11-9.

PROBLEMS
11-1. For a flow of 0.8 m3/s, how many rapid sand filter boxes of dimensions 10 m × 20 m are needed for a hydraulic
loading rate of 110 m3/d ⋅ m2?

11-2. If a dual-media filter with a hydraulic loading rate of 300 m3/d ⋅ m2 were built instead of the standard filter in
Problem 11-1, how many filter boxes would be required?

11-3. The water flow meter at the Troublesome Creek water plant is malfunctioning. The plant superintendent tells you
the four dual media filters (each 5.00 m × 10.0 m) are loaded at a velocity of 280 m/d. What is the flow rate through the
filters in m3/s?

11-4. A plant expansion is planned for Urbana. The new design flow rate is 1.0 m3/s. A deep bed monomedia filter with a
design loading rate of 600 m3/d ⋅ m2 of filter is to be used. If each filter box is limited to 50 m2 of surface area, how many
filter boxes will be required? Check the design loading with one filter box out of service. Propose an alternative design if
the design loading rate is exceeded with one filter box out of service.

Problem 11-4 Design Characteristics for Monomedia Filter

This video illustrates the design calculations required for sizing a deep bed

 monomedia filter based on anticipated loading rate and filter surface area.

James Stone, Professor of Environmental Engineering, South Dakota School of

Mines and Technology
2017

11-5. The Orono Sand and Gravel Company has made a bid to supply sand for Eau Gaullie's new sand filter. The request
for bids stipulated that the sand have an effective size in the range 0.35 to 0.55 mm and a uniformity coefficient in the
range 1.3 to 1.7. Orono supplied the following sieve analysis as evidence that their sand will meet the specifications.
Perform a grain size analysis (semilog plot) and determine whether or not the sand meets the specifications. Use a
spreadsheet program you have written to plot the data and fit a curve.

Sand analysis

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 U.S. Standard Sieve No. Mass percent retained

8 0.0

12 0.01

16 0.39

20 5.70

30 25.90

40 44.00

50 20.20

70 3.70

100 0.10

Problem 11-5 Sand Filtration Sieve Analysis Confirmation

This video shows how to determine whether or not a given sand media sieve

 analysis/gradation would meet a given design specification.

James Stone, Professor of Environmental Engineering, South Dakota School of

Mines and Technology
2017

11-6. The Lexington Sand and Gravel Company has made a bid to supply sand for Laramie's new sand filter. The request
for bids stipulated that the sand have an effective size in the range 0.35 to 0.55 mm and a uniformity coefficient in the
range 1.3 to 1.7. Lexington supplied the following sieve analysis (sample size = 500.00 g) as evidence that its sand will
meet the specifications. Perform a grain size analysis (log-log plot) and determine whether or not the sand meets the
specifications. Use a spreadsheet program you have written to plot the data and fit a curve.

Sand analysis

U.S. Standard Sieve No. Mass retained, g

12 0.00

16 2.00

20 65.50

30 272.50

40 151.0

50 8.925

70 0.075

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 11-7. Rework Example 11-1 with the 70, 100, and 140 sieve fractions removed. Assume the original sample contained
100 g.

11-8. The selection of an appropriate clean bed headloss equation is, in part, based on the acceptable upper bound of
the Reynolds number that is appropriate for the equation. If the Rose equation (Equation 11-9) is suitable up to R of 6,
determine the upper filtration rate for sand and anthracite beyond which it is not recommended. Use a spreadsheet
program you have written, plot the Reynolds number versus the filtration rate for the following cases:

a. Sand

E = 0.5 mm
va = 7.5 m/h; 12 m/h; 15 m/h; 20 m/h; 25 m/h
Water temperature = 15°C

b. Anthracite coal

E = 1.1 mm
va = 7.5 m/h; 12 m/h; 15 m/h; 20 m/h; 25 m/h
Water temperature = 15°C

Use the following equation to calculate the Reynolds number.

(ρ)(va)(d) (va)(d)
R= =
μ υ

where ρ = density, kg/m3

va = approach velocity
d = effective diameter of media (E)
μ = dynamic viscosity, Pa ⋅ s
υ = kinematic viscosity, m2/s
11-9. The Ergun equation for calculating clean bed headloss (Table 11-2) has been proposed for use in cases where
larger media and higher filtration rates are used such as deep bed monomedium filters. The first term in the Ergun
equation accounts for viscous forces. The second term accounts for inertial forces. Calculate the ratio of the inertial term
to the total headloss estimate for various filtration rates using a spreadsheet you have written. Assume the following
values:

k v = 228

ε = 0.50

μ = 1.14 × 10−3 Pa ⋅ s

L = 1.5 m

ρ = 999 kg/m3

d = 1.1 mm

g = 9.81 m/s2

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 k i = 4.4

Identify the filtration rate at which the inertial term accounts for half of the clean bed headloss. See Trussell and Chang
(1999) for more on k v and k i.

11-10. The rapid sand filter being designed for Eau Gaullie has the characteristics and sieve analysis shown below.
Using the Rose equation, determine the headloss for the clean filter bed in a stratified condition.

Depth = 0.60 m

Filtration rate = 120 m3/d ⋅ m2

Sand specific gravity = 2.50

Shape factor = 0.80

Stratified bed porosity = 0.42

Water temperature = 19°C

Sand analysis

U.S. Standard Sieve No. Mass percent retained

8–12 0.01

12–16 0.39

16–20 5.70

20–30 25.90

30–40 44.00

40–50 20.20

50–70 3.70

70–100 0.10

11-11. Determine the height of the expanded bed for the sand used in Problem 11-10 if the backwash rate is 1,000 m/d.

11-12. The rapid sand filter being designed for Laramie has the characteristics shown below. Using the Rose equation,
determine the headloss for the clean filter bed in a stratified condition.

Depth = 0.75 m

Filtration rate = 230 m3/d ⋅ m2

Sand specific gravity = 2.80

Shape factor = 0.80

Stratified bed porosity = 0.50

Water temperature = 5°C

Sand analysis

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 U.S. Standard Sieve No. Mass percent retained

8–12 0.00

12–16 0.40

16–20 13.10

20–30 54.50

30–40 30.20

40–50 1.785

50–70 0.015

11-13. Determine the maximum backwash rate and the height of the expanded bed for the sand used in Problem 11-12.

11-14. As noted in Example 11-2, the headloss was too high. Rework the example without the 100–140 sieve fraction to
see how much this would improve the headloss characteristics. Assume that the fraction above sieve size number 8 does
not contribute to the headloss and that recalculation of the percentages is not required.

11-15. What effect does removing the 100–140 sieve fraction have on the depth of the expanded bed in Example 11-3?

11-16. Determine the number of filter beds for Eau Gaullie (Problem 11-10) if the maximum day design flow rate is 3,800
m3/d.

11-17. Determine the number of filter beds for Laramie (Problem 11-12) if the maximum day design flow rate is 55,000
m3/d.

11-18. In the continuing design of Eau Gaullie's rapid sand filter (Problems 11-10, 11-11, and 11-16), determine the area
of each filter cell and the plan dimensions of a filter box. Assume a gullet width of 0.5 m.

11-19. In the continuing design of Laramie's rapid sand filter (Problems 11-12, 11-13, and 11-17), determine the area of
each filter cell and the plan dimensions of a filter box. Assume a gullet width of 0.8 m.

11-20. Design the backwash system for Eau Gaullie's rapid sand filter. Use the filter dimensions from Problem 11-18.
The backwash system includes the layout of the backwash troughs, backwash velocity, flow rate of backwash water per
trough, the trough dimension (width and depth), trough elevation, volume of backwash tank, and elevation of the lowest
water level in the backwash tank.

11-21. Design the backwash system for Laramie's rapid sand filter. Use the filter dimensions from Problem 11-19. The
backwash system includes the layout of the backwash troughs, backwash velocity, flow rate of backwash water per
trough, the trough dimension (width and depth), trough elevation, volume of backwash tank, and elevation of the lowest
water level in the backwash tank.

11-22. Determine the gullet dimensions for Eau Gaullie's rapid sand filter. Use the filter dimensions from Problem 11-18
and the backwash rate from Problem 11-20. Assume a 250 mm diameter pipe from the gullet is to carry the wash water at
a velocity of 0.9 m/s.

11-23. Determine the gullet dimensions for Laramie's rapid sand filter. Use the filter dimensions from Problem 11-19 and
the backwash rate from Problem 11-21. Assume a 700-mm diameter pipe from the gullet is to carry the wash water at a
velocity of 1.2 m/s.

11-24. Determine the depth of the filter box for Eau Gaullie's sand filter. Use the clean bed headloss from Problem 11-10
and velocity headloss from Problem 11-22. Assume the minimum depth of water above the filter bed is 2.4 m, that the

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 gravel is 0.25 m deep, and that the depth of the underdrain is 0.25 m.

11-25. Determine the depth of the filter box for Laramie's sand filter. Use the clean bed headloss from Problem 11-12
and velocity headloss from Problem 11-23. Assume the minimum depth of water above the filter bed is 2.4 m and that an
IMS drain that is 30 cm deep is used.

11-26. Design the structural components[1] of a rapid sand filter for the village of Waffle. The maximum day flow rate is
8,700 m3/d. The design criteria and sand analysis are given below. Assume a 375-mm diameter pipe from the gullet is to
carry the wash water at a velocity of 1.2 m/s. Verify that the sand meets the GLUMRB recommendations for E and U.
Adjust the grain size distribution if the sand does not meet the specification.

Depth = 0.50 m

Filtration rate = 150 m3/d ⋅ m2

Sand specific gravity = 2.65

Shape factor = 0.75

Stratified bed porosity = 0.40

Water temperature = 10°C

Trial backwash velocity = 65 m/h

Trial gullet width = 0.5 m

Underdrain = 30 cm deep filter block with 1 mm orifice

Gravel support = 32 cm in 4 layers

Surface wash = revolving arms at GLUMRB recommended rate

Sand analysis

U.S. Standard Sieve No. Mass percent retained

10–14 2.0

14–20 16.5

20–25 15.4

25–30 38.2

30–35 15.9

35–40 6.5

40–50 4.4

50–60 1.0

Note: geometric mean diameter of successive sieves is dg = (d1 d2 )0.5.

The following is to be provided to complete this portion of the filter design:

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 Clean bed headloss

Backwash velocity

Depth of expanded bed

Number of filter beds

Area of an individual filter bed

Plan dimensions

Backwash trough layout

Maximum backwash water trough flow rate

Backwash trough dimensions

Backwash trough weir elevation above undisturbed bed

Gullet dimensions

Backwash water volume

Backwash tank volume

Maximum allowable filtration headloss

Depth of filter box

Backwash tank low water elevation

11-27. Design the structural components of a dual-media rapid filter for the city of Apple Valley. The maximum day flow
rate is 45,000 m 3/d. The design criteria and media analyses are given below. Assume a 525-mm diameter pipe from the
gullet is to carry the wash water at a velocity of 1.5 m/s. Verify that the sand meets the GLUMRB recommendations for E
and U. Adjust the grain size distribution if the sand does not meet the specification. Also verify that largest grain size
anthracite coal will have the same approximate settling velocity as the finest sand grain size.

Filtration rate = 15 m/h

Water temperature = 12°C

Backwash = 85 m/h

Trial gullet width = 0.8 m

Underdrain = 30 cm deep fine screen

Gravel support = none required

Surface wash = revolving arms at GLUMRB recommended rate

Air scour at GLUMRB recommended rate

Media characteristics

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 Parameter Sand Anthracite coal

Depth 0.30 m 0.50 m

Sand specific gravity 2.65 1.60

Shape factor 0.75 0.75

Stratified bed porosity 0.47 0.60

Media analysis

U.S. Standard Sieve No. Sand mass percent retained Anthracite coal mass percent retained

4–7 9.9

7–8 13.0

8–10 28.0

10–12 20.0

12–14 13.3

14–16 8.62

16–18 4.22

18–20 10.60 2.96

20–25 41.50

25–30 31.10

30–35 9.70

35–40 4.7

40–45 2.4

Note: geometric mean diameter of successive sieves is dg = (d1 d2 )0.5.

The following is to be provided to complete this portion of the filter design:

Clean bed headloss

Backwash velocity

Depth of expanded bed

Number of filter beds

Area of an individual filter bed

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 Plan dimensions

Backwash trough layout

Maximum backwash water trough flow rate

Backwash trough dimensions

Backwash trough weir elevation above undisturbed bed

Gullet dimensions

Backwash water volume

Backwash tank volume

Maximum allowable filtration headloss

Depth of filter box

Backwash tank low water elevation

[1] These do not include the pipe gallery or control system.

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