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Parkson’s New DynaSand® Sand Filter Cuts Backwash Volume Up to 90%

09.04.2012    /    Press release

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Parkson Corporation has redesigned the DynaSand® sand filtration system to reduce backwash water volume by as much as 90%, according to the results of a real-world trial.

The new DynaSand® EcoWash™ builds on the success of Parkson’s popular filter for wastewater treatment applications, but innovates in one key area. Instead of operating on a continuous backwash schedule, the EcoWash™ minimizes energy use and reject flow by triggering the backwash cycle only for short periods of time.

“The changes we made to the original DynaSand® design are relatively small, but the advantages of the EcoWash™ are substantial,” said Marianna Novellino, Product Manager for ENR and Filtration at Parkson. “The EcoWash™ represents a huge value for any plant that is interested in upgrading their system for greater efficiency.”

The EcoWash™ control system activates the backwash cycle for media washing only when it is required, based on time or the headloss in the filter’s feed channel. When the filters are not backwashing, the level of turbidity drops because the filter is actually able to capture more solids in the existing bed when compared to continuous backwash operation. For operators, the new system requires significantly less attention, as the EcoWash™ system monitors conditions and cycles through stages automatically.

The full-scale testing took place at the City of Pompano Beach Reuse Water Utilities, a 7.5 MGD maximum capacity tertiary filtration plant in Pompano Beach, FL. The influent passes through a bar screen and a gate valve directs the flow to the DynaSand® filters. Influent turbidity ranges between 3 and 6 NTU and is drawn from the Broward County North Regional WWTP effluent discharge to the ocean. During the test, one DynaSand® filter cell was modified to include components of the EcoWash™ system, including a redesigned airlift, reject water reduction control valve, sand movement verification system, a headloss sensor and controls. The EcoWash™ modifications were simple and quick to install.

During an extended trial at the Pompano Beach Reuse Utilities Plant, Parkson performed a head-to-head test between an existing DynaSand® filter and the new EcoWash™ components. After several months of operation, the EcoWash™ filter showed a clear advantage, by reducing energy consumption and lowering the level of suspended solids in the effluent of the filter. Data for an eight-month period show that EcoWash™ reduced suspended solids by as much as 20%, and it drastically reduced headloss during no-backwash cycles.

For Pompano Beach, the upgrade to EcoWash™ translates into an estimated savings of more than $200,000 in annual operating costs. Another important benefit is that the EcoWash™ helped the reuse plant reduce the reject flow by 90%, and this flow reduction translates into more filtered water that can be sold for reuse. Added savings come from the reduced wear and tear on the air compressor system and water reprocessing equipment.