THE EFFECT OF CONCENTRATION ON THE EARLY STAGES OF DEEP BED FILTRATION OF SUBMICRON PARTICLES

The removal of mono-dispersed suspensions of 0.46 mu m and 0.816 mu m particles in the early stages of deep bed filtration was found be high er at a certain range of influent mass concentration. For both equal n umber concentrations and equal surface area concentrations of mono-dis persed suspensions of 0.46 mu m and 0.816 mu m particles, the removal of particles of 0.816 mu m size was higher during the early stages of filtration than 0.460 mu m particles, at lower concentrations. Specifi c surface coverage was higher for 0.816 mu m particles compared to 0.4 60 mu m particles, for influents of these mono-dispersed particles hav ing same number concentrations. However, it was similar for influents of these mono-dispersed particle suspensions, having equal surface are a concentration. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.