Methods for cleaning filtration system media

A method for carrying out a wash cycle in a filtration device comprising a filter bed of porous compressible filtration media units disposed within a housing, an upper perforated plate and a lower perforated plate at least one of which is movable, a first influent pipe, a first effluent pipe and a scouring fluid inlet pipe comprising a plurality of openings on a top portion of the scouring fluid inlet pipe and a plurality of scouring fluid nozzles in fluid communication with said plurality of openings on the scouring fluid inlet pipe, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. introducing a particle removal fluid from the first influent pipe into said housing until said filter bed is submerged;
• b. expanding said filter bed by moving one of said plates and establishing a transition zone beneath said upper plate;
• c. directing a scouring fluid from the scouring fluid nozzles into the particle removal fluid, wherein the scouring fluid nozzles comprise a restriction point to provide a jet force to the scouring fluid which propels individual compressible filtration units out of the particle removal fluid through said transition zone at least impacting said upper plate and releasing trapped contaminant particles from said compressible filtration media units;
• and
• d. removing the particle removal fluid along with released contaminant particles from the filtration device through the first effluent pipe, wherein the first effluent pipe is located below the upper plate or located above the upper plate such that the distance from a bottom portion of the upper plate to a bottom invert on the first effluent pipe is 15 inches or less.