Filtration

FILTRATION

 It is the separation of solids from liquid or gas by porous

medium which retains the solid and allows the fluid to
pass. This can be extended to microorganism.
 In this process a mixture of solids and liquid (slurry) is
forced through porous medium in which the solids are
retained or deposited.
 If recovery of solids is desired the process is called cake
filtration.
 If the slurry contains not more than 1% of solids, the
process will be considered as clarification.
 TYPES OF FILTRATION

 1- Surface or absolute filtration

 This is a screening process in which pores in the medium
prevent the passage of solids.
 The life of surface filters (efficiency) depends on the number of
pores available for passage of fluid.
 Coarse straining with a wire mesh and membrane filter employ
this mechanism.
 TYPES OF FILTRATION

 2- Depth filtration
 In this case the filter medium is thick and allows penetration and
arrest particles by entrapment.
 This method can even separate particles much smaller than the
pore diameter but to do this the filter must be designed with
enough depth
 TYPES OF FILTRATION
TYPES OF FILTRATION

 3- Cake filtration
 This is the most common in industry. The filter media acts only as
support and the actual filtration is carried out by the solids
deposited as a cake.
 The deposited cake should be porous and non compressible (if
compressible use filter aid).
 For this reason the first portion of the filtrate which is usually
cloudy must be discarded.
FILTER MEDIA

 It is the surface upon which solids are deposited.

 The medium must be:

 Capable of delivering clear filtrate at suitable rate

(efficient filtration).
 Chemically and physically inert.
 Mechanically strong.
 TYPES OF FILTER MEDIA:
1- WOVEN FILTERS

 a- Wire screen
 Stainless steel wire screens are used as a medium for
coarse straining (plant extraction), as support for
disposable filter media (filter paper) or as a medium with
filter aids.

 b- Fabrics
 Cotton is the most common but wool, linen or nylon can
be used. Nylon has the advantage of being resistant to
molds or bacteria but its water repellent properties with
small pore size requires pressure to provide optimum
rate.
 Can be used for coarse straining (preliminary filtration
before sterilization with bacterial filter) in aseptic
filtration as they are easily sterilized by autoclaving.
 TYPES OF FILTER MEDIA:
2- NON-WOVEN FILTERS

 a- Felts
 Fibrous mass, free from bonding agents and mechanically
interlocked to form specific pore diameter.
 Extensively porous, provide high flow rate and low
pressure.
 Suitable for separation of gelatinous material or fine
particles.
 Felt filters act by depth filtration.

 b- Bonded fabrics
 Formed by binding textile fibers with resins (gum), solvents and
plasticizer (PG or castor oil).
 Can interact with pharmaceuticals so not in use in this field .
 TYPES OF FILTER MEDIA:
2- NON-WOVEN FILTERS

 c- Filter paper
 Kraft paper is pharmaceutical standard.
 They offer controlled porosity (different
porosity), limited absorption characteristics
and low cost.
 The low cost made it very popular
disposable filter in pharmaceutical industry
to avoid cross-contamination.
 TYPES OF FILTER MEDIA:
3- MEMBRANE FILTERS (BACTERIAL FILTER)
 Used for micro-filtration especially in production
of sterile solutions.
 They are made by casting of cellulose esters or
from nylon, Teflon or P.V.C.
 Pores are of uniform size and occupy 80% of the
filter. This provides high porosity and high flow
rate (efficient filtration).
 Small pore size requires application of pressure to
increase filtration rate
 Provide surface filtration so pre-filtration (??) is
required to prevent rapid clogging.
 TYPES OF FILTER MEDIA:

4- Porous plates
 These include perforated metal or rubber plates or
natural materials (stone, porcelain and sintered
glass).
 Used as support for filter media. Can be used after
cleaning.

5- granular or powdered material

 These include sand, gravel, diatomaceous earth,
charcoal …… with suitable support.
FILTER AIDS

 These are substances added to prevent blocking of filter

media and to form open porous cake thus reducing the
resistance to filtrate flow.
 It is the ideal solution for cake filtration of compressible
solid.
 Ideal aid must perform its function physically, must be
inert, insoluble, incompressible and of irregular shape.
FILTER AIDS:
TECHNIQUES OF INCORPORATION

 1- Precoating
 Filtration of a suspension of the filter aid to give a coat of
0.5kg/m2 over the filter media.

 2- Body mix
 A small portion of filter aid (0.1-0.5%) is added to the slurry to
be filtered.

 Examples
 Diatomite (diatomaceous earth, Kiesalguhr)
 Perlite (AL silicate)
 Cellulose
All are irregular solid particles
 THEORY OF FILTRATION
 This was governed by Darcy equation

 Dv/dt = filtration rate (volume of filtered material obtained per unit time)

 K = Permeability coefficient of cake or filter medium (indicates porosity).

 A = area of filter medium

 DP = pressure drop across the filter bed (filter medium and any cake formed)
i.e between donor and receiver compartments

 η = viscosity of filtrate

 h = thickness of the cake

FACTORS AFFECTING FILTRATION RATE

 1- Properties of filter medium and cake

 According to Darcy equation, the higher the resistance of
filter medium and cake, the lower is (K). This leads to low
filtration rate.
 The resistance of filter medium is of minor importance as
solids form bridges on the pore entrance.
 The resistance of the cake is the determining factor. It
depends on the porosity and compressibility of cake and
surface area of particles.
 N.B. Rate = driving force / resistance
FACTORS AFFECTING FILTRATION RATE

 2- Area of the filter

 The rate can be increased by increasing (A). This
can be done using larger filter or using multi-units
in parallel.
 In rotary filter the cake is continuously removed
infinite surface area.
Relation to h ???
FACTORS AFFECTING FILTRATION RATE

 3- Pressure drop (can be achieved by):

 a- gravity: maintaining a head of slurry above
the filter medium.
 b- reduced pressure: by connecting vacuum
pump to the receiver but reduction in P must
not exceed 1 bar. Also reduced pressure can
decrease the boiling point which may lead to
boiling.
FACTORS AFFECTING FILTRATION RATE

 3- Pressure drop (can be achieved by):

 c- Pressure: This can be achieved by pumping the slurry
under pressure. The advantages of this method is that
pressure difference up to 15 bars can be applied.
However, this method should be applied with caution at
the start of filtration or surface filteration (why?).
 d- Centrifugal force: this can replace the gravitational
force.
FACTORS AFFECTING FILTRATION RATE
 4- Viscosity of the filtrate
 The filtration rate is inversely proportional to the
viscosity of the liquid (liquid not the slurry).
 The rate can be increased by increasing the temperature
but this is not practical if we are using reduced pressure
or in case of volatile and thermolabile substances.
 Dilution with inert solvent with low viscosity is another
option
FACTORS AFFECTING FILTRATION RATE

 5- Thickness of the filter cake

 The filtration rate is inversely proportional to the thickness of
the cake. Accordingly, for slurry containing high proportions of
solids it may be advisable to remove some of these solids before
starting the filtration process. This can be achieved by
decantation.
 It may be necessary to remove the cake periodically or to
maintain it at a constant thickness, as occurs, for example, with
the rotary drum filter.
 Cake thickness can be kept lower by using a larger filter area.
FILTRATION EQUIPMENT
 1- Sand filter
 Open filter - Pressure filter

 2- Filter press
 Chamber press - Plate and frame filter press

 3- Leaf filter

 4- Rotary continuous filters

 5- Centrifugal filters
 Pressure sand filter
 It is a wooden or metallic box with a perforated bottom, filled with
loose sand
 In the bottom of the tank, there are a number of strainers
 Over the strainers, there is a layer of moderately coarse gravel and on
the top of that is the sand that form the actual filter medium
 Working
 In operation, the water to be filtered is introduced under pressure at
the top on to a baffle which prevents disturbing the and bed by a direct
steam.
 Sand contain interparticulate spaces which are enough for passage of
filtrate but trap the solids
 So, this filter can’t be used for recovery of solids
 The water is drawn off through the strainer at the bottom.
 If all the void spaces filled with the solid, the filtration will be stopped
so we make back washing; water enter from the outlet under high
pressure so it will enter the sand and remove solids
 This water is wasted
If the suspended solids with very small size we should use coagulant
(ferrous sulfate or aluminum sulfate) that form flocculant precipitate
The precipitate adsorbs finely divided solids, the resulting flocs with the
adsorbed fines are removed with sand filter.
 Uses
 It is used mainly where relatively small amounts of solids are to be
removed form liquid or where very large volume of liquid must be
handled in a minimum cost
 It can be used for suspension with conc less than 5 %
 Used for filtration of boiler feed water or water for similar purposes
 If very large quantities of water ????
N.B
 Precipitates that are gelatinous or which for any other reason coat the
sand so that they can’t t removed by backwashing,

 The precipitated that must be recovered can’t be handled with sand

filter
 Rotary Drum Filter
Principle
 It functions on the principle of filtering the slurry through sieve like
mechanism on a rotating drum under conditions of vacuum
 Compression, drying (using hot air) and removing the filter cake (using
a knife) are possible
Construction
 It can be visualized as two concentric cylinders divided into a number
of septa by radial partitions.
 The outer cylinder is perforated and covered with a filter cloth.
 Each septum has a radial connection to a complicated rotating valve
whose function is to perform the sequence of operations
 Rotary filters can be up to 2 m in diameter and 3.5 m in length, with a
filtration area of approximately 20 m2.
 The drum rotates slowly, typically between 10 and 60 revolutions per
hour
Working
 The drum just enter the trough and dips in the slurry, vacuum is
applied in this segment so that the solid is build up on the surface
(pick up zone)
 The liquid passes through the filter cloth into an internal pipe,
finally the filtrate reaches the collecting tank
 As the drum leaves the slurry section, it enter the drainage zone.
 In the drainage zone, excess of the liquid is drawn inside.
 Special compression rolls may be included at this stage so that the
cake is consolidated by the compression of the cake.
 This improves the efficiency of washing and drying process if the
cake on the drum becomes cracked
 In washing zone, water is sprayed on the cake
 A separate system of vacuum is applied on the panel in order to suck
the wash liquid and air through the cake of solids.
 Wash liquid is drawn through the filter into a separate collecting tank
 Then the cake enters the drying zone, where hot air is blown on the
cake
 The cake may have the moisture content less than %
 Finally, The cake is removed by the scraper blade
 All these steps are completed in one rotation of the drum
 Now the drum is ready to receive a fresh lot of slurry
Uses
 Used to filter slurries containing high proportion of solids (up to 30%)
 Used in filtration of penicillines, calcium carbonate, starch and
magnesium carbonate.
Advantages
 Cake is removed simultaneously; used with concentrated slurry
 Labor cost is low; automatic and continuous operation
 The filter has large surface area
 The speed of rotation can be changed; to control the cake thickness
Disadvantages
 The rotary filter is a complex piece of equipment
 The cake tends to crack because of the air drawn through by the
vacuum system, so washing and drying are not efficient.
 Because it is a vacuum filter, the pressure difference is limited to (1
bar). Yet some hot filtrates may boil because of the reduced pressure.
 The rotary filter is suitable only for straightforward slurries, being
less satisfactory if the solids form an impermeable cake or will not
separate cleanly from the cloth.
String discharge rotary filter
 The filter cloth in this case has a number of bands (loops of strings)
passing round the drum and over two additional small rollers
 The cake is formed on the strings
 In operation, the bands lift the cake off the filter medium.
 The cake is broken by the sharp bend over the rollers and collected,
and the bands return to the drum.
 This is useful for filtration of the fermentation liquor in the
manufacture of antibiotics, when a felt-like cake of mould must be
removed.
ROTARY DRUM FILTER
(STRING DISCHARGE)
 Difficult solids which tend to block the filter cloth or slurries with low
solid content, need preliminary precoat to be laid down
 A filter aid is deposited on the cloth prior to filtration of the slurry.
 This is easily done by filtering a suspension of the filter aid.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDrac-0WJZs
 Metafilter (edge filter)
Principle:
Metafilter functions as a strainer (surface filtration) for the separation of coarse
particles or cake filtration of fine particles.
Construction:
 Consists of a series of metal rings contain semicircular projections that are
mounted on a central grooved rode (drainage rode)
 Rings are arranged so that pore channels (Strainers) are formed on the edge
 These rings are usually made of stainless steel
 Each disc contains a number of semicircular projections (0.8 mm thickness)
on one side surface
 The projections are arranged the same way up
 These rings are tightened on the drainage column with a nut
 Grooves of central rode serve as filtrate channels
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EV1KTqNkgo
METAFILTER
Working:

 These filters are placed in a vessel and operated by pumping the

slurry with pressure or vacuum at outlet

 The slurry passes through the channels formed on the edge

between rings

 The clear liquid rises up and collected into the receiver.

 For separation of coarse particles

 For separation of fine solid particles

Uses:

It is used in

 Clarification of syrups

 Filtration of injection solution

 Clarification of insulin liquors

 Filtration of viscous liquids.

Advantages:

 It can be used under high pressure

 Running costs are few, as separate filter media are not used

 Removal of cake is very effectively by flushing back with water

 Change over from batch to batch is easy

 Sterile products can be handled

 It can be constructed from a material that can provide excellent

resistance to corrosion

 Extremely versatile filter; it can be used for filtration of coarse

and very fine particles.
 Selection of suitable equipment
 Chemical nature of the product
 Volume to be filtered and the filtration rate required
 Operating pressure needed
 The amount of material to be removed
 Degree of filtration required
 Product viscosity and filtration temperature