FACULTY NAME- PRIANSHU SINGH

SUB .NAME- ENVIRONMENTAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Trickling filter
Trickling filters (TFs) are used to remove organic matter from wastewater. The TF is an aerobic treatment system
that utilizes microorganisms attached to a medium to remove organic matter from wastewater. This type of system
is common to a number of technologies such as rotating biological contactors and packed bed reactors (bio-
towers). These systems are known as attached-growth processes. In contrast, systems in which microorganisms are
sustained in a liquid are known as suspended-growth processes.

APPLICABILITY

TFs enable organic material in the wastewater to be absorbed by a population of microorganisms (aerobic,
anaerobic, and facultative bacteria; fungi; algae; and protozoa) attached to the medium as a biological film or slime
layer (approximately 0.1 to0.2 mm thick). As the wastewater flows over the medium, microorganisms already in
the water gradually attach themselves to the rock, slag, or plastic surface and form a film. The organic material is
then degraded by the aerobic microorganisms in the outer part of the slime layer.
As the layer thickens through microbial growth, oxygen cannot penetrate the medium face, and anaerobic
organisms develop. As the biological film continues to grow, the microorganisms near the surface lose their ability
to cling to the medium, and a portion of the slime layer falls off the filter. This process is known as sloughing. The
sloughed solids are picked up by the under drain system and transported to a clarifier for removal from the
wastewater.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Some advantages and disadvantages of TFs are listed below.
Advantages
1. Simple, reliable, biological process.
2. Suitable in areas where large tracts of land are not available for land intensive treatment systems.
3. May qualify for equivalent secondary discharge standards.
4. Effective in treating high concentrations of organics depending on the type of medium used.
5. Appropriate for small- to medium-sized communities.
6. Rapidly reduce soluble BOD5 in applied wastewater.
7. Efficient nitrification units.
8. Durable process elements. C Low power requirements.
9. Moderate level of skill and technical expertise needed to manage and operate the system.
Disadvantages
1. Additional treatment may be needed to meet more stringent discharge standards.
2. Possible accumulation of excess biomass that cannot retain an aerobic condition and can impair TF
performance (maximum biomass thickness is controlled by hydraulic dosage rate, type of media, type of
organic matter, temperature and nature of the biological growth).
3. Requires regular operator attention.
4. Incidence of clogging is relatively high.
5. Requires low loadings depending on the medium.
6. Flexibility and control are limited in comparison with activated-sludge processes.
7. Vector and odor problems.
DESIGN CRITERIA
A TF consists of permeable medium made of a bed of rock, slag, or plastic over which wastewater is distributed to
trickle through, as shown in Figure 1. Rock or slag beds can be up to 60.96 meters (200 feet) in diameter and 0.9-
2.4 meters (3 to 8 feet) deep with rock size varying from 2.5-10.2 cm (1 to 4 inches). Most rock media provide
approximately 149 m2/m3 (15 sq ft/cu ft) of surface area and less than 40 percent void space. Packed plastic filters
(bio-towers), on the other hand, are smaller in diameter (6 to 12 meters (20 to 40 feet)) and range in depth from
4.3 to 12.2 meters (14 to 40 feet). These filters look more like towers, with the media in various configurations
(e.g., vertical flow, cross flow, or various random packing).
Research has shown that cross-flow media may offer better flow distribution than other media, especially at low
organic loads. When comparing vertical media with the 60 degree cross-flow media, the vertical media provide a
nearly equal distribution of wastewater minimizing potential plugging at higher organic loads better than cross flow
media. The plastic medium also required additional provisions, including ultraviolet protective additives on the top
layer of the plastic medium filter, and increased plastic wall thickness for medium packs that are installed in the
lower section of the filter where loads increase.

FIGURE :-TYPICAL TRICKLING FILTER

The design of a TF system for wastewater also includes a distribution system. Rotary hydraulic
distribution is usually standard for this process, but fixed nozzle distributors are also being used in square
or rectangular reactors. Overall, fixed nozzle distributors are being limited to small facilities and
package plants. Recently some distributors have been equipped with motorized units to control their
speed. Distributors can be set up to be mechanically driven at all times or during stalled conditions.

In addition, a TF has an under drain system that collects the filtrate and solids, and also serves as a source of air for
the microorganisms on the filter. The treated wastewater and solids are piped to a settling tank where the solids
are separated. Usually, part of the liquid from the settling chamber is re-circulated to improve wetting and flushing
of the filter medium, optimizing the process and increasing the removal rate.

It is essential that sufficient air be available for the successful operation of the TF. It has been found that to supply
air to the system, natural draft and wind forces are usually sufficient if large enough ventilation ports are provided
at the bottom of the filter and the medium has enough void area.

The following four basic categories of filter design are based on the organic loading of the trickling filter.
Intermediate-rate filters
Intermediate rate filters can be loaded up to 64 kg BOD /100 m3-d (40 lb BOD /1000cu ft/day). In order to ensure
good distribution and thorough blending of the filter and secondary5 effluent, the system should re-circulate the
trickling filter effluent. The biological solids that slough from an intermediate trickling filter are not as well
digested as those using a low-rate filter.
High-rate filters
High-rate filters are generally loaded at the maximum organic loading capabilities of the filter and receive total
BOD5 loading ranging from 64 to 160 kg BOD /100 m3-d.

Low-rate filters
Low-rate filters are commonly used for loadings of less than 40 kilograms five day biochemical oxygen demand
(BOD5)/100 meters cubed per day (25 lb BOD5/1000cu ft/day). These systems have fewer problems than other
filters with regards to filter flies, odors, and medium plugging because of the lower loading rate. Low-rate filters
with a rock medium range in depth from 0.9 to 2.4 meters (3- 8 ft.). Most low-rate filters are circular with rotary
distributors, but some filters currently in use are rectangular. Both of these configurations are equipped with dosing
syphons or periodic pumps to provide a high wetting rate for short intervals between rest periods. A minimum
wetting rate of 0.4 liters per square meter-second (0.7 gal/sq ft/min) is maintained to prevent the high rate plastic
filter medium from drying out. With a rock medium, the filters tend not to be hydraulically limited and have
application limits ranging from 0.01 to 0.04 liters per square meter-second (0.02 to 0.06 gal/sq ft/min).
The sloughed solids from a low-rate filter are generally well-digested and as a result these filters yield less solids
than higher rate filters. Secondary quality effluent is readily achievable if the low-rate trickling filter design
incorporates filter media with bioflocculation capabilities or good secondary clarification.
Roughing Filters
Roughing filters are designed to allow a significant amount of soluble BOD to bleed through the trickling filter.
Filters of this type generally have a design load ranging from 160-480 kg BOD /100 m3-d (100 to 300 lb.
BOD /1000cu ft/day).
PERFORMANCE
Recent efforts have been made to combine fixed- film reactors with 5 suspended growth processes to efficiently

remove organic materials from wastewater. For example, the combination of a trickling filter with an activated-
sludge process has allowed for the elimination of shock loads to the more sensitive activated sludge while
providing a highly polished effluent that could not be achieved by a trickling filter alone. Table 1 shows the BOD5
removal rates for the four filter types discussed.
Although the TF process is generally reliable, there is still potential for operational problems. Some of the
common problems are attributed to increased growth of biofilm, improper design, changing wastewater
characteristics, or equipment failure. Some common problems with TF function are discussed in operation and
maintenance section.