Name: Water Iron Filter
Cost: approximately $ 9,000 CAD
Available at: Manufacturer’s website and hardware stores
Intended use
Water Iron filters are used to treat drinking water by removing iron and a number of other contaminants, such as manganese, sediments, and hydrogen sulfide gas. If combined levels of iron and manganese in water exceed 10 mg/L, the most effective treatment involves oxidation followed by filtration. In this process, an oxidant agent, such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide, potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, or ozone, is used to convert any dissolved iron and manganese into solid oxidized forms that can then be easily filtered from the water. The oxidation process changes the iron from its Ferrous (Iron+2) state (soluble) to a ferric (Iron+3) colloidal particle, which then can be filtered out.
The following diagram illustrates the oxidation followed by a filtration process. During this process, water goes through a coarse sediment filter to remove any coarse particles. Then water pH is monitored to inject the required amount of an oxidizing agent (such as chlorine) into the water system. The water must then sit in the mixing/contact tank to be mixed thoroughly with chlorine. In this step, iron is oxidized into colloidal particles that can be removed by the backwashing (self-cleaning) iron filter in the next step. Notice that in this article, we are covering the filtration part by introducing a potential backwashing filter to remove iron particles from the water.
How does it work?
The water flows into the backwashing filter system through the valve and down into the filtration media. As water passes through the filter media, the contaminants, such as iron particles, are trapped within the media bed. Water is then forced into the center distributor tube and up through the valve, where filtered water flows into the plumbing system. When a backwash cycle is initiated, the valve will send water down the center distributor tube and up through the media bed. This lifts and washes the media of trapped contaminants, flushing the water out through the drain line.
Using the device
Notice that these systems must be installed on a pressurized water line to ensure even pressure. Place the unit where you want to install it on a level and firm base. The unit should be located near a convenient drain and approved electrical outlet. The system should be set up following the three main steps:
- Filter setup: Set the distributor tube in the tank and load each bag of media slowly into the tank. Once the media is loaded, the system will be heavy, so it should be located near the installation site before loading.
- Plumbing should be done by a certified plumber.
- Startup the system by plugging in the control valve. Program the valve and run a manual backwash by pressing the backwash button on the control valve. After backwashing, the system will be ready to use.
Mohammad was the PIP team Research Associate (2021-2024) with extensive experience in poultry nutrition. He wrote science articles for newsletters and worked on developing adaptations and recommendations to support the adoption of new managerial tools, products, services, and practices by the poultry industry.
Looking at his poultry industry perspective, Mohammad has been serving the poultry industry through his extensive experience in feed formulation as an animal nutritionist over the past ten years. He was also a university lecturer for 10 years. Mohammad was a member of the Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) at the U of A. Mohammad graduated with a Ph.D. degree in Animal Science from the University of Alberta with a Postdoctoral fellowship before moving to his Research Associate position with the PIP team. Serving the poultry industry as an animal nutritionist for more than a decade, Mohammad loves teaching and worked as a university lecturer in Iran and a teaching assistant at the U of A. Mohammad was inspired by Dr. Frank Robinson, practicing the inquiry-based learning method when working as a TA in his “Principles of Animal Agriculture” class. “I have a strong passion on poultry nutrition and have always loved to help poultry producers with optimizing the poultry systems. The challenging part of working with live animals is that you need to be on call even as a nutritionist. However, the joy of seeing healthy animals and help with their welfare overcome the challenging part.”
