Green Sand

Manganese greensand is a purple-black filter media used for removal soluble iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide from well water supplies. It also has the capacity of removing radium and arsenic. It is processed from the mineral glauconite that is zeolite. Using iron exchange properties of this natural zeolite, a manganese dioxide coating is deposited on the surface of the glauconite grains. The manganese dioxide acts as a catalyst in the oxidation reduction reaction of iron and manganese. The media can be used in two methods of operations: continuous regeneration (CR) and intermittent regeneration (IR).

Physical properties:

  • Color: black
  • Bulk Density: 85 lbs./cu. ft.
  • Specific Gravity: 2.4
  • Effective Size: .30 - .35 mm
  • Uniformity Coefficienty: 1.6
  • Mesh Size: 16 - 60
  • Hardness: 6 - 7 (Mohs scale)

Advantages:

  • Iron reduction over wide pH range
  • Effective reduction of hydrogen sulfide in addition to iron and/or manganese
  • No harmful effects from a chlorine feed
  • Low attrition for long bed life

Operational Specifications:

  • Water pH range: 6.2- 8.5
  • Bed depth: 30 in.
  • Freeboard: 50% of bed depth (min.)
  • Service flow rate: 3 - 5 gpm/sq. ft.
  • Backwash flow rate: 10 - 12 gpm/sq. ft.
  • Backwash expansion rate: 40% of bed depth