Method and apparatus for cleaning filter material in a filter apparatus

A filter apparatus for filtering suspended solids from liquid influent, the filter apparatus comprising:

• a tank including an influent chamber having an inlet and the tank having an outlet for effluent;
• a filter frame positioned inside the tank between the influent chamber and the outlet;
• filter material supported by the filter frame, the filter material having an influent surface and an effluent surface, wherein the influent surface faces the influent chamber, such that liquid influent can be passed through the filter material from the influent chamber to the outlet;
• means for chemically washing a first portion of the filter material, the chemical washing means including a holding container for holding a chemical cleaning solution and means for directing a stream of the chemical cleaning solution to the first portion of the filter material;
• and
• a suction generating device positioned adjacent a second portion of the filter material for removing, from the filter material, substantially all runoff of the chemical cleaning solution directed to the first portion, the second portion being adjacent the first portion.

A filter apparatus for filtering suspended solids from liquid influent, the apparatus comprising:

• a tank including an influent chamber having an inlet and an outlet for effluent;
• a filter frame positioned inside the tank between the influent chamber and the outlet;
• filter material supported by the filter frame, the filter material having an influent surface and an effluent surface, wherein the influent surface faces the influent chamber, such that liquid influent can be passed through the filter material from the influent chamber to the outlet;
• a suction generating device positioned adjacent a first portion of the filter material, the first portion being on the influent surface;
• and
• means for directing a liquid stream of a chemical cleaning solution to a second portion of the filter material to separate filtered solids from the filter material, wherein the second portion is adjacent the first portion such that separated filtered solids and runoff of spent chemical cleaning solution are removable from the filter material by the suction generating device, and wherein the second portion is above a liquid level of the tank.