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A Simplified Transfer Function for Estimating Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Porous Drainage Filters

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Abstract

Knowledge of the saturated hydraulic conductivity (K sat) of porous filters used in water treatment technologies is important for optimizing the retention of nutrients and pollutants. This parameter determines the hydraulic capacity, which together with the chemical properties of the filter media, affects the treatment performance of the filter system. However, measuring K sat is time consuming and expensive. This study developed a novel transfer function to predict K sat of coarse porous media from easily measured parameters. The hydro-physical parameters determined were K sat, grain size distribution, bulk density, uniformity coefficient, particle density, and porosity of 46 porous media fractions. The fractions ranged in grain size from 0.5 to 20 mm and were obtained from seven commercial available coarse filter materials. A backward stepwise regression analysis was performed between K sat and 10 variables obtained from the grain size distribution and bulk density. The optimal model for predicting K sat contained two parameters, D20 and D50, which describe respectively the particle diameters, where 20 and 50 % of all particles are finer by weight. The predicted K sat values were in good agreement with the measured values (R 2 = 0.91). The transfer function can find potential usage in relation to dimensioning of permeable agricultural drainage filters or subsurface-flow constructed wetlands. The predicted values of K sat can also be used as input to numerical models that simulate filter treatment performance.

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Abbreviations

D x :

Grain size diameter, where x % of all particles are finer by weight

U C :

Coefficient of uniformity, U C = D60/D10

K sat :

Saturated hydraulic conductivity

A :

Cross-sectional area

q :

Darcy Flux

Q :

Water discharge

L :

Length of the column filter

ΔH:

Hydraulic head

n :

Number of replicates

N :

Number of data (fractions)

ρ b :

Dry bulk density

ρ s :

Particle (solid) density

θ tot :

Total porosity

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Acknowledgments

The project was funded by the Danish Strategic Research Council, grant no. 09–067280 (SupremeTech, www.supremetech.dk). We would like to acknowledge the following people from the Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University: Michael Koppelgaard for the valuable contribution on designing and constructing the K sat equipment, and Per Drøscher and Morten Skov for their technical support on the equipment construction. Thank you also to Feto E. Berisso for fruitful suggestions during data elaboration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, P.O. Box 50, 8830, Tjele, Denmark

    Eriona Canga, Bo Vangsø Iversen & Charlotte Kjaergaard

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  1. Eriona Canga
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  2. Bo Vangsø Iversen
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  3. Charlotte Kjaergaard
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Correspondence to Eriona Canga.

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Canga, E., Iversen, B.V. & Kjaergaard, C. A Simplified Transfer Function for Estimating Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Porous Drainage Filters. Water Air Soil Pollut 225, 1794 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-013-1794-8

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