How are glass beads used in sewage filtration?

The application of glass beads in sewage filtration is mainly based on their unique physical and chemical properties, such as high roundness, chemical stability, wear resistance, and controllable particle size distribution. The following are the specific application methods and technical advantages of glass beads in sewage filtration:

1. As a filter medium
Multi-layer filtration system: Glass beads can be combined with other media (such as quartz sand) to form a graded filter layer. Glass beads of different particle sizes are filled in layers to optimize pore distribution and improve pollution interception capacity.

Advantages:

High roundness and smooth surface: reduce dirt adhesion, reduce backwashing frequency and water consumption7.

Wear resistance: can maintain filtration performance after long-term use and have a long life.

Chemical inertness: does not release harmful substances and avoids secondary pollution.

2. Special modified glass beads
Specialized glass beads for water purification: some products are doped with carbon black or charcoal powder to enhance adsorption capacity, filter suspended matter and inhibit bacterial growth4.

Photocatalytic glass beads: Some studies have degraded organic pollutants under ultraviolet light by coating the surface with photocatalytic materials (such as TiO₂).

3. Practical application cases
Wastewater treatment plants: Using hollow glass microbead biofilm reactors, the treatment efficiency is 20% higher than that of traditional activated sludge methods.

Industrial wastewater pretreatment: Glass bead filtration systems are used to remove grease and suspended solids, such as food processing wastewater.

Rainwater filtration: Glass bead filter beds are used to purify urban rainwater runoff and reduce particulate matter and heavy metals.

4. Future development direction
Intelligent filtration system: Combine sensors to monitor the blockage status of glass bead filter beds in real time and optimize the backwash cycle.

Nano-modification: Develop nano-coated glass beads to improve the adsorption capacity of trace pollutants (such as heavy metals and drug residues).

The wide application of glass beads in sewage filtration is due to their customizable physical properties and environmental advantages. In the future, with the advancement of materials science, their performance and application scenarios will be further expanded.