Water treatment process and apparatus and device for the distribution of water to be treated into and for the recovery from washing liquid from a water treatment filter apparatus

A device for the distribution of water to be treated into and for the recovery of washing liquid from a water treatment filter apparatus of the type including a tank containing therein a filter material through which the water to be treated passes downwardly, with the filter material periodically being subjected to a washing operation to remove from the filter material clogging material retained therein during the water treatment by first passing washing liquid and gas upwardly through the filter material to loosen therefrom the clogging material and by then passing washing liquid only as a rinsing liquid upwardly through the filter material, said device comprising:

• a channel adapted to be coupled to and extend along the length of the tank, said channel receiving therein water to be treated;
• said channel having an opening adapted to open into the interior of the tank at a level above the filter material, said opening being defined at the lower portion thereof by an overflow over which said water to be treated is adapted to pass from said channel to the tank, said overflow including a first inclined plane inclined downwardly and away from said channel in a direction adapted to be toward the tank and a second inclined plane inclined downwardly and toward said channel from said first inclined plane, said inclined planes adapted to extend into the tank to form deflector and guide means for preventing any of the filter material from passing through said opening from the tank during the washing operation of the filter material of the tank, and said opening forming means for allowing washing liquid and loosened clogging material to overflow from the tank into said channel;
• and
• means closing the upper end of said channel for aiding in maintaining said channel under hydrostatic pressure during the passing of the washing liquid and gas upwardly through the filter material.

A water treatment process comprising:

• providing a water treatment filter apparatus including a tank containing therein filter material, a channel coupled to and extending along the length of said tank, said channel having an opening into said tank at a level above said filter material, said opening being defined at the lower portion thereof by an overflow including a first inclined plane inclined downwardly and inwardly into said tank and a second inclined plane inclined downwardly and outwardly of said tank from said first inclined plane, and the upper end of said channel being closed;
• conducting a water treatment operation comprising:
• introducing water to be treated into said channel;
• distributing said water to be treated to said tank by passing said water to be treated through said opening and over said overflow into said tank;
• passing said water to be treated downwardly through said filter material, said filter material filtering out matter from said water to be treated and retaining said matter as clogging material, thereby forming treated water;
• and
• removing said treated water from said tank at a location below said filter material;
• and
• periodically terminating said water treatment operation and conducting a washing operation to remove said clogging material from said filter material, said washing operation comprising:
• passing washing liquid and gas upwardly through said filter material to loosen therefrom said clogging material, while maintaining said channel under hydrostatic pressure, a portion of said filter material being entrained by and lifted upwardly within said tank by said washing liquid and gas, contacting said entrained and lifted filter material adjacent said channel against said second inclined plane and thereby deflecting said filter material away from said opening, and allowing said entrained and lifted filter material to settle, while contacting said settling filter material adjacent said channel against said first inclined plane and thereby deflecting and guiding said settling filter material away from said opening;
• thereafter passing washing liquid only as a rinsing liquid upwardly through said filter material, thereby removing said loosened clogging material from said filter material;
• passing said rinsing liquid and said clogging material through said opening into said channel;
• and
• discharging said rinsing liquid and said clogging material from said channel.