APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE HEIGHT OF WATER UPON FILTERS.
It will be seen by reference to the diagrams of the Berlin and Hamburg effluent regulators (Figs. 6 and 8) that their perfect operation is dependent upon the maintenance of a constant water-level upon the filters. The old-fashioned adjustment of the inlet-gate by the attendant is hardly accurate enough.
The first apparatus for accurately and automatically regulating the level of the water upon the filters was constructed at Leeuwarden, Holland, by the engineer, Mr. Halbertsma, who has since used a similar device at other places, and improved forms of which are now used at Berlin and at Hamburg.
At Berlin (Müggel) the water-level is regulated by a float upon the water in the filter which opens or shuts a balanced double valve on the inlet-pipe directly beneath, as shown in Fig. 10. It is not at all necessary that this valve should shut water-tight; it is only necessary that it should prevent the continuous inflow from becoming so great as to raise the water-level, and for this reason loose, easily-working joints are employed. The apparatus is placed in a little pit next to the side of the filter, and the overflowing water is prevented from washing the sand by paving the sand around it for a few feet.
Fig. 10.—Regulation of Inflow used at Müggel, Berlin.
At Hamburg the same result is obtained by putting the valve in a special chamber outside of the filter and connected with the float by a walking-beam (Fig. 11).
Fig. 11.—Regulation of Inflow used at Hamburg.
The various regulators require to be protected from cold and ice by special houses, except in the case of covered filters, where they can usually be arranged with advantage in the filter itself. In regard to the choice of the form of regulator for both the inlets and outlets of filters, so far as I have been able to ascertain, each of the modern forms described as in use performs its functions satisfactorily, and in special cases any of them could properly be selected which would in the local conditions be the simplest in construction and operation.