FEASIBILITY STUDIES ON VERTICAL RADIAL FILTER FOR USE IN THE ARMY

Abstract

Success in operations of War and efficiency of peace time manouvres of the Army depends largely on the logistic support. Effective, safe and adequate water supply to troops is a major aspect of logistics. The current practice of water treatment and supply which involves some sedimentation, disinfection and distribution is inadequate and has some shortcomings. Very few attempts have been made in the past to overcome these and to develop an integrated water treatment plant suited to fulfil the peculiar requirements of the troops on the move. Evolution of Vertical Radial Filter - an extention ' of Multi Inlet - Multi Outlet filter - conceived by Tatwardhan is likely to provide 'an answer to this problem. In this disser-tation feasibility studies have been carried out for its use in field by the Army. The experimental work carried out in respect of head loss development, turbidity and bacterial removal have shown that for a flow rate of 4cc/cm2/min - a 24 hour run results in a headloss of 13.6 ems while the turbidity removal is from 50 JTTU (influent) to 0.4 JTU (out flow) . The bacterial removal is also excellent. These results are better than those for conventional Rapid Sand rilterg. The success achieved in the test runs of this very compact plant and the stipulation that no changes in the existing scales of equipment v transport and manpower in the Engineer unit are envisaged are likely to go a long way towards its introduction in the Army, Tt is also expected to be successfully applied for water treatment in small ' ' rural and urban communities.