Local Backwashing Filter Media Enclosure for Water Intake Pretreatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water treatment systems face issues with environmental damage from open intakes and clogging, inefficiencies in infiltration intakes, and high water usage and structural challenges in backwashing processes, particularly in pretreatment units.
Innovation Solution
A local backwashing apparatus using a pneumatic system and enclosure to selectively backwash filter media, allowing for continuous operation and reduced water usage, with a mechanical member for forced insertion and air pressure control to manage the backwashing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If global backwashing is used to clean filter media, then the filter media is cleaned effectively, but huge amounts of wastewater are produced and the filter operation is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the filter media into multiple sectors (e.g., 4 sectors) and implements backwashing locally in each sector separately using movable enclosures, rather than backwashing the entire filter media globally. This segmentation allows backwashing to be performed on small portions at a time, dramatically reducing water consumption while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs backwashing actions preliminarily and locally before the entire filter media becomes completely clogged, by sequentially moving enclosures to different sectors. This allows continuous operation while maintaining filter media performance, avoiding the need for complete system shutdown and large-volume global backwashing.
2Reliability
If global backwashing is used to clean filter media, then the filter media is cleaned effectively, but the filter operation is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the filter media into multiple sectors and backwashing them sequentially with movable enclosures, the system maintains continuous operation. While one sector is being backwashed, other sectors continue to filter water, eliminating production interruptions while still achieving effective cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous filtration operation by performing backwashing in a sequential manner across different sectors rather than stopping the entire system. The useful action of water filtration continues uninterrupted in non-backwashed sectors, maintaining productivity while still cleaning the filter media.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If infiltration intakes are used to protect marine environment, then aquatic organisms are protected from damage, but the systems clog over time and are difficult or impossible to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs movable enclosures that can be dynamically positioned and relocated to different sectors of the filter media. This dynamic capability allows the system to access and clean different areas sequentially, making previously inaccessible or difficult-to-clean regions reachable, thereby improving overall cleanability while maintaining environmental protection.
Solution Approach 2:
By dividing the filter media into accessible sectors and using movable enclosures to clean each sector individually, the system overcomes the limitation of being unable to clean infiltration intakes. Each sector can be isolated and cleaned separately, making the entire filter media accessible and maintainable while preserving the gentle filtration that protects marine life.
4Productivity
If larger filter sizes are used to increase throughput, then more water can be treated, but higher water heads are required which create severe constructional implications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the filter media into multiple smaller sectors that can be backwashed independently. This segmentation allows larger filter areas to be implemented without proportionally increasing the water head required, as each small sector can be cleaned locally with minimal water pressure requirements, reducing constructional complexity while maintaining high overall throughput.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies the design and operation of water treatment systems, reduces environmental impact, and enables larger filter sizes with lower water heads, maintaining efficiency and preventing clogging while minimizing damage to aquatic organisms.
Implementation Method 1
by sinking the enclosure into the filter media until the enclosure is supported on the drainage layer by reducing the air pressure in the upper part of the enclosure through the pneumatic system
Implementation Method 2
raising the enclosure above the surface of the filter media to release the backwashed volume of filter media, by injecting air and increasing the air pressure in the upper part of the enclosure through the pneumatic system to float the enclosure above the filter media
Implementation Method 3
by generating suction through the pneumatic system that initiates a water flow from the upper part of the enclosure through the pipe system to the discharge structure, wherein the water flow introduces into the lower end of the enclosed partial volume of filter media filtered water from the drainage layer which expands the enclosed filter media and releases sludge therefrom
Implementation Method 4
a layer of filter media supported by a drainage layer. Water is introduced above the filter media, and is pretreated by flowing through the filter media which removes floating and dissolved material therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
Locally backwashing portions of filter media allows a simple and effective design of intake and pretreatment units, as well as their integration. An enclosure is used to limit portions of filter media and backwash them locally by suction, utilizing filtered water from adjacent filter media as the back wash water. Wastewater is produced at small amounts that allows efficient sludge treatment. This design enables water pretreatment at the intake unit, simplifying overall plant design and preventing damage to organisms living outside the intake unit.