1 AIT Asian Institute of Technology

Application of coarse-media slow sand filtration and rapid sand filtration in aquaculture

AuthorCasiano, Visitacion Legaspi
Call NumberAIT Thesis no. EV- 88-28
Subject(s)Water--Purification--Filtration

NoteA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Environment, Resources and Development
PublisherAsian Institute of Technology
AbstractLaboratory experiments were carried out with pilot-scale experimental units of coarse-media slow sand filter and rapid sand filter. Coarse-media slow sand filter was operated with a 0.56 m diameter and 2. 7 m high filter column, filter media size of 1 - 2 mm and media depth of 1.0 mat filtration rates of 0.5 and 0.2 m 3/m2 h . Experiments on rapid sand filtration were carried out with two different sizes of filter column. Tests using the 10 cm diameter and 1. 9 m high filter column were conducted with media size of 1.0 mm and media depth of 1.0 m at filtration rates of 7 . 5 and 5 .0 m 3/m2h. Another experimental run was carried out with 0.56 m diameter and 2.1 m filter column with filter media size of 1 - 2 mm and media depth of 1.0 m at filtration rate of 1 . 0 m 3/m2 h. One circular concrete fish tank with 1.16 m diameter was used for each experimental unit. A 1.5m x 1.0m x 1.0m existing biological filter was operated with 0.45 m filter media depth which consists of t he following sizes of crushed stones: 15 cm depth of 2 cm diameter, 20 cm depth of 0.95 cm diameter and 20 cm depth of 0.51 cm diameter. A filtration rate of 1.92 m 3 ;m 2h was implemented. Eight concrete fish tanks were used with the existing biological filter. Different parameters were measured in order to monitor the water quality as well as to be able to compare the performance of the filters. Experimental results showed that the coarse-media slow sand filter (CMSSF) has a comparatively higher removal efficiency than the existing biological filter (EBF). EBF has a mean removal efficiency of 20.6, 2.31, 61.7, 57.66 and 20.37% for turbidity, total phosphorus, ammonia, nitrite and chemical oxygen demand, respectively with 6.85% nitrate production. CMSSF at high filtration rate resulted to a removal of 55, 6.23, 81.18, 74.23 and 36.42% for turbidity, total phosphorus, ammonia, nitrite and chemical oxygen demand, respectively with 17.98% nitrate production. On the other hand, CMSSF was operated at lower filtration rat e which showed a mean difference of 52 .13 4.72, 92.54, 87.65 and 31.71%, respectively with a corresponding nitrate production of 41.68% at lower filtration rate . It was a lso evident that the coarse-media slow sand filter at 0.20 m 3 /m2 h filtration rate has slightly higher removal efficiency compared to its performance at 0.50 m 3/m2h filtration rate . Furthermore, dissolved oxygen has decreased by 34.7 an 48.79% (mean values) after 57 and 33 days of filtration run for CMSSF at high and low filtration rates , respectively. Dissolved oxygen of the filtered water from EBF has a mean increase of 9. 8% due to the constant flushing of the overflow from the header tank which was returned back to the c l ear water tank. A similar arrangement in CMSSF can overcome the problem of DO depletion, which is not favorable to fish. Rapid sand filtration carried out with a 10 cm diameter filter 3 2 column at filtration rates of 7 . 5 and 5 . 0 m /m h has only 12 and 9 hours 3 2 filtration run, respectively . Whereas, the filter operated at 1.0 m /m h has a filtration run of 6 . 75 days. Results showed that removal efficiency was higher at the lowest filtration rate implemented. Percentage weight gain of individual fish for all the systems were found to be increasing but it started to decline after 63 days in the case of EBF. Likewise, daily weight gain and specific growth rate of individual fish used for all systems was observed to be increasing except for EBF in which it started to decrease after 21 days of experimentation.
Year1988
TypeThesis
SchoolSchool of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD)
DepartmentOther Field of Studies (No Department)
Academic Program/FoSEnvironmental Engineering and Management (EV)
Chairperson(s)Vigneswaran, Saravanamuthu
Examination Committee(s)Samorn Muttamara ;Lin, Chang Kwei ;Kriengsak Udomsinrot ;Wee, Kok Leong
Scholarship Donor(s)German Academic Exchange Scholar (DAAD) Federal Republic of Germany ;
DegreeThesis (M. Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1988


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