UTILIZATION OF CRUSHED GLASS AND CERAMIC WASTES AS A FILTRATION MEDIUM IN DRINKING WATER PLANTS

Abstract

Abstract

Filtration is one of the important operations carried out to produce drinking water. Sand filtration is a conventional method for drinking water filtration. This work aims at investigating the replacement of sand with crushed glass or ceramics with diameter size 0.8-1.4 mm. Samples of crushed glass and ceramics were washed, sieved to the nominal size. Filtration columns were filled with crushed glass, ceramics or sand at different height (30, 45 and 60 cm) and the feeding water after coagulation process (2.9, 4.8 and 6.5 NTU) at a flow rate (4, 6 and 8 m3/m2/ h). Filtration process is running and filtered water is collected and analysed for turbidity and pH. Results showed that all samples of feeding raw water turbidity were reduced after filtration using crushed glass, crushed ceramics and sand media. Turbidities after using crushed glass as a filtration media ranged from (0.51-1.88 NTU), crushed ceramics ranged from (0.69-2.11 NTU) and sand ranged from (0.48-1.86 NTU). Results of pH of filtrate water using crushed glass media and sand media was recorded the same before and after filtration. When crushed ceramics was used as a filtration media with entrance feeding raw water of pH 7.38, the filtrated water pH ranged from (7.42-7.61). From the results it can be conclude that crushed glass media and ceramics media has the capability to remove turbidity and provide quality effluents conform with international specifications (less than 1NTU), the filter containing crushed glass produced effluent turbidities and pH similar to those obtained with the sand filter.