Iron Removal Unit For Ferruginous Water

Pulmonary hypertension can be primary or secondary to a number of lung diseases. Primary pulmonary hypertension has no successful treatment and ultimately leads to mortality. Secondary pulmonary hypertension usually complicates a number of diseases that lead to alveolar hypoxia. The present medical management appears inadequate to meet the challenge of this common and frequently a fatal or uncontrolled problem.

Excess dissolved iron in potable water is hazardous for health. DRDO has designed and developed an improved Iron Removal Unit (IRU) to provide clean drinking water for household purposes. IRU is designed to filter 300 l water per hour and brings down the iron content of ferruginous water to WHO standard (< 0.3 ppm) from water having dissolved iron up to 40 mg/l. It is cylindrical in shape and made up of mild steel with four chambers and sludge/backwash outlet valves. An aeration system and double filtration bed have been provided in the unit for efficient functioning.

The various functions involved for removing of iron are: aeration/gas transfer, pH adjustment, oxidation of ferrous into ferric iron, sedimentation of iron precipitates, double filtration for precipitates, sludge removal from bottom chamber. IRU is easy to operate, maintain, and can cater to the need of small size population residing in remote areas where water works does not exist.

Salient Features

• Adequate aeration
• Removal of major portion of iron in the sedimentation chamber
• Filter bed cracking is prevented and clogging delayed
• Double filtration ensures better iron removal
• Proper backwashing