ENVE 432- Trickling Filters Design

Trickling Filters Design

Typical design parameters for the treatment of primary effluents are given in the table 1.
Table 1: Trickling filter process applications and representative design parameters for the treatment of
primary effluent.

Low rate High rate High rate Partial

BOD removal and
Design parameters BOD BOD BOD BOD
Nitrification
removal removal removal removal
BOD removal (%) 80-90 80-90 70-90 85-90 40-70
Plastic (P)/ Rock
Type of packing (media) Rock Rock Plastic Plastic
(R)
Ventilation Natural Forced air Forced air Forced air Forced air
Organic loading rate
0.08-0.3 0.6-1.6 0.6-2.4 0.08-0.4 1.6-3.5
(kg BOD/m3. d)

Hydraulic loading rate

1-4 4-40 15-75 5-16 40-100
(m3/m2. d)
Recirculation ratio
0-1 1-2 1-2 1-2 0-2
(Qr/Q)
1-2.5 for R
Depth (m) 1-2.5a 1-2.5 3-12 0.9-6
3-12 for P
a
Depth limited due to heavy weight of rocks
(Adopted from Metcalf and Eddy, 2014)

Number of models are developed to describe the trickling filter process. Generally trickling filter
design is based on empirical relationships to find the required filter volume for a designed degree
of wastewater treatment. Designers need to assess the suitable models to apply to meet the degree
of treatment requirements. The following types of equations describes the trickling filter processes:

1. National Research Council (NRC of USA) equations (1946)

2. Rankins equation
3. Eckenfilder and Barnhart equation (1963)
4. Galler and Gotaas equation

NRC equations give satisfactory values when there is no re-circulation, the seasonal variations in
temperature are not large and fluctuations with high organic loading. Rankin's equation is used for
high rate filters.

NRC equations: NRC formula resulted from the analysis of operational records o=from full-scale
rock-media trickling filters. The model is based on the fact that the removal of dissolved BOD
dependent on contact time between the biofilm and bulk liquid which is dependent on bioreactor
dimensions and number of passes. The removal efficiency increases with contact time and
decreases with increase in organic loading rates. These equations are applicable to both low rate
and high rate filters. The efficiency of single stage or first stage of two stage filters, E 2 is given by

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ENVE 432- Trickling Filters Design

100
𝐸1 = 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 1
𝑊
1 + 0.44√
𝑉×𝐹

100
𝐸1 = 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 2
𝑈
1 + 0.44√ 𝐹

Where,
E1 = % efficiency in BOD removal of single stage or first stage of two-stage filter,
W = BOD loading of settled raw sewage in single stage or first stage of the two-stage filter in
kg/d,
V = Volume of the single stage filter or first sate of the two-stage filter (in m3);
F = recirculation factor or number of effective passes for the single stage filter or first stage of
the two-stage filter,

1+𝑅
𝐹= 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 3
[1 + (1 − 𝑓)𝑅]2

Taking f = 0.9

1+𝑅
= 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 4
[1 + 0.1 𝑅]2

R = recirculation ratio for the single stage filter or first stage of the two-stage filter,
f = treatability factor (0.9 for sewage); and
U = W/V = unit organic loading for the single stage filter or first stage of the two filter (in
kg/m3/day)
For a conventional or standard trickling filter there is no recirculation, i.e., R = 0 so that F = 1,
and hence equation 2 for efficiency in this case becomes,

100
𝐸1 = 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 5
1 + 0.44√𝑈

For the second stage filter, the efficiency E2 is given by

100
𝐸2 = 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 6
0.44 √𝑈 ′
1+ 𝐸1 𝐹′
(1 − 100 )

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ENVE 432- Trickling Filters Design

Where,

E2 = % efficiency in BOD removal of second stage of the two-stage filter,

U’ = W’/V’ = unit organic loading for the second stage of the two filter (in kg/m 3/day)

F’ = recirculation factor or number of effective passes for the second stage of the two-stage filter,

1 + 𝑅′
𝐹′ = 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 7
[1 + (1 − 𝑓 ′ )𝑅′ ]2

Taking f’ = 0.9

1 + 𝑅′
= 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 8
[1 + 0.1 𝑅′ ]2

𝑅′ = recirculation ration for the single stage filter or first stage of the two-stage filter,

f' = treatability factor (0.9 for sewage); and

Rankins equation: This equation also known as Tentative Method of Ten States USA has been
successfully used over wide range of temperature. It requires following conditions to be observed
for single stage filters:

1. The BOD load of pre-treated wastewater applied to filters should not exceed 1.2 kg
BOD5/day/m3 filter volume.
2. Hydraulic load (including recirculation) should not exceed 30 m3/m2 filter surface-day.
3. For the single stage filters, the Ten State Standards states that BOD entering filter
(including recirculation) shall not be more than three times the BOD of the required
settled effluent. This implies that as long as the above conditions are satisfied efficiency
is only a function of recirculation and is given by:

1+𝑅
𝐸 = 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 9
1.5 + 𝑅

Where, R = Recirculation ratio (Return flow/Discharge)

Recirculation is not done in the low rate filters while in the high rate filtes the effluent is
sprinkled again over the filter media.
The effect of temperature on the BOD removal efficiency:
E = E20 (1.035) T-20

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ENVE 432- Trickling Filters Design

Design Example:
Design a low rate rock media trickling filter to treat 10 MLD of raw wastewater of BOD 350
mg/L. The final effluent should be 50 mg/L and organic loading rate is 200 g/m3/d.
Solution:

(a) Assume 30% of BOD load removed in primary sedimentation i.e., = 350 x 0.30 = 105
mg/l. Remaining BOD = 350 - 105 = 245 mg/l.
(b) Design a low rate filter to treat 10 MLD of sewage of BOD of 350 mg/l. The final
effluent should be 50 mg/l and organic loading rate is 200 g/m3/d.
(c) Percent of BOD removal required = (245-50) x 100/245 = 80%
(d) BOD load applied to the filter = flow x conc. of sewage (kg/d) = 10 x 10 6 x 245/106 =
2450 kg/d
(e) To find out filter volume, using NRC equation 1,
100
𝐸1 =
𝑊
1 + 0.44√𝑉 × 𝐹
Here F =1 because no circulation,

100
80 =
2450
1 + 0.44√𝑉 × 1
1
0.80 =
1
1 + 0.44√𝑉

1
0.8 + 17.423 √ = 1
𝑉

V= 7589 m3

• Depth of filter = 1.5 m, Filter area = 7589/1.5 = 5059.34 m 2, and Diameter = 80.244 m >
60 m (because commercial manufacturer manufactures the wastewater distributors up to
60 m), therefore, construct two trickling filters, Diameter = 56.7 m,

• Hydraulic loading rate = 10 x 106/103 x 1/5059.34 = 1.97 m3/d/m2 < 4 hence o.k.

• Organic loading rate: Check for organic loading rate of 200 g/m3/d, if OLR is less OK if
not increase the volume of the reactor.

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