DETERMINATION OF THE BEST FLOW DIRECTION IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT FOR VEHICLE WASH FACILITIES USING ACTIVATED CARBON FILTERS
Hary Pradiko (a*), Lili Mulyatna (a), Evi Afiatun (a), Ariq Faizal Heraudi (a)

a) Department Environmental Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Pasundan University
Jalan Setiabudhi 193, Bandung 40153, Indonesia
*harypradiko[at]unpas.ac.id

Abstract

Vehicle washing service is a comercial activities used detergent as supporting material to clean vehicles. The vehicle washing waste decrease the ground water and surface water quality. Water savings are needed trough recycling and fixing water quality. This study aims to determine the best flow direction in reducing the turbidity, surfactant, and COD concentration contained in the wastewater using an activated carbon filter with the filter diameter 10 cm, the activated carbon height 90 cm and the activated carbon grain in size >2 mm. The variation used in these research are: flow direction (bottom to top, top to bottom in submerged condition, and top to bottom without submerged condition); initial surfactant concentrations; and flow rate. The results showed that the best turbidity removal occur in the up to down direction in all discharge and concentrations variations which succeeded in removing turbidity 100%. The best surfactant removal occur in the bottom to top direction with a discharge 0.0088 L/s which removed the surfactant 99.92%. The best COD removal occur in the top to down direction with submerged condition in discharge 0.0147 L/s which removed COD 67.45%. Each flow direction has difference mecanism and process to removal parameters.

Keywords: flow direction; filter; activated carbon; vehicle wash water; parameters removal

Topic: Environmental Engineering