Innovative System Using Low Cost Fabric Filters for Wastewater Treatment in Small Communities

Abstract

A pilot plant was constructed in Fayoum governorate, Egypt in order to investigate the efficiency of fabric filters combined with the previously constructed unit (ZECU). In the first phase; the flux rates were changed from 3.5-15 L/m2/hr and the differential hydraulic head was 1.5 m, average effluent TSS, BOD, CODt and CODs concentrations were 37.4 mg/l, 75 mg/l, 257.22 mg/l and 146.75 mg/l respectively. In the second phase the flux rate was 12 L/m2/hr and differential hydraulic head was changed to be 2.5 m, average effluent TSS, CODt and CODs concentrations were 43.6 mg/l, 133.7 mg/l and 105.3 mg/l respectively. In the third phase fabric filters were tested on the effluent of anaerobic treatment with the same flux rate 12 L/m2/hr and hydraulic head 2.5 m, average effluent TSS, CODt and CODs concentrations were 72 mg/l, 137.5 mg/l and 71 mg/l respectively. The potential removal mechanism for the suspended solids by fabric filters is straining or sieving by filter pores. The potential removal mechanism for dissolved organic matters is dynamic membrane layer formed on the fabric filters surface and was able to remove soluble organic matters with CODs average removal efficiencies of 21.25% 18.9% and 18.9% in first, second and third phase respectively. Supervisors Prof. Dr. Hamdy Ibrahim Ali Professor of Environmental Engineering, Ain Shams University Prof. Dr. Tarek Ismail Mahmoud Sabry Professor of Environmental Engineering, Ain Shams University Dr. Sayed Ismail Ali Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering, Ain Shams University Key Words: