Mechanical and multimedia water filtration

A row of self-cleaning disc filters on a header, with a pressure gauge on each housing

Water treatment technologies

Mechanical and multimedia water filtration

Industrial systems that remove suspended solids, reduce turbidity and protect process equipment. We select the filter type, capacity and filtration fineness based on a water analysis and on what comes next in the system.

Get an engineering solution Order a water analysis
  • In-house laboratorywater analysis and testing
  • 1,760+ completed projectsZIKO experience since 1993
  • Up to 5-year warrantyon solutions and equipment, under the contract terms
  • Service across Ukrainetechnical support and field service crews

Technologies

Mechanical water filtration technologies

Four filter types trap impurities in different ways: on a screen, in a disc stack, in a media bed or in a cartridge. This drives filtration fineness and maintenance.

  • Screen filters

    A stainless steel screen traps sand, mill scale and coarse rust. Installed at the inlet. Backwashed manually or automatically.

  • Disc filters

    A stack of grooved polymer discs holds more dirt between backwashes than a screen. Installed at the inlet and ahead of membrane systems, usually with automatic backwash.

  • Multimedia filters

    A column with layers of hydroanthracite and quartz sand reduces turbidity and traps silt, clay and fine suspended solids — down to roughly 10 µm. Installed after the screen when there is a lot of suspended matter.

    Colloids and bacteria need ultrafiltration with 0.01–0.1 µm pores — on surface water we compare both options.

  • Cartridge filters

    A replaceable cartridge is the final polishing step right before the membranes. Replaced at least every 3 months.

Stages

From coarse to fine

A fine filter without a coarse one ahead of it clogs many times faster.

ZIKO working standard

130 µmat the inlet
20 µmahead of the resin
Cartridgeahead of the membranes

100 µm main-line filters go ahead of a branch to a separate line.

Stage selection

Which stages you need

1. Where does the water come from?
2. What comes next in the system?

Recommended set of stages

130 µm → 20 µm

  • 130 µm at the inlet — screen or disc filter with backwash
  • 20 µm — ahead of resin or filter media

Well: sand and iron oxidation products. If iron is high, iron removal goes ahead of the fine stages.

A starting point for the first conversation. An engineer confirms the filter type and micron rating from a water analysis.

Completed projects

Mechanical filtration in completed ZIKO systems

One stage or several depends on the water and on what comes next. Four sites with different schemes.

A bank of four disc filters on a header with a backwash controller — the first stage Pressure media filters: fiberglass vessels with control valves — the second stage

Paper production · 2 stages

Two-stage mechanical filtration

100 µmStage 1: disc filters trap the bulk of the impurities
Stage 2pressure media filters reduce suspended solids and the load on the next stages
laboratoryfilter media selected from tests in the ZIKO lab

Water for process needs, treated in sequence.

  • Disc filter assembly with a backwash controller, stainless steel piping and gate valves at a water utility station

    Municipal water utility · Volyn region

    Disc filtration — up to 50 m³/h

    • First stage of the water treatment station
    • Fineness and hydraulics calculated from a physicochemical analysis of the water
  • Pressure filter columns and piping with motorized valves inside a container

    Water utility · containerized unit

    Mechanical filtration down to 20 µm — 1,000–2,000 m³/day

    • Stage ahead of the main treatment system
    • Technology verified by tests on filter media

  • Hotel and resort complex · Zakarpattia region

    Disc filtration — 17 m³/h

    • Daily capacity — 180 m³
    • Pretreatment ahead of the main water treatment system

    Filtration fineness selected from a water analysis, for the complex’s capacity and operating conditions.

All four sites were turnkey: water analysis, design, supply, installation, commissioning, staff training, warranty and service.

Also: a water utility in the Lviv region, a poultry complex in Volyn, an energy facility, an educational institution — in each, mechanical filtration is the first stage of the system.

Filter clogging within a week?Send us your water analysis and the required capacity — a ZIKO engineer will select the stages and filter types.

Get an engineering solution

Operation and automation

Automating mechanical filtration

The automation backwashes the filters on its own and signals when something is wrong. We set it up for the site’s capacity and operating mode.

  • Performance monitoring

    We track pressure, filter condition and the pressure drop across the filters. When the pressure drop rises, the stage is already performing worse than the calendar suggests.

  • Automatic backwash

    We tune the backwash algorithm to the filter type and site conditions.

  • Integration with the plant control system

    We send parameters, status signals and alarms to the plant’s control room.

  • Technical support

    Commissioning, automation setup, warranty and post-warranty service.

Maintenance schedule

Cartridges
at least every 3 months
Screen and disc filters
backwashby pressure drop or on a schedule
Multimedia columns
backwashautomatic, by controller

What the site needs

Inlet pressure to the equipment
at least 3 bar
Pressure gauges
before and after the filterwithout them there is no way to assess the stage
Drain
for backwashed filters

Cost

What drives the cost

We price each site individually: by water analysis, capacity and treated water requirements.

What drives the figure

  • Raw water quality: how many suspended solids it carries and what kind
  • Capacity: m³/h, m³/day, consumption pattern, connection diameter
  • Process solution: filter type, number of stages, water quality requirements
  • Automation: manual or automatic backwash, parameter monitoring, integration with the plant control system
  • Operation: backwash water use, maintenance, filter element life
Skipping mechanical filtration costs more

Mechanical filtration is almost never bought on its own: it is the first stage of the system. So what matters is not the filter price, but the cost of replacing resin or membranes early without it.

Get a preliminary estimate

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about mechanical water filtration

Didn’t find your question? Ask an engineer using the form below.

A white safety helmet, goggles and an engineer’s notebook
How do I determine the right mechanical filtration fineness?

It depends on what comes next in the system: 130 µm at the inlet, 20 µm ahead of the softener, plus a cartridge ahead of the membranes. We set the exact parameters from a water analysis.

Which type of mechanical filter should a plant choose?

It depends on the contaminants, capacity and operating mode. Screen and disc filters go at the inlet, multimedia filters when there is a lot of suspended matter, cartridge filters ahead of the membranes.

What is a multimedia filter?

A column with several layers of filter media, for example hydroanthracite and quartz sand. It traps finer suspended solids than a screen and is cleaned by backwashing.

Is multi-stage mechanical filtration always needed?

No. Sometimes one stage is enough, sometimes several filters in series are needed. Examples of both schemes are among our projects above.

How is the performance of mechanical filters monitored?

By the pressure drop across the filter, the flow rate and the water quality. We install pressure gauges, sensors and backwash automation and, if needed, send the data to the plant control system.

How often should cartridges be replaced?

At least every 3 months. Sooner if the pressure drop on the gauges has risen.

Does ZIKO analyze the water before selecting equipment?

Yes. If there is no recent analysis, we do one in the ZIKO lab and, if needed, test the water on filter media.

Need a mechanical water filtration system for your plant?

Describe your water source, the required capacity and what comes next in the system. No analysis? We will do one in the ZIKO lab. Consultation and preliminary estimate are free.

Phone for consultation: +38 095 93 21 273

Water sample bottles for laboratory analysis

Where to go next

Water sources