Mechanical Operations

Chapter 9

Mechanical Separations:
Filtration
Dr. Fayza Yulia
Email : fayza.yulia@universitaspertamina.ac.id
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Definition

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Classification of mechanical separations:

Filtration, Sedimentation,
Separation Mechanism Centrifugation, Screening,
Cyclonic Separation

Size, Density, Shape, Magnetic

Properties Exploited Separation, Electrostatic
Separation

Gravity Separation, Filtration,

Equipment Type Centrifugation, Magnetic
Separators, Electrostatic
Separators

Application and Industry Solid-liquid, Solid-Solid, Gas-Solid,

Liquid-Liquid
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Cyclonic Separation. Separation based on the
difference in particle density and centrifugal forces
within a cyclone chamber.

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What is filtration

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Filtration: Solid-Liquid Separation

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Factors effected by Filter Cake :
1
Filtration
Setup
6 2
Continuous or
Filtration
Batch
Process
Operation

5 3
Pressure Formation of
Differential Filter Cake:
4
Increased
Resistance
 Gravity Centrifugal Force
(Under the influence of gravity) (utilizes centrifugal force )

Driving
Force in
Filtration

Vacuum Capillary Action

Pressure
(Suction) (Porous Media
Differential
Highly Hydrophilic)
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 Filter Medium

Filter Paper Filter Cloth Filter Membrane Filter Cartridges

Filter Screens Filter Beds Ceramic Filters Sintered Metal

Filters

Air Filters Microfiltration and

Ultrafiltration
Types of Filters

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Types of Filters

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 Types of Filters
Classification of filter by operating cycle

• Intermittent Filters
Intermittent filters operate in cycles, but the filtration
process is not continuous.
• Automatic Filters
Automatic filters are designed to operate continuously,
but they have mechanisms that automatically initiate
cleaning or maintenance cycles as needed
• Manual Filters
It requires human intervention to start and stop the
filtration process
Mechanisms of Filtration

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Cake Filters:
1. Filter Setup : it involves a filter medium and a housing or
chamber
2. Mixture : the mixture should be separated consist of solid
suspended in liquid or gas
3. Filtration Process : driving force (such as gravity,
pressure, vacuum, or centrifugal force)
4. Formation of Filter Cake : forming a porous layer known
as the filter cake
5. Cake Resistance : resistance to the flow of the liquid or
gas through the filter medium
6. Driving force : A pressure differential is maintained across
the filter medium and the cake.
7. Continuous or batch operation : can be performed
continuously
8. Cake Removal and Maintenance : filter cake needs to be
removed to maintain the filtration process's efficiency
Mechanisms of Filtration

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Filter Press

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Filter Press

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Filter Press

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Operation of Filter Press
The operation of a filter press involves the following
steps:

• Filling: The slurry is pumped or fed into the filter

press through the feed inlet.
• Filtration: The hydraulic system is activated to
apply pressure on the filter plates.
• Washing (Optional): In some applications,
additional liquid may be introduced to wash the filter
cake and remove any remaining contaminants or
impurities.
• Drying (Optional): Depending on the specific
process requirements, the filter cake may be further
dried using compressed air or other methods.
• Cake Removal: After filtration is complete, the filter
cake is removed from the filter press, and the press
is ready for the next cycle.
Plate and Frame Filter Press

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Plate and Frame Filter Press

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Plate and Frame Filter Press

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Diagram Plate and Frame Filter Press

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Leaf Filters

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Leaf Filters

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Shell and Leaf Filters

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Continuous Rotary Filters

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 Key Component Continuous Rotary Filter:
1. Rotary Drum
2. Drive mechanism
3. Vacuum System
4. Scraping Mechanism

Operation of Continuous Rotary Filter:

1. Slurry Introduction: The slurry or liquid-solid mixture is introduced into
the filter tank, where the rotary drum is partially submerged in the slurry.
2. Filtration: As the drum rotates, the vacuum inside the drum causes the
liquid to pass through the filter medium, while the solid particles are
retained on the drum's surface, forming a filter cake.
3. Cake Removal: As the drum continues to rotate, the filter cake is
scraped off the drum's surface by the scraping mechanism.
4. Rinse and Repeat: Depending on the application, the filter cake may be
washed or rinsed to remove any remaining impurities. The drum
continues to rotate, and the process repeats continuously, ensuring a
constant separation of solids from the liquid.
Key Component and Operation
The Horizontal Belt Filter

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The Disc Filter

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Filtration Applications

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Theory of Filtration

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Pressure Drop and Friction Loss in Laminar Flow

therefore

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Pressure Drop and Friction Loss in Laminar Flow

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Basic Theory of Filtration

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Pressure Drop Through The Filter Cake

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Pressure Drop Through The Filter Cake

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Pressure Drop Through The Filter Cake

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Pressure Drop Through The Filter Cake

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Pressure Drop Through The Filter Cake

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Pressure Drop Through The Filter Cake

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Pressure Drop Through The Filter Cake

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Pressure Drop Through The Filter Cake

Cs = mass slurry / (1+(mass slurry/𝜇)

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Empirical Equations for Cake Resistance

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Basic Filtration Equations
For the constant rate filtration
𝐿𝐴 𝐴2 −∆𝑝
𝑉2 + 𝑉= 𝑡
 𝑟𝜇 
For the constant pressure filtration
2
2
𝐿𝐴 𝐴 −∆𝑝
𝑉 +2 𝑉=2 𝑡
 𝑟𝜇 
where: V is the volume of filtrate which has passed in time t, L is the
cake thickness, A is the total cross-sectional area of the filter cake, p is
the applied pressure difference, r is the specific resistance, µ is the
viscosity of the filtrate, and  is the volume of cake deposited by unit
volume of filtrate.
The filtration rate
𝑑𝑉 𝐴2 −∆𝑝
=
𝑑𝑡 𝑟𝜇  𝑉 + 𝐴𝐿/
Basic Filtration Equations
The filtration rate
𝑑𝑉 𝐴2 −∆𝑝
=
𝑑𝑡 𝑟𝜇  𝑉 + 𝐴𝐿/
This equation may be integrated between the limits t = 0,
V = 0 and t = t1, V = V1 for constant rate filtration, and t = t1,
V = V1 and t = t, V = V for a subsequent constant pressure
filtration.
For the period of constant rate filtration:
𝐿𝐴 𝐴2 −∆𝑝
𝑉12 + 𝑉1 = 𝑡1
 𝑟𝜇 
For a subsequent constant pressure filtration:
1 2 𝐿𝐴 𝐴2 −∆𝑝
𝑉 − 𝑉12 + 𝑉 − 𝑉1 = 𝑡 − 𝑡1
2  𝑟𝜇 
Example
1. A slurry is filtered in a plate and frame press containing 12 frames,
each 0.3 m square and 25 mm thick. During the first 180 s the pressure
difference for filtration is slowly raised to the final value of 400 kN/m2
and, during this period, the rate of filtration is maintained constant.
After the initial period, filtration is carried out at constant pressure and
the cakes are completely formed in a further 900 s. What is the total
volume of filtrate collected per cycle and the final rate of filtration?
In an experiment, a sample of the slurry had previously been tested with
a leaf filter of 0.05 m2 filtering surface using a vacuum giving a pressure
difference of 71.3kN/m2. The volume of filtrate collected in the first 300
s, was 250 cm3 and, after a further 300 s, an additional 150 cm3 was
collected. It may be assumed that the cake is incompressible and that
the cloth resistance is the same in the leaf as in the filter press.
Solution
In the leaf filter (experiment), filtration is at constant pressure from the
start.

In the filter press, a volume V1 of filtrate is obtained under constant rate

conditions in time t1, and filtration is then carried out at constant
pressure.

For a subsequent constant pressure filtration:

2. It is required to filter a slurry to produce 2.25 m3 of filtrate per
working day of 8 hours. The process is carried out in a plate and frame
filter press with a frame area of 0.45 m2 and a working pressure
difference of 348.7 kN/m2. The pressure is built up slowly over a period
of 300 s, during this period, the rate of filtration is maintained constant
and 0.193 m3 of filtrate is collected.
When a sample of the slurry is filtered, using a pressure difference of
66.3 kN/m2 on a single leaf filter of filtering area 0.05 m2, 400 cm3 of
filtrate is collected in the first 300 s of filtration and a further 400 cm3 is
collected during the following 600 s.
What is the minimum number of frames that need be employed and the
total time to collect the total volume of filtrate? The resistance of the
filter cloth may be taken as the same in the laboratory tests as on the
plant.
Solution
 𝑉1 0.193
→𝑛= = ≈ 13 𝑓𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑠
0.0148 0.0148
Basic Filtration Equations
The filtration rate
𝑑𝑉 𝐴2 −∆𝑝
=
𝑑𝑡 𝑟𝜇  𝑉 + 𝐴𝐿/
This equation may be integrated between the limits t = 0,
V = 0 and t = t1, V = V1 for constant rate filtration, and t = t1,
V = V1 and t = t, V = V for a subsequent constant pressure
filtration.
For the period of constant rate filtration:
𝐿𝐴 𝐴2 −∆𝑝
𝑉12 + 𝑉1 = 𝑡1
 𝑟𝜇 
For a subsequent constant pressure filtration:
1 2 𝐿𝐴 𝐴2 −∆𝑝
𝑉 − 𝑉12 + 𝑉 − 𝑉1 = 𝑡 − 𝑡1
2  𝑟𝜇 
The total time of filtration to collect 2.25 m3 of filtrate:

→ 𝑡 = 4.7904 ℎ𝑟𝑠
Examples on filtration

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Examples on filtration

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Examples on filtration

0.3929 lb/s

1/2

= 106.8445 ft2

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