Comparative Evaluation of Coconut Shell and Rice Husk as Capping Material in Rapid Sand Filters

Rapid sand filters are widely used for water treatment, and the capping material plays a crucial role in their efficiency. This study investigates the effectiveness of coconut shell and rice husk as capping materials in rapid sand filters. The experiment was conducted using identical filters capped with either coconut shell or rice husk, and their performance was evaluated based on turbidity removal, flow rate, and head loss. The results showed that coconut shell outperformed rice husk in turbidity removal (95.6% vs 88.2%) and flow rate (12.5% higher). However, rice husk exhibited lower head loss (23.1% lower). The study concludes that coconut shell is a more efficient capping material than rice husk in rapid sand filters, but rice husk can be a viable alternative considering its lower head loss and environmental benefits. The findings of this research can inform the selection of optimal capping materials for rapid sand filters in water treatment applications.