Earthlite™ Filter Media
Earthlite™ filter media will solve stormwater problems naturally. Reducing harmful runoff during events where large amounts of water from rooftops or impervious surfaces inundate the stormwater system. Earthlite™ will filter the water, and release it back to stormwater systems or to groundwater storage naturally, without chemicals, high maintenance or major facility upgrades. Expanded ceramic media makes up Earthlite™ Lightweight pourus aggreate, giving the stormwater engineer or landscape architect the design flexibility to provide both onsite water treatment and preserve or create an aesthetically pleasing landscape.
Earthlite™ filter media consists of expanded shale, clay or slate and lightweight , highly pours aggregates, designed for superior scrubbing and filteration of polluntants. Firing at 2000° in a rotary kiln, we produce a consistent and predictable high quality ceramic aggregate that is structurally strong, physically stable, durable, environmentally inert, light in weight and highly insulative. It is a non-toxic, absorptive aggregate that is dimensionally stable and will not degrade over time. As a filter medium, Earthlite™ is very durable, and coupled with its porous structure and increased surface area it provides a superior way to filter many different polluntants.
Earthlite™ used in stormwater filteration swales (RainClear™) are an integral part of storm water management systems, that are becoming the chosen BMP to bring stormwater into compliance with the Clean Water Act and help clients meet the enhanced benchmarks of NPDES. Earthlite™ filter media provides bioremediation of collected runoff and promotes increased infiltration of filtered water into the subsoil.
Earthlite™ in combination with a fracturaed aggreate is used in embankment strips along surface streets and highways to provide excellent filtering of stormwater from impervious surface runoff.
Earthlite™ filter media used as underground fill is layered aggregate fill material beneath permeable paved surfaces. This material increases underground water storage while removing pollutants allowing water to percolate into the subgrade. With the increasing numbers of paved urban surfaces (parking lots, walkways, streets, etc.) the problem of storm water management has been growing rapidly. Trends twards using permeable surfaces to reduce storm water sheet flow is changing from traditional development methods to a Low Impact Development (LID). LID will reduce streambank erosion, lower water temperatures of discharge flows into streams, and increase dissolved oxygen, all while improving habitat for fish and micro-organisms.
Advantages of Using Earthlite™ as a Filter Medium
Earthlite™ Physical Properties
• Consistent, dependable
• Physically and chemically inert
• Greater surface area
• Hydraulic conductivity allows fast, free drainage
• Ceramic properties reduce material degradation
• High angle of internal friction provides stability and strength
• Reduced weight lowers freight and handling costs
Earthlite™ Performance Properties
• Predictable performance
• Removes or reduces phosphorus, arsenic, metals, grease, oils and more
• Combines nutrient removal and effluent filtration for cleaner discharge
• Employs ion exchange to enhance treatment process
Earthlite™ Effectively Removes
Turbidity (TSS)
Chemicals (Phosphorus, Nitrogen, Etc)
Heavy Metals (Zinc, Copper, Lead)
Oil & Gas (Petrochemicals)
Earthlite™ Filter Media Specifications
This media is a mixture of Earthlite™ expanded lightweight aggregate.
Granulometric distribution (Custom mixes may vary)
- Passing US # 100 (d=0.15 mm) < 20 mass %
- Passing US # 50 (d=0.30 mm) 5 – 30 mass %
- Passing US # 30 (d=0.60 mm) 20 – 45 mass %
- Passing US # 16 (d=1.18 mm) 30 – 60 mass %
- Passing US # 8 (d=2.36 mm) 50 – 80 mass %
- Passing US # 4 (d=4.75 mm) 65 – 95 mass %
- Passing US 3/8 (d=9.50 mm) 95 – 100 mass %
Apparent density (volume weight)
- when dry (58 lb/ft3)**
- at maximum water capacity (78 lb/ft3)**
Water and air management
- Maximum water-holding capacity > 35% Vol. %
- Air content at maximum water capacity > 10% Vol. %
- Water permeability (saturated hydraulic conductivity) NT in/min
Organic substances
- Organic content < NT mass %
Additional requirements
- absence of any phytotoxic substances
- absence of foreign substances
- fire resistance
- frost resistance
** Values may vary depending on regional availability of components