A precoat filter eliminates the problem of physically handling radioactive materials, because the filter material (called the medium) can be installed and removed remotely. Inside the filter housing is a bundle of septums (vertical tubes, on which the filter medium is deposited). The septums in some filters are approximately 1 inch in diameter and 3 feet long and are usually made of perforated or porous metal (normally stainless steel). There may be several hundred of these septums in a filter. Septums in other filters are approximately 3 inches in diameter and 3 feet long and are made of porous stone or porous ceramic material. There are usually less than 100 of these larger septums in a filter.
The filtering medium fibers may be finely divided diatomite, perlite, asbestos, or cellulose. Diatomite, the least expensive medium, is used to filter liquid waste that will be discharged from the plant. Cellulose is generally used for processing water that will be returned to a reactor, because diatomite can allow silica leaching. When a precoat filter is in use, water that enters the filter vessel passes through the filter medium that is deposited on the septums and then leaves through the outlet. Before the filter can be placed into operation, however, the filter medium must be installed; that is, the filter must be precoated.
The first step in precoating the filter is to close the inlet and outlet valves to the filter. The filter medium used is mixed with demineralized water in an external mixing tank to form a slurry, which is pumped through the filter. Some of the filter medium deposits on the septums and is held there by the pressure of water on the outside of the septums. At the beginning of the precoating process, some of the fibers of the filter medium pass through the septums, either because they are smaller than the openings or because they pass through lengthwise. Thus, there is still some filter medium in the water as it leaves the filter, so the slurry is recirculated again and again until the water is clear. Clear water indicates that all of the filter medium is deposited on the septums, and the filter is precoated.
One characteristic of the precoating process is that a very even layer of filter medium (approximately 1/8 inch thick) is deposited on the septums. This occurs because the circulating slurry follows the path of least resistance. When the coating at one point reaches a certain thickness, the slurry takes the fibers to another point, and this process continues until precoating is complete.
Because water pressure holds the filter in place, flow must be maintained through the recirculating loop to keep the medium from falling off. This is called a holding flow. As the inlet and outlet valves are opened for normal usage, called service flow, the holding flow is gradually cut off.
Backwashing Precoat Filters
After a filter has been precoated, it is put into service and kept on line until the pressure differential indicates that the filter medium is becoming plugged. When this occurs, the old filter medium is removed and the filter is precoated again. Filters are usually installed in pairs, so that one filter can remain in service while the other is undergoing the filter backwashing and precoating process.
Since water pressure helps to hold the filter medium against the septums, some of the old filter medium will fall off as soon as this pressure is removed. Backwashing is used to remove the filter medium that does not fall off. Backwashing is usually done in one of two ways. With some filters, demineralized water is pumped backwards through the center of the septums, and the filter medium coating is knocked off by the water as it comes out through the septums. Most filters use a multi-step backwashing procedure. First, the inlet valve and the outlet valve are closed, and the drain valve and the top vent are opened to allow the water to drain. Then the drain valve and the vent are closed, and the inlet water valve is opened to raise the water level. The filter is equipped with a special high-domed top to trap and compress air. When the water inlet valve is closed and the drain valve is opened quickly, the compressed air forces water down through the center of the septums. This water knocks the filter medium off of the septums.
With both types of backwashing, the filter medium coating that is removed is sluiced out through a drain line to a filter sludge tank, where it is stored for further processing. The filter is then precoated again and put back into service. With precoat filters, the type and quantity of filter medium is critical. If too little material or too coarse a material is used, some of the finely divided crud in the water may get into the openings of the septums. When the filter is backwashed, this crud is usually not removed. It continues to build up during subsequent use of the filter until the septums become so plugged that they have to be replaced.
If too much filter medium is used, the layer that builds up on the septums will bridge the area between the septums. When the filter is backwashed, these bridges are usually not removed. Therefore the bridging continues, and the filter runs become progressively shorter. eventually, the filter must be opened and the filter medium must be removed manually. Precoat filters are much more complicated than cartridge filters, and the equipment required is much more expensive to install and maintain. The major advantage of precoat filters is the remote operation, which eliminates the physical handling of highly radioactive filter cartridges.
