No description available.

In this paper, the step modulated sine wave [u(t)Asin2πft] response of the low-pass, band-pass, and high-pass filters are evaluated. Butterworth filters from the first order on up to the ideal filter are analyzed, and expressions for the settle times developed. The longest settle time occurs for the ideal filter, with all other filters taking progressively less time to settle as the order decreases. A significant point is that the transient settle time for a filter depends on the difference in applied signal frequency and the filter cut off frequency. The set of expressions developed in this report are primarily intended to be sued in selecting programming time delays in computer based signal measurement and processing systems.

Nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted considerable attention in the field of separation science, especially in filtration studies for direct membrane integrity tests, investigating pore-size distribution, and their potential to be used as surrogates for various types of viruses encountered in water treatment and bioprocessing applications. Although the effect of adding surfactants to stabilize NP suspension have been explored for a number of different applications, there is significant variation in the amounts and types of surfactants used in filtration studies. This study used three different sizes (59, 188, and 490 nm) of fluorescent polystyrene nanoparticles (PNPs) to mimic the length, width, and aggregates of Rhabdovirus Maraba, a bullet-shape envelope virus. The PNPs were suspended in solutions with varying concentrations of the nonionic surfactant Tween 20 (0.0005% to 0.1% (v/v) in the carbonate buffer feed solution) and were tested in constant-flux filtration studies using two commercial microfiltration (MF) membranes (Durapore PVDF and MiniSart PES) with 0.22 micron pore size ratings. Results clearly demonstrate that adding a nonionic surfactant to a PNP solution will cause a shift from full retention to complete transmission during the dead-end MF of PNPs that are smaller than the pore size of an MF membrane. In a separate study, in order to have a better resemblance of virus particles in terms of surface properties, 188 nm PNPs were coated with different (lysozyme, α -lactalbumin and bovine serum albumin) proteins in order to gain similar surface properties to actual virus particles. Filtration results with one type of commercial MF membranes (Durapore PVDF) 0.22 μm pore size, clearly indicate that the transmission behavior of PNPs strongly depends on their surface properties. PNPs fully covered with BSA and α–lactalbumin could completely pass through the membranes while uncovered or partially covered PNPs resulted in no transmission or partial transmission. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / Nanoparticles (NPs) has been employed enormously in various applications for a variety of purposes. One of the areas that have been greatly influenced by NPs, is the field of separation science. In the pharmaceutical industry, purification of therapeutics involves a sequence of filtration and in this step, therapeutic virus filtration, sterile filtration, in particular, have been poorly studied. There is also a growing interest in the use of engineered viruses for cancer treatment due to its magnificent implication on human health. However, there are significant challenges in running filtration experiments with pathogenic substances. Therefore it has been determined that a detailed and comprehensive study of sterile filtration of virus-size NPs can benefit this area. In this work, fluorescently-labeled NPs has been used as surrogates of oncolytic viruses to extract fundamental aspects affecting the transmission of virus-sized particles through commercial microfiltration sterilizing grade membranes.

Sand has been the main filter media used in rapid gravity filtration since their emergence in the 19th century. This dominance is due to its low cost, availability and extensive experience which has led to dependable and predictable performance. Over recent years multi-media filters have become the typical filter arrangement. Sand still remains the preferred filter medium in the lower layer with typically anthracite used in the upper layer. A limitation to match previous work has been the emphasis on overall performance but mechanistic analysis as to the reasons for the variations compared to sand has been rare. The fundamental effects of particle size and consolidation on filtration performance and headloss are known but were not often accounted for in the reported research. This has limited the academic contribution of previous work and made it more difficult to compare with the data for this thesis. At an average treatment works the highest costs are associated with the use of chemicals (30 %) and power (60 %) required mainly for pumping. Rapid gravity filters are one of the least energy demanding stages in this system, only requiring pumping for backwashing and air scour, assuming gravity feed was incorporated into the design. Energy efficiency of water treatment has become more important and the research was conducted to determine if the use of novel new media could be used to improve the performance of the filters with regards to turbidity and headloss. For example, the result presented within this thesis demonstrates through the use of angular media improved performance to benefit both turbidity and headloss performance. This was obtained from slate having a sphericity of 0.49 compared to sand at 0.88. In addition the use of novel materials with different physical properties has allowed an extension to analysis of performance using fundamental filtration mechanisms. The greater range of properties available from the novel media used in this thesis compared to sand has suggested additions to this theory. The use of surface reactive materials, including limestone, has shown the removal of additional contaminants such as phosphorus, iron, aluminium and manganese not typically associated with rapid gravity filtration. An assessment of the impact these reactions had on typical filter performance criteria, for example turbidity, headloss and life expectancy. The results showed an 97 % removal of Fe in the limestone compared to 13 % for sand. This was brought about by the precipitation of hydroxide, coagulation, a pH change and consequent co-precipitation. In the case of iron and aluminium removal this pH induced change was theorized as the most likely cause of coagulation within the filter bed itself leading to improved turbidity removal performance. Filter media chosen for laboratory and pilot study in this work was firstly assessed using British Standards tests, but additional tests were added that could provide additional characterisation data. The media were selected based on an individual fundamental property that differed from the other media selected whilst retaining the standard RGF size. Filtralite for example offered a high surface area, limestone a more active surface and slate a plate-like particle shape. Glass had a very smooth surface texture and as a recycled material better sustainability. Four of these filter media (Sand (control), Glass, Filtralite and Slate) were then selected for further on-site pilot plant studies, based on results from the laboratory work. Both the laboratory and pilot study suggested that turbidity and headloss performance could be improved by changes in media specification. The results showed that after particle size, angularity of the media was the most important factor affecting turbidity and headloss performance. A greater angularity led to improvements in filter run time with for example a doubling of filter run time with the slate compared to sand for the same turbidity removal in the pilot plant. Previous literature had suggested an improvement in turbidity performance but that head loss would deteriorate but this was not seen in the data from this research, with slate (sphericity of 0.49) offering improved headloss performance. This improvement was attributed to the varied packing of the filter bed and associated porosity variations throughout the filter. The objectives of the pilot study were to provide understanding of scale-up factors and adjust these theories with real variable clarified water. Real water chemistry is too complex to model and enabled experiments more typical of the variation that a rapid gravity filter would encounter. The pilot plant is 0.07 % the plan area of a full scale filter compared to the 0.01 % of the laboratory columns. Results corroborated the laboratory work on the effect of extreme particle shapes on filter performance. The pilot study also highlighted problems from floc carry over with the use of clarified water and quantified the impact it had on filtration performance. In this case floc carryover changed the performance of the pilot plant results significantly. Thus an overall conclusion from the work was that an integrated design approach to filters, to account for the clarifier type the likelihood of floc carryover and raw water anticipated could be further researched. There were also limitations to the current monitoring equipment that could not quantitatively measure the floc carryover because of large particle size.

No description available.

Filtration performance of mineral concentrate is mainly controlled by solid particle size and surface hydrophobicity. Filtration of coarser particles with more hydrophobic surfaces produces better filtration performance characterized by higher filtration rate (U) and lower final moisture content (FMC) in the final cake. Some filtration aids could improve filtration performance by flocculating solid particles and enhancing surface hydrophobicity. For the mineral concentrate used in this study, many filtration aids tested could only improve either U or FMC: one type was effective in improving U, and another type was effective in improving FMC. The combination of the two types of filtration aids at certain dosages could achieve better filtration performance than the optimum performance achieved by each individual filtration aid. Based on the experimental results, the working mechanism of filtration aids behind the filtration behavior was explored to deepen the understanding of the chemical-enhanced filtration of Cu/Ni concentrate. / Chemical Engineering

Das maximale Trubaufnahmevermögen eines Filterkuchens ist ein wichtiges Kriterium für die Vorhersagbarkeit der Standzeit des Filters. In Praxisfiltrationen in Brauereien konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass sich die Filtration mit Zellulose als Filterhilfsmittel grundsätzlich in zwei Bereiche unterteilen lässt. Zunächst verläuft der Anstieg der Druckdifferenz linear, geht dann aber zu jeweils versuchsspezifisch unterschiedlichen Zeitpunkten in den exponentiellen Verlauf über, was auf eine Kompaktierung der freien Durchgangskanäle des Filterkuchens zurückzuführen ist. Mehrmalige Regenerationen verbessern die Trübungsreduzierung der Filterhilfsmittelmischung, was durch verminderte Wasserwerte und Darcy-Werte im Labor nachgewiesen werden konnte. Wie bereits aus der Kieselgurfiltration bekannt, sind Standzeit und Trübungsreduzierung der Zellulosefiltration in entscheidendem Maß von der Filtrierbarkeit der Biere abhängig und mit den Werten eines Kieselgurfilters vergleichbar.

Este trabalho consiste na avaliação do desempenho do sistema composto por filtração direta ascendente em pedregulho seguida de filtração rápida descendente. A investigação experimental foi realizada em instalação piloto, variando-se a taxa de filtração nos filtros ascendente (60 a 240 m3/m2.d) e descendente (100 a 240 m3/m2.d) com e sem execução de descargas de fundo intermediárias no ascendente. A água bruta foi proveniente de um manancial superficial com pH entre 6,5 a 7,5, valores de turbidez compreendidos entre 8,5 e 21 uT, cor verdadeira entre 19 e 50 unidades Hanzen e alcalinidade entre 6,7 e 10 mg CaCO3/L. Adicionalmente, verificou-se o comportamento da instalação, para uma condição simulada de ocorrência de pico de turbidez de 380 uT, com curta duração. Em função dos resultados obtidos foi possível realizar considerações com relação à ocorrência de desprendimento/carreamento contínuo de flocos no filtro ascendente e constatar as influências da execução de descargas de fundo intermediárias, com produção de efluentes de melhor qualidade e carreiras de filtração mais prolongadas. O filtro ascendente com taxa de filtração de 120 m3/m2.d, foi capaz de absorver o pico de turbidez de 380 uT, produzindo efluente pré-filtrado com valores de turbidez entre 0,3 e 5,7 uT, e o filtro descendente, com taxa de filtração de 180 m3/m2.d, produziu efluente final com valores consistentemente menores que 1 uT, e na maior parte do tempo menores que 0,1 uT. / This work consists of a performance evaluation of the system composed by direct upflow filtration in gravel followed by rapid downflow filtration in sand. The experimental investigation was accomplished in pilot installation, being varied the filtration rate in the upflow (60 to 240 m3/m2.d.) and downflow (100 to 240 m3/m2.d.) filters with and without execution of intermediate downflushes in the first one. The raw water was provided from a superficial source with pH between 6,5 to 7,5, turbidity values between 8,5 and 21 UT, visible colour between 19 and 50 uH and alkalinity between 6,7 and 10 mg CaC03/L. ln addition, the behavior of the installation was verified, for a simulate condition of turbidity peak occurrence of 380 uT, with short duration. From the obtained results it was possible to accomplish considerations concerning the detachment occurrence/continuous flowing of flakes in the upflow filter and to verify the influences of the execution of intermediate downflushes, with production of better quality effluents and longer filter runs. The upflow filter with filtration rate of 120 m3/m2.d. was able to attenuate the turbidity peak of 380 uT, producing prefiltered effluent with turbidity values between 0,3 and 5,7 uT, and the downflow filter, with filtration rate of 180 m3/m2.d. produced final effluent with consistently values lower than 1 uT and in most of time lower than 0,1 uT.

Este trabalho consiste na avaliação do desempenho do sistema composto por filtração direta ascendente em pedregulho seguida de filtração rápida descendente. A investigação experimental foi realizada em instalação piloto, variando-se a taxa de filtração nos filtros ascendente (60 a 240 m3/m2.d) e descendente (100 a 240 m3/m2.d) com e sem execução de descargas de fundo intermediárias no ascendente. A água bruta foi proveniente de um manancial superficial com pH entre 6,5 a 7,5, valores de turbidez compreendidos entre 8,5 e 21 uT, cor verdadeira entre 19 e 50 unidades Hanzen e alcalinidade entre 6,7 e 10 mg CaCO3/L. Adicionalmente, verificou-se o comportamento da instalação, para uma condição simulada de ocorrência de pico de turbidez de 380 uT, com curta duração. Em função dos resultados obtidos foi possível realizar considerações com relação à ocorrência de desprendimento/carreamento contínuo de flocos no filtro ascendente e constatar as influências da execução de descargas de fundo intermediárias, com produção de efluentes de melhor qualidade e carreiras de filtração mais prolongadas. O filtro ascendente com taxa de filtração de 120 m3/m2.d, foi capaz de absorver o pico de turbidez de 380 uT, produzindo efluente pré-filtrado com valores de turbidez entre 0,3 e 5,7 uT, e o filtro descendente, com taxa de filtração de 180 m3/m2.d, produziu efluente final com valores consistentemente menores que 1 uT, e na maior parte do tempo menores que 0,1 uT. / This work consists of a performance evaluation of the system composed by direct upflow filtration in gravel followed by rapid downflow filtration in sand. The experimental investigation was accomplished in pilot installation, being varied the filtration rate in the upflow (60 to 240 m3/m2.d.) and downflow (100 to 240 m3/m2.d.) filters with and without execution of intermediate downflushes in the first one. The raw water was provided from a superficial source with pH between 6,5 to 7,5, turbidity values between 8,5 and 21 UT, visible colour between 19 and 50 uH and alkalinity between 6,7 and 10 mg CaC03/L. ln addition, the behavior of the installation was verified, for a simulate condition of turbidity peak occurrence of 380 uT, with short duration. From the obtained results it was possible to accomplish considerations concerning the detachment occurrence/continuous flowing of flakes in the upflow filter and to verify the influences of the execution of intermediate downflushes, with production of better quality effluents and longer filter runs. The upflow filter with filtration rate of 120 m3/m2.d. was able to attenuate the turbidity peak of 380 uT, producing prefiltered effluent with turbidity values between 0,3 and 5,7 uT, and the downflow filter, with filtration rate of 180 m3/m2.d. produced final effluent with consistently values lower than 1 uT and in most of time lower than 0,1 uT.

Slow sand filtration is a proven and sustainable technology for drinking water treatment in small communities. The process, however, is sensitive to lower water temperatures that can lead to decreased biological treatment, and high raw water turbidity levels that can lead to premature clogging of the filter and frequent cleaning requirements, resulting in increased risk of pathogen breakthrough. Multistage filtration, consisting of roughing filtration followed by slow sand filtration, can overcome these treatment limitations and provide a robust treatment alternative for surface water sources of variable water quality in northern climates, which typically experience water temperatures ranging down to 2&deg;C. Prior to this study, however, multistage filtration had yet to be systematically challenged in colder climates, including testing of its performance under increased hydraulic loadings and elevated influent turbidity together with cold water conditions. The primary goal of this research was to demonstrate the reliability of multistage filtration for small communities in northern climates with reference to the Ontario Safe Drinking Water Act. In this research, testing was conducted on two different pilot multistage filtration systems and fed with water from the Grand River, a municipally and agriculturally impacted river in Southern Ontario. One system featured pre-ozonation and post-granular activated carbon (GAC) stages, and shallower bed depths in the roughing filter and slow sand filter. The other system featured deeper bed depths in the roughing filter and slow sand filter, two parallel roughing filters of different design for comparison, and a second stage of slow sand filtration for increased robustness. Removal of turbidity, total coliforms, and fecal coliforms under a range of influent turbidities (1 to >100 NTU), water temperatures (~2 to 20&deg;C), and hydraulic loading rates (0. 2 to 0. 8 m/h) were investigated. In addition, the slow sand filters in each pilot system were challenged with high concentrations (~10⁶ oocyst/L) of inactivated <i>Cryptosporidium parvum</i> oocysts. The performance of both pilot multistage filtration systems was highly dependent on the biological maturity of the system and its hydraulic loading rate. In a less mature system operating in cold water conditions (<5&deg;C), effluent turbidity was mostly below 0. 5 NTU during periods of stable influent turbidity (no runoff events) and a hydraulic loading of 0. 4 m/h, however, runoff events of high influent turbidity (>50 NTU), increased hydraulic loadings (0. 6 m/h), and filter cleaning occasionally resulted in effluent turbidity above 1 NTU. Furthermore, in a less mature system operating during runoff events of high turbidity, reducing the hydraulic loading rate to 0. 2 m/h was important for achieving effluent turbidity below 1 NTU. However, in a more mature system operating in warm water conditions (19-22&deg;C), effluent turbidity was consistently below 0. 3 NTU at a hydraulic loading rate of 0. 4 m/h, and below 0. 5 NTU at 0. 8 m/h, despite numerous events of high influent turbidity (>25 NTU). It remains to be seen whether this performance could be sustained in colder water temperatures with a fully mature filter. Removal of coliform bacteria was occasionally incomplete in a less mature multistage system, whereas, in a more mature system operating in warm water conditions (>9&deg;C), removal was complete in all measurements. Furthermore, the average removal of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> was greater than 2. 5 logs in both systems (with hydraulic loading rates ranging from 0. 4 to 0. 8 m/h) and improved with increased filter maturity. Each individual stage of the multistage system was an important treatment barrier in the overall process of turbidity and pathogen removal. The roughing filter was not only important for protecting the slow sand filter from solids loading and increasing its run length, but was also a significant contributor to coliform removal when the system was less mature. Removal of turbidity was significantly improved when the roughing filter was more mature, suggesting that biological treatment was an important treatment mechanism in the roughing filter. Although pre-ozonation was used mainly for the removal of organic carbon and colour, it achieved complete removal of coliform bacteria and was also suspected to be important for enhanced removal of turbidity. The second slow sand filter in series provided additional robustness to the process by reducing effluent turbidity to below 1 NTU during cold water runoff events of high turbidity and increased hydraulic loadings (0. 6 m/h), while achieving effluent below 0. 3 NTU during normal periods of operation. It also provided additional removals of coliforms under challenging operating conditions, and contributed an additional average removal of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> of 0. 8 logs, which resulted in cumulative removal of 3. 7 logs, approximately 1 log greater than all the other challenge tests. Collectively, the entire multistage system performed well with water temperatures ranging down to 2&deg;C, limited filter maturity, elevated raw water turbidities, and increased hydraulic loading rates. Its ability to meet the current Ontario turbidity regulations and greater than 2 log removal of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> over a range of operating conditions, with little or no process adjustment, is a testament to the robustness and minimal maintenance requirements of the process, which are desirable attributes for small water systems that are often located in rural areas. While this research demonstrated the performance of multistage filtration using pilot scale testing, it is important to note that full-scale plants tend to produce significantly better results than pilot facilities, due to long term biological maturation of the system. Overall, multistage filtration is a sustainable and cost-effective technology that, through this research, appears to be a safe, reliable, and robust treatment alternative for small and non-municipal water systems in North America and the developing world. Further, based on its performance with challenging influent water quality and cold water conditions, multistage filtration holds particular promise for small communities in northern climates that are required to meet safe drinking water regulations, but are dependent on surface water sources of variable water quality and temperatures.