Water denitrification by displacement biofiltration

Abstract

This work was aimed creating a simple and reliable submersed biofilter for the decentralized treatment of nitrate-contaminated water. Denitrification of water was studied by the method of displacement (piston) bio-filtration in specially designed devices intended for home application. At certain sizes of grains of bio-filtration bed and filtration flow directions in it, the change in operating mode of denitrifying biofilter from direct flow to displacement mode offers the following advantages. There is no need to maintain a continuous and slow flow of water through the biofilter. The consumers have the opportunity to feed big portions of water into the bio-filter in one gulp (pulse) and nevertheless get the same quantity of denitrified water. The design of created biofilters is simple. Assembling these bio-filters implies the use of materials with a minimum carbon footprint.