-hour sedimentation for most of the samples proved to be effective (total suspended solids removal up to 93%), which is caused by self-coagulation of the sample.