Application of a novel backwashing process in upflow biological aerated filter

To improve the efficiency of backwashing in upflow biological aerated filter (BAF), a novel backwashing process named air-water siphon backwashing (AWSB) was proposed and applied on laboratory scale. The effects of backwashing on turbidity and suspended solid (SS) in backwashing efluent using this new backwashing process were compared with those of traditional backwashing process, namely air-water backwashing (AWB). In AWB, the turbidity of backwashing efluent maintained 100 NUT when consumed 60 min and 10.5 L water. However, in AWSB, it declined to 44 NUT, consumed 40 min, and 7 L water. The COD removal of BAF after backwashing was also analyzed. The average removal rate of COD in the reactor backwashed by AWB and AWSB was 89.34% and 90.91%, respectively. Compared with AWB, the backwashing interval had been prolonged 35%. The volume of backwashing water in that AWSB was only 66.7% of that in AWB. The results demonstrated that AWSB required less water and took shorter backwashing time relative to AWB to achieve the same turbidity of backwashing efluent, and AWSB was more effective in removing fouling than that of AWB. More significant advantage of AWSB was that the backwashing interval was effectively prolonged.