Investigation of filtration capacity of surface wastewater filters by mathematical modelling

Abstract

As the urbanisation level increases, due to intensification of car traffic and increased areas of impermeable surfaces, pollution of surface wastewater and a negative impact on water bodies are increasing. Due to the increasing pollution of surface water bodies, the eutrophication process is taking place intensively. One of the technologies of surface wastewater treatment allowing reduction in the amounts of suspended solids (SS), heavy metals and other pollutants is surface wastewater filters. Filters with different fillers have been designed for the treatment of principal surface wastewater pollutants: suspended solids, heavy metals (zinc, cadmium, copper, lead), BOD5, total carbon and nitrogen. The Kriging method was adapted to test the efficiency of filters filled with construction waste and wood waste-derived biochar using distance matrices. The method developed makes it possible to model the characteristics of filters in relation to different fillers, using experimental results. The mathematical model is suitable for other filtrate characteristics, not only the ratio of fillers, but also the length of the filter life, its durability calculations, which allows optimizing filter cleaning efficiency up to 96.93 %.