Environmental Engineering

Dr. Ramakrishna Bag

Dept of Civil Engineering
NIT Rourkela
 Pressure filters
Pressure filters are small rapid gravity filters
placed in closed vessels and the water to be
treated is passed under pressure.
As the applied pressure > atmospheric
pressure, the filters are located in air-tight
vessels.
The raw water supplied through pumps. The
developed pressure vary between 30 to 70
meter head of water i.e., 300 to 700 kPa.
 Construction of pressure filters
Known as horizontal or vertical pressure filters
depending the design.
Length/ height: 3.5 to 8 m
Dia. : 1.5 to 3 m

Vertical pressure filter

Horizontal pressure filter

 Operation of pressure filters

Works similar to that of rapid gravity filters

except that raw water is neither flocculated nor
sedimented before entering the filters.
Cleaning is done by back washing.
Pressure filters may require more frequent
cleaning because the impurities that are
removed in sedimentation tank are also
removed in pressure filters.
 Rate of filtration: 2 to 5 times higher than
rapid gravity filters 6000 to 15000 ltrs/hr/m2
of filter area.

Efficiency: Less efficient in bacteria removal

and not used for public water supply.
 Advantages of pressure filters
Pressure filter is a compact device and can
be handled easily. Automatic units are also
available.
Require lesser space and filtering material
for treating same quantity of water because
rate of filtration is 2 to 5 times greater than
rapid gravity filters.
Sedimentation and coagulation tanks are
avoided.
 More flexible, as rate of filtration can be
changed.
Economical for treating smaller quantities
of water.
Since the water coming out with sufficiently
high head re-pumping of the filtered water
is not required.
 Disadvantages of pressure filters
Although rate of filtration is high, filter unit
being smaller, overall capacity of the plant is
small.
Less efficient in bacteria removal.
Costlier for treating large quantity municipal
water.
Since the filtration and back washing takes
place in closed container, proper quality
control is not possible.
Cleaning and replacement of filter material is
difficult.
 Other types of filters
Roughening filters/double filters
Use to reduce the load on slow sand filter
by partly removing the impurities.
Enhance rate of filtration of slow sand filter.

Diatomite filters
Small potable filters developed by Army.
Useful for field applications or small
industries.
 Disinfection or Sterilisation

The filtered water obtained from

slow/rapid sand filters may contain
harmful disease producing bacteria.
Disinfection is the process of killing these
harmful bacteria and the chemicals used
are known as disinfectant.
 Presence of a single harmful organism
may be dangerous because that will
spread various diseases and their
epidemics and hence disinfection/
sterilisation is the most important in
water treatment process.
 In case of emergencies such as water supply
for army during war times; sedimentation and
coagulation can not be done, however,
sterilisation is the only treatment process
applied in raw water.

Disinfection not only removes existing

bacteria from the water, but also ensures its
immediate killing even afterwards in the
distribution system.
 The amount of disinfectant used should
provide residual sterilising effect for a longer
period of time, to prevent contamination
during transit from plant to consumer.

Chlorine is the most ideal disinfectant and

thus this process is also known as
Chlorination.
 Other minor methods of disinfection
Boiling of water
Effective for removal of bacteria but further
contamination can not be avoided.
Treatment with excess lime
Excess lime kills bacteria, however before
consuming excess lime needs to remove from
water.
Treatment with ozone
Ozone breaks into O2 and free oxygen which is a
very good disinfectant. However, it is very costly.
 Treatment with iodine and bromide
Used as pills to kill the bacteria, not useful
for large municipal water treatment
Treatment with ultra-violet rays
Very effective as disinfectant, however,
costly.
Useful for small domestic plant, hospitals
etc.
 Treatment with potassium permanganate
Popular for treating well water in villages.
Can not remove 100% bacteria.
Treatment with silver
Metallic silver ions are introduced into
water by passing it through a tube
containing silver electrodes which is
connected to a D.C supply. This is also
costly.