Pressure Sand Filter

Pressure sand filter consists of a pressure vessel-this could be either vertical or horizontal-fitted with a set of frontal pipe work and valves, graded silica quartz sand supported by layers of graded under bed consisting of pebbles and gravels, a top distributor to distribute the incoming water uniformly throughout the cross section of the filter, and an under drain system to collect filtered water.

Raw water flows down wards through the filter bed and as the suspended matter- which has usually been treated by addition of a coagulant like alum- is retained on the sand surface and between the sand grains immediately below the surface. There is steady rise in the loss of head as the filter process continues and the flow reduces once the pressure drop across the filter is excessive.