GaryQWA
Silver Member
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2005
- Messages
- 110
- Location
- Wherever I park the motorhome
- Tractor
- So far only 3 OTR dual axel Peterbilts and one Freightliner. :)
Hi Chuck. Birm can be used with or without air injection, which I don't like because the oxidation takes place in the plumbing just past the injector which reduces water flow to the filter during backwash or regeneration. An air pump system usually does not use Birm, although it or multimedia (mixed) bed filters can be used. We use Centaur carbon if there is H2S.
To use Birm you have to have DO (dissolved oxygen) of at least 15% of the iron content. If you don't have it, then you add air, or for the cost of an injector and vent tank we can add it anyway.
There are many ways to treat iron and all of them oxidize it into ferric iron (rust particles) and then mechanically filter them out but... depending on the pH, a softener is best if the iron content is not more than 5 ppm and there is sufficient hardness in the water.
Greensand filters are expensive old technology and require a constant feed of chlorine or regeneration with potassium permanganate, an expensive serious poison. It requires about 10 gpm to backwash a fairly small amount of it. Not using PP in anything involving potable water should be a no brainer like no more using lead water pipe. Most water treatment dealers/companies don't use greensand today but there are those web sites or local dealers wanting to raise the price of the sale that still offer it.
Birm is lighter so it does not require the very high flow rates of greensand to backwash it. Thereby the filter can be much larger than say greensand or Pyrolox and the well system can successfully backwash it. Birm can not be used for H2S, but greensand and Pyrolox can be. So Birm with or without air injection or an air pump (oilless medical grade for potable water use compressor) is a much better choice, and you'll spend much less for the purchase and maintenance of a Birm filter. There are no disadvantages to the use of Birm as long as it, as everything else, is not misapplied. Another advantage is that it does not clump as greensand and Pyrolox can if not backwashed properly. If it does you must throw the tank away and start over.
Gary
Quality Water Associates
To use Birm you have to have DO (dissolved oxygen) of at least 15% of the iron content. If you don't have it, then you add air, or for the cost of an injector and vent tank we can add it anyway.
There are many ways to treat iron and all of them oxidize it into ferric iron (rust particles) and then mechanically filter them out but... depending on the pH, a softener is best if the iron content is not more than 5 ppm and there is sufficient hardness in the water.
Greensand filters are expensive old technology and require a constant feed of chlorine or regeneration with potassium permanganate, an expensive serious poison. It requires about 10 gpm to backwash a fairly small amount of it. Not using PP in anything involving potable water should be a no brainer like no more using lead water pipe. Most water treatment dealers/companies don't use greensand today but there are those web sites or local dealers wanting to raise the price of the sale that still offer it.
Birm is lighter so it does not require the very high flow rates of greensand to backwash it. Thereby the filter can be much larger than say greensand or Pyrolox and the well system can successfully backwash it. Birm can not be used for H2S, but greensand and Pyrolox can be. So Birm with or without air injection or an air pump (oilless medical grade for potable water use compressor) is a much better choice, and you'll spend much less for the purchase and maintenance of a Birm filter. There are no disadvantages to the use of Birm as long as it, as everything else, is not misapplied. Another advantage is that it does not clump as greensand and Pyrolox can if not backwashed properly. If it does you must throw the tank away and start over.
Gary
Quality Water Associates
