Rotary Drum Vacuum Filter

Get

The
Filtration
Process
Plate and Frame Filter Press

Mr PC Jiyane
Chemical Plant III
2nd Semester 2024 (CHPL332)
 The Filtration Process
r
Assessment
Learning Unit and Topics Specified Outcomes Method

2
 Filtration Equipment
r Laboratory Filtration Equipment Setup

Solid Particles

Buchner Funnel

Filter paper

To vacuum
pump
Vacuum Flask
Filtrate

Gravity Filtration Vacuum Filtration

3
 Filtration Equipment
There Industrial Equipment Trial Setup
Filtrate
Vacuum Gauge

Rubber Connections
Filter Medium

Filter Cake

 Slurry
Tap
Slurry Level

 Fluid with suspended solids

 Filter medium (cloth)
  Driving force to cause fluid to flow
  Mechanical device
Filtrate - holds filter medium,
Filter Cloth - contains the fluid, and
- permits the application of force

4 Laboratory Test Filter

 Types of Equipment
F
Classified according to
the nature of the driving
Filtration Described according to
mechanical
force that causes filtration characteristics

Batch Continuous
Processes Processes

Pressure Gravity Vacuum Pressure

Leaf Plate & Frame Rotary Disc Rotary Drum

(Kelly)

Leaf Horizontal
Rotary Disc Rotary Drum
(Moore) Belt

5 May operate on either a

batch or continuous basis
 Filtration Process
Filtration: Solids are separated from liquids in suspensions
by means of porous media (filter cloth) which retain solids
(filter cake) and allow liquids (filtrate) to pass through.

• Most commonly used filter medium is the woven cloth, but

many other media are also used.
• Filter aids (applied as precoat or added to the slurry) are often
used to increase the rate of filtration of difficult slurries.
• The valuable products may be the clear filtrate from the
filtration process or the solid cake.
• If the solid filter cake is the product, then it is usual to wash
the cake to remove the residual filtrates.
• Filtration is essentially a discontinuous process – frequent
6 stoppages to discharge cake or to change filter cloth.
 Filtration Process
Principal factors to consider when selecting a filtration
equipment are:
• The nature of the slurry and the cake formed.
• The concentration of solids in the feed.
• The throughput required.
• The nature and physical properties of the liquid, e.g., toxicity,
viscosity, flammability, corrosiveness.
• Whether cake washing is required.
• The cake dryness required.
• Whether contamination of the solids by a filter aid is
acceptable.
• Whether the valuable product is the solid or the
7 liquid or both.
Filter Media & Filter Aids
Filter media for industrial filtration must fulfil a number of
requirements:
• It must remove solids from the slurry and give a clear filtrate.
• Pores should not become clogged reducing the filtration rate.
• It must allow the filter cake to be removed easily and cleanly.
• It must have sufficient strength not to tear.
• It must be chemically resistant to the solutions used.

Filter aids: Use limited to cases where the cake is discarded

or precipitate can be separated chemically from the filter aid.
• Incompressible Diatomaceous earth composed primarily of silica is
the most commonly used filter aid. Wood cellulose and other inert
porous solids are sometimes used.
• Filter aids are used either as a precoat before the slurry is
8 filtered or are added to the slurry before filtration.
 Filtration Process
Rotary Drum Vacuum (RDV) Filter
• The RDV filter consist essentially of a large hollow drum on
which the filter medium (filter cloth) is fitted.
• The drum, partially submerged in the trough into which the
material to be filtered is fed, rotates about the horizontal axis.
• The filtrate is sucked through the filter medium by vacuum.
• A variety of methods are used to remove the cake from the
drum, e.g., knives, strings, air jets and wires.
• Normal cycle of operation: filtration, drying and discharge.
• Rotating drum filters are essentially continuous in operation
(at least, when multiple units are configured for operation).
• They can handle large throughputs, and are widely used
9 for free-filtering slurries.
 Filtration Process
g Rotary Drum Vacuum Filter

Trough
(Slurry Tank)

Typical Layout of a Rotary Drum Filter Installation

10
 Filtration Process
A
Filter Cake
Perforated Drum with
Filter Cloth
Compartment
Hollow Shaft (Cell)

Vacuum (Filtrates)

Slurry Feed Inlet Filter Cake

Removal

Slurry Tank (Trough)

11 Working Principle of the Rotary Drum Vacuum Filter

 Filtration Process
The Plate and Frame Filter Press
• These filters consist of plates and frames assembled
alternatively with a filter cloth over each side of the plates.
• The plates have channels cut in them so that clear filtrate
liquid can drain along each plate.
• Feed slurry is pumped into the press, flows through the duct
into each of the open frames and fills the frames.
• The filtrate flows through the filter cloth and the solids build
up as a cake on the frame side of the cloth.
• The filtrate flows between the filter cloth and the face of the
plate through the channels to the outlet.
• Filtration proceeds until frames are completely filled with
solids at which time, frames and plates are
12
separated and the cake is removed.
 Filtration Process
S Plate and Frame Filter Press

Slurry
Feed Tank

Cloth
Wash Core
Blow
Feed

Pump
Cake

Flow meter

Filtrates

Typical Layout of a Plate & Frame Filter Press Installation

13
 N
Filtration Process
Filter Cake Filter Plate Filter Frame Filter Cloth

Slurry Feed Inlet

Filtrates Outlet

Separating Chambers

14 Working Principle of the Plate and Frame Filter Press

 Filtration Process
Parameters to consider in Filtration Equipment Design and Sizing
• Rate of filtration: 𝒅𝑽Τ𝒅𝒕
• Pressure gradient required or developed
• Volumetric flowrate of filtrates
• Cake deposition rate
• Feed rate of slurry/suspension
• Area of filtration required
• Thickness of cake
• Filtration time
• Size and number of frames
• In case of RDVF:
• Speed of rotation – throughput
• % submergence of the drum – rate of cake deposition
• Filtration time and wash time
• Specific cake resistance
15
• Specific filter media resistance
 Filtration Theory
There are two quite different methods of operating a batch filter.
• Constant flowrate process – pressure must gradually be increased.
• Constant pressure process – flowrate progressively diminishes.
At any instant the flowrate of the filtrates may be represented by:
1 𝑑𝑉 1 𝑒 3 −∆𝑃 Carman-Kozeny
𝑢𝑐 = = (1)
𝐴 𝑑𝑡 5 (1 − 𝑒)2 𝑆 2 𝜇𝑙 Equation

where: 𝑉 is the volume which has passed in time 𝑡,

𝐴 is the total cross-sectional area of the filter cake,
𝑢𝑐 is the superficial velocity of the filtrate,
𝑙 is the cake thickness (height of bed),
𝑆 is the specific surface of the particles,
𝑒 is the voidage,
𝜇 is the viscosity of the filtrate, and
16
∆𝑃 is the applied pressure difference.
 Filtration Theory
For incompressible cakes 𝒆 may be taken as constant and the
quantity 𝑒 3 Τ[5(1 − 𝑒)2 𝑆 2 ] is then a property of the particles
forming the cake and should be constant for a given material.
Thus:
1 𝑑𝑉 −∆𝑃
= (2)
𝐴 𝑑𝑡 𝐫𝜇𝑙
5(1 − 𝑒)2 𝑆 2
𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: 𝐫= (3)
𝑒3

• Equation (2) is the basic filtration equation and 𝐫 is termed

the specific resistance which is seen to depend on 𝑒 and 𝑆.
• For incompressible cakes, 𝐫 is taken as constant,
although it depends on (1) the rate of deposition, (2)
the nature of the particles, and (3) on the
17
forces between the particles.
 Filtration Theory
If 𝑣 is the volume of cake deposited by a unit volume of
filtrate then:
𝑙𝐴 𝑣𝑉
𝑣= 𝐨𝐫 𝑙= (4)
𝑉 𝐴
Substituting for 𝑙 in equation (2) gives:
1 𝑑𝑉 −∆𝑃 𝐴 𝑑𝑉 𝐴2 (−∆𝑃)
= 𝐨𝐫 = (5)
𝐴 𝑑𝑡 𝐫𝜇 𝑣𝑉 𝑑𝑡 𝐫𝜇𝑣𝑉
𝑑𝑉 𝑉
For a filtration at constant flowrate: = = constant
𝑑𝑡 𝑡
𝑉 𝐴2 (−∆𝑃)
𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟓 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬: =
𝑡 𝐫𝜇𝑣𝑉
𝑡 𝐫𝜇𝑣
𝐨𝐫 = 𝑉 (6)
𝑉 𝐴2 (−∆𝑃)
18
and −∆𝑃 is directly proportional to 𝑉.
 Filtration Theory
For a filtration at constant pressure difference:
Integrating equation (5) gives:
𝐴2 −∆𝑃 𝑉 2 𝐴2 −∆𝑃 𝑡
න 𝑉𝑑𝑉 = න 𝑑𝑡 ↔ =
𝐫𝜇𝑣 2 𝐫𝜇𝑣
𝑡 𝐫𝜇𝑣
𝐨𝐫 = 𝑉 (7)
𝑉 2𝐴2 (−∆𝑃)
If this takes a time 𝑡1 during which a volume 𝑉1 of filtrate passes, then
integration of equation (5) and inserting the limits gives:
𝑉 𝑡
2
𝐴 −∆𝑃 1 2 2
𝐴2 −∆𝑃
න 𝑉𝑑𝑉 = න 𝑑𝑡 ↔ 𝑉 − 𝑉1 = 𝑡 − 𝑡1
𝐫𝜇𝑣 2 𝐫𝜇𝑣
𝑉1 𝑡1

𝑡 − 𝑡1 𝐫𝜇𝑣 𝐫𝜇𝑣𝑉1
𝐨𝐫 = 𝑉 − 𝑉1 + 2 (8)
𝑉 − 𝑉1 2𝐴2 −∆𝑃 𝐴 (−∆𝑃)

19
(𝑡 − 𝑡1 ) represents time of constant pressure filtration
(𝑉 − 𝑉1 ) corresponds to volume of filtrate obtained.
 Filtration Theory
Flow of filtrate through the cloth and cake combined
If the filter cloth and initial layers of cake are together
equivalent to thickness 𝐿 of cake as deposited at a later stage
in the process, and if −∆𝑃 is the pressure drop across the
cake and cloth combined, then equation (2) becomes:

1 𝑑𝑉 (−∆𝑃) 𝑣𝑉
= 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝑙=
𝐴 𝑑𝑡 𝐫𝜇(𝑙 + 𝐿) 𝐴
𝑑𝑉 𝐴(−∆𝑃) 𝐴2 (−∆𝑃)
= 𝑉𝑣 = (9)
𝑑𝑡 𝐫𝜇 𝐴 + 𝐿 𝐫𝜇𝑣 𝑉 + 𝐿𝐴
𝑣

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
20
constant pressure filtration.
 Filtration Theory
a) For the period of Constant Rate Filtration:
Equation (9) may be written as follows:

𝑉1 𝐴2 (−∆𝑃)
=
𝑡1 𝐫𝜇𝑣 𝑉 + 𝐿𝐴
1 𝑣

𝑡1 𝐫𝜇𝑣 𝐫𝜇𝐿
𝐨𝐫 = 2 𝑉1 +
𝑉1 𝐴 (−∆𝑃) 𝐴(−∆𝑃)

𝐿𝐴 𝐴2 (−∆𝑃)
𝐨𝐫 𝑉12 + 𝑉1 = 𝑡1 (10)
𝑣 𝐫𝜇𝑣
21
 Filtration Theory
b) For a subsequent Constant Pressure Filtration:
1 2 𝐿𝐴 𝐴2 −∆𝑃
𝑉 − 𝑉12 + 𝑉 − 𝑉1 = (𝑡 − 𝑡1 )
2 𝑣 𝐫𝜇𝑣
2𝐿𝐴 2𝐴2 −∆𝑃
𝐨𝐫 𝑉 − 𝑉1 + 2𝑉1 𝑉 − 𝑉1 + 𝑉 − 𝑉1 = (𝑡 − 𝑡1 )
𝑣 𝐫𝜇𝑣
𝑡 − 𝑡1 𝐫𝜇𝑣 𝐫𝜇𝑣𝑉1 𝐫𝜇𝐿
𝐨𝐫 = 2 𝑉 − 𝑉1 + 2 + (11)
𝑉 − 𝑉1 2𝐴 −∆𝑃 𝐴 (−∆𝑃) 𝐴(−∆𝑃)

Thus there is a linear relation between 𝑡 − 𝑡1 )Τ(𝑉 − 𝑉1 and

𝑉 − 𝑉1 , and the slope is proportional to the specific
resistance, as in the case of the flow of the filtrate
through the filter cake alone given by equation (8),
22 but the line does not now go through the origin.
 Filtration Theory
Optimum Time Cycle:
For Plate and Frame Filter Press, the optimum thickness of cake to
be formed depends on:
• the resistance offered by the filter cake and
• the time taken to dismantle and refit the press.
Although the production of a thin filter cake results in high average
rate of filtration, it is necessary to dismantle the press more often
and greater time is spent in this operation.
For a filtration carried out entirely at constant pressure, a
rearrangement of equation (11) gives:
𝑡 𝐫𝜇𝑣 𝐫𝜇𝐿
= 𝑉+ (12)
𝑉 2𝐴2 −∆𝑃 𝐴(−∆𝑃)
𝑡
= 𝐵1 𝑉 + 𝐵2
𝑉
23
where 𝐵1 and 𝐵2 are constants.
 Filtration Theory
Thus the time of filtration 𝒕 is given by:
𝑡 = 𝐵1 𝑉 2 + 𝐵2 𝑉 (13)
The time of dismantling and assembling the press, 𝑡 ′ is
independent of the thickness of cake. The total time of a cycle
in which a volume 𝑉 of filtrate is collected is then (𝑡 + 𝑡 ′ ) and
the overall rate of filtration is given by:
𝑉
𝑊= (14)
𝐵1 𝑉 2 + 𝐵2 𝑉 + 𝑡 ′
𝑊 is a maximum when 𝑑𝑊 Τ𝑑𝑉 = 0.
𝐵1 𝑉 2 + 𝐵2 𝑉 + 𝑡 ′ − 𝑉 2𝐵1 𝑉 + 𝐵2 = 0
𝐨𝐫 𝑡 ′ = 𝐵1 𝑉 2 ↔ 𝑉= 𝑡 ′ൗ (15)
𝐵1
𝑡 = 𝑡 ′ = 𝐵1 𝑉 2 , when resistance of the filter medium
24
can be neglected (and in which case 𝐵2 = 0).
 Class Exercise FP1
A pilot experiment using a filter of 0.1 m2 area at a constant
pressure of 68.5 x 104 Pa produced the results shown below.
The filtrate viscosity was 0.0015 Pa.s, slurry concentration was
3% w/w, cake concentration was 52% w/w. The liquid and solids
densities were 1000 kg m-3 and 2500 kg m-3 , respectively. The
dry solids per unit volume of filtrate was 31.8 kg m -3.

Filtration Time (minutes) 10 20 40 60

Filtration Volume (litres) 88 125 180 220

a) From a graph, calculate the specific resistance of the cake

and estimate the resistance of the filter medium.
b) On a 10 m2 filter, what would be the filtrate volume after 2
hours of operation?
c) For the solids density of 2500 kg m -3, determine
25
the cake thickness in part (b) above?
Class Exercise FP1: Solution
𝑡 𝐫𝜇𝑣 𝐫𝜇𝐿
For Constant Pressure operation: = 2 𝑉+
𝑉 2𝐴 −∆𝑃 𝐴(−∆𝑃)
• Filtration area = 0.1 m2
• Concentration of feed slurry = 3% (w/w)
• Concentration of cake = 52% (w/w)
• Mass of dry cake/volume of filtrate = 31.8 kg/m3
• Filtration Pressure = 6.85 x 105 Pa
• Filtrate viscosity = 1.50 x 10-3 Pa.s

Time, t Volume, V Time, t Volume, V

(mins) (litres) (seconds) (m3)
10 88 600 0.088
20 125 1200 0.125
40 180 2400 0.180
60 220 3600 0.220
26
Class Exercise FP1: Solution
a Determination of Specific Cake Resistance and Filter
Medium Resistance
Time, t (mins) 10 20 40 60
Volume, V (litres) 88 125 180 220
Volume, V (m3) 0.088 0.125 0.180 0.220
t/V (s/m3) 6818.182 9600.000 13333.330 16363.640

27
Class Exercise FP1: Solution
a) Volume of cake per volume of filtrates:
𝑓𝑐 0.52
𝑣 = 𝑓 vΤv = 𝜌𝑐 = = 0.302 vΤv
𝑓𝑐 + 1 − 𝑓𝑐 2500
𝜌𝑙 0.52 + 1 − 0.52
1000
𝐫𝜇𝑣 71660 × 2𝐴2 × (−∆𝑃)
Gradient = 71660 = 2 ↔ 𝐫=
2𝐴 −∆𝑃 𝜇𝑣
71660 × 2(0.1)2 × 6.85 × 105
𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐫 =
1.5 × 10−3 × 0.302
𝐫 = 𝟐. 𝟏𝟔𝟕 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟐 𝐦−𝟐

𝐫𝜇𝐿 546.83 × 𝐴(−∆𝑃)

Intercept = 546.83 = ↔ 𝐫𝐿 =
𝐴(−∆𝑃) 𝜇
546.83 × (0.1) × 6.85 × 105
𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐫𝐿 =
1.5 × 10−3
28
𝐫𝐿 = 𝑅𝑚 = 𝟐. 𝟒𝟗𝟕 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟎 𝐦−𝟏
Class Exercise FP1: Solution
b) Filtrate volume on a 10 m2 filter in operation for 2 hours:
𝑡 𝐫𝜇𝑣 𝐫𝜇𝐿 𝐫𝜇𝑣 2
𝐫𝜇𝐿
= 𝑉+ ↔ 𝑉 + 𝑉−𝑡 =0
𝑉 2𝐴2 −∆𝑃 𝐴(−∆𝑃) 2𝐴2 −∆𝑃 𝐴(−∆𝑃)

𝒂𝑉 2 + 𝒃𝑉 + 𝒄 = 0

𝐫𝜇𝑣 2.167 × 1012 × 1.5 × 10−3 × 0.302

𝒂= 2 = = 7.165
2𝐴 −∆𝑃 2 × (10)2 × 6.85 × 105

𝐫𝜇𝐿 2.497 × 1010 × 1.5 × 10−3

𝒃= = 5
= 5.468
𝐴(−∆𝑃) 10 × 6.85 × 10

𝒄 = 𝑡 = 2 × 60 × 60 = 7200 𝑠

7.165 𝑉 2 + 5.468 𝑉 − 7200 = 0

29
Class Exercise FP1: Solution
b) Filtrate volume on a 10 m2 filter in operation for 2 hours:

7.165 𝑉 2 + 5.468 𝑉 − 7200 = 0

𝑉 2 + 0.763 𝑉 − 1005 = 0

−0.763 ± (0.763)2 −4 × (−1005)

𝑉=
2
−0.763 + 63.408
𝑉=
2

𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬, 𝑉 = 𝟑𝟏. 𝟑𝟏 𝐦𝟑

30
Class Exercise FP1: Solution
c) Calculations for Cake thickness:

Given:
Dry cake mass per unit volume of filtrate, 𝑐 = 31.8 kg m-3
Volume of filtrate, 𝑉 = 31.31 m3
Solids concentration in cake by volume, 𝑣 = 30.2% (v/v)
Solids (cake) density, 𝜌𝑐 = 2500 kg m-3
Filtration area, 𝐴 = 10 m2
𝑐×𝑉
𝐂𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 =
𝜌𝑐 × 𝑣 × 𝐴

31.8 kgΤm3 × 31.31 m3

𝐂𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 =
2500 kgΤm3 × 0.302 × 10 m2

31 𝐂𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟑𝟐 𝐦 = 𝟏𝟑. 𝟐 𝐜𝐦

 Class Exercise FP2
Part 1:

A slurry, containing 0.2 kg of solid per kilogram of

water, is fed to a Rotary Drum Vacuum filter 0.6 m long
and 0.6 m diameter. The drum rotates at one revolution
in 360 seconds and 20 per cent of the filtering surface
is in contact with the slurry at any instant.

a) If filtrate is produced at the rate of 0.125 kg/s and the

cake has a voidage of 0.5, what thickness of cake is
produced when filtering with a pressure difference of
65 kN/m2? The density of the solids = 3000 kg/m3 and
the atmospheric pressure = 101.325 kN/m2.
32
 Class Exercise FP2
Part 2:
The RDV filter (in Part 1) breaks down and the operation
now has to be carried out temporarily in a Plate and Frame
filter press with frames 0.3 m square. The press takes 120 s
to dismantle and 120 s to reassemble and, in addition, 120 s
is required to remove the cake from each frame.
If filtration is to be carried out at the same overall rate as in
Part 1, now with an operating pressure of 175 kN/m2,

b) What is the minimum number of frames that need to be

used, and
c) What is the thickness of each frame?
Assume the cakes to be incompressible and
33
neglect the resistance of the filter media.
Class Exercise FP2: Solution
Part 1: Rotary Drum Filter Filter Cake
Filter Cloth
Solid Particles
Width, w = 0.60 m

Rotational Speed = Voidage, e = 0.50

0.167 rpm

Slurry
(0.20 kg Solids/kg H2O) Cake Cake Thickness
Solids = S
Liquid = L Solids = S
Liquid = L – F
20% Submergence
Take Note
Void spaces in the filter cake are
Diameter, d = 0.60 m
filled with residual Filtrate and both
Solids and Liquid in the cake are of
Filtrate
(0.125 kg Filtrate/sec) equal volume since e = 0.50.
Liquid = F

▪ Constant pressure filtration process

34 ▪ Negligible filter cloth resistance
Class Exercise FP2: Solution
Part 1: Rotary Drum Filter
Area of filtering surface: 𝜋d × 𝑤 = 𝜋0.6 × 0.6 = 1.131 m2
Rate of filtration = 0.125 kg/s (0.20 kg Solids/kg H2O)
Slurry
(solids/liquid) Cake
(

0.125 kg/s −4 3
(solids/liquid)

= 3
= 1.25 × 10 m /s
1000 kg/m Filtrate (liquid)
(0.125 kg Filtrate/sec)

1 kg 𝐨𝐫 1 × 10−3 m3 of water is associated with 0.2 kg of solids:

0.2 kg solids −5 3
𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐲 = = 6.67 × 10 m
3000 kgΤm3
Since the cake porosity is 0.5 → 6.67 × 10−5 m3 of water is held
in the filter cake and
1 × 10−3 − 6.67 × 10−5 m3 = 9.33 × 10−4 m3

35
appears as filtrate, per kg of total water in
the slurry.
Class Exercise FP2: Solution
a) Volume of cake deposited by unit volume of filtrate, 𝑣:
(6.67 × 10−5 × 2) m3 cake vΤ
𝑣= = 0.143 v
9.33 × 10−4 m3 filtrate (0.20 kg Solids/kg H O)
Slurry
2
(solids/liquid) Cake
Volumetric rate of deposition of solids: (solids/liquid)

= 1.25 × 10−4 m3 Τs × 0.143 = 1.79 × 10−5 m3 Τs

(0.125 kg Filtrate/sec)
One revolution takes 360 seconds. Therefore the Filtrate (liquid)
given piece of filtering surface is immersed for: 360 × 0.2 = 72 s
The bulk volume of cake deposited per revolution =
1.79 × 10−5 m3 Τs × 360 s = 6.44 × 10−3 m3
Thickness of cake produced:
6.44 × 10−3 m3 −𝟑 𝐦 𝐨𝐫 𝟓. 𝟔𝟗 𝐦𝐦
36 = 𝟓. 𝟔𝟗 × 𝟏𝟎
1.131 m2
Class Exercise FP2: Solution
Part 2: Properties of Filter Cake
For constant pressure filtration and Slurry

neglecting filter cloth resistance or (solids/liquid) Cake

When filter cloth is not considered : (solids/liquid)
0
𝑡 𝐫𝜇𝑣 𝐫𝜇𝐿
= 𝑉+
𝑉 2𝐴2 −∆𝑃 𝐴(−∆𝑃) Filtrate (liquid)

𝑡 𝐫𝜇𝑣 2
2
= 2 𝑉 ↔ 𝑉 = −∆𝑃 𝐴2 𝑡 (𝐢)
𝑉 2𝐴 −∆𝑃 𝐫𝜇𝑣
𝑉 2 = 𝐾 −∆𝑃 𝐴2 𝑡 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐾 = 2ൗ𝐫𝜇𝑣
Then substituting into the above equation for 1 revolution of
the drum and noting that each element of area is immersed
for one-fifth of a cycle:
Time when 20% of filter
is in the slurry tank

(1.25 × 10−4 × 360)2 = 𝐾 6.5 × 104 1.131 2

× 72
37
𝐾 = 3.38 × 10−10
Class Exercise FP2: Solution
Part 2: Filter Press
Plate
Time to dismantle filter = 𝟏𝟐𝟎 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬
Time to reassemble filter = 𝟏𝟐𝟎 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬
Time to remove each cake = 𝟏𝟐𝟎 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬

0.30 m
Automated Filter Press

0.30 m
Frame

Overall filtration rate, 𝑾 = 𝟏. 𝟐𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟒 𝐦𝟑 Τ𝐬

Operating pressure, −∆𝑷 = 𝟏𝟕𝟓 𝐤𝐏𝐚
Cake concentration, 𝒗 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟒𝟑 𝒗Τ𝒗

Filtrate Tank
Slurry Tank
38
Class Exercise FP2: Solution
Part 2: Filter Press

b) Using a filter press with 𝒏 frames of thickness 𝑏 m, the total

time, for 1 complete cycle of the press = 𝑡𝑓 + 120𝑛 + 240 s,
where 𝑡𝑓 is the time during which filtration is occurring.
𝑉𝑓
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 = = 1.25 × 10−4 m3 Τs (𝐢𝐢)
𝑡𝑓 + 120𝑛 + 240
where 𝑉𝑓 is the total volume of filtrate per cycle.
The volume of cake in frames/(volume of cake deposited by unit
volume of filtrate), 𝑣 is given by:
(0.3)2 𝑛𝑏
𝑉𝑓 = = 0.629𝑛𝑏 (𝐢𝐢𝐢)
0.143
And from equation (i):
2
2
39 𝑉 = −∆𝑃 𝐴2 𝑡 = 𝐾 −∆𝑃 𝐴2 𝑡 (𝐢𝐯)
𝐫𝜇𝑣
Class Exercise FP2: Solution
Combining equations (iii) and (iv) gives: 𝑉 2 = 𝐾 −∆𝑃 𝐴2 𝑡 = (0.629 𝑛𝑏)2
𝑉𝑓2 = 3.38 × 10−10 × 1.75 × 105 (2𝑛 × 0.3 × 0.3)2 𝑡𝑓 = (0.629 𝑛𝑏)2
𝑡𝑓 = 2.064 × 105 𝑏 2 (𝐯)
And substituting equations (v) and (iii) into equation (ii) gives:

−4
0.629 𝑛𝑏
1.25 × 10 =
2.064 × 105 𝑏 2 + 120𝑛 + 240
25.8 𝑏 2 + 0.015𝑛 + 0.03 = 0.629 𝑛𝑏 (𝐯𝐢)
0.03 + 25.8 𝑏 2
𝑛= (𝐯𝐢𝐢)
0.629 𝑏 − 0.015
Important to note is that 𝑛 will be a minimum when:
𝑑𝑛
40 =0
𝑑𝑏
Class Exercise FP2: Solution
That is when:
𝑑 0.03 + 25.8 𝑏 2
=0
𝑑𝑏 0.629 𝑏 − 0.015

0.629 𝑏 − 0.015 2 × 25.8 𝑏 − 0.03 + 25.8 𝑏 2 0.629

=0
(0.629 𝑏 − 0.015)2
𝑏 2 − 0.0477 𝑏 − 0.001165 = 0

0.0477 ± 0.002275 + 0.00466

𝑏=
2
𝒃 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟔𝟓𝟓 𝐦 = 𝟔𝟓. 𝟓 𝐦𝐦
Now substitute into equation (vii) to find 𝑛:
0.03 + 25.8 (0.0655)2
𝑛= = 5.37
0.629(0.0655) − 0.015
41
𝒏 ≅ 𝟔 → 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝟔 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝.
Class Exercise FP2: Solution
c) Now that the number of frames has been fixed at 6, the
actual size of frames (thickness) to give the required rate of
filtration is calculated from equation (vi):
25.8 𝑏 2 + 0.015𝑛 + 0.03 = 0.629 𝑛𝑏
25.8 𝑏 2 + (0.015 × 6) + 0.03 = (0.629 × 6)𝑏
25.8 𝑏 2 + 0.09 + 0.03 = 3.774𝑏
𝑏 2 − 0.146𝑏 + 0.00465 = 0

0.146 ± 0.02132 − 0.0186

𝑏=
2
𝒃 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟒𝟕 𝐦 𝐨𝐫 𝟎. 𝟎𝟗𝟗 𝐦

Thus, 6 frames of thickness either 47 mm or 99 mm

42
will give exactly the required filtration rate.
Class Exercise FP2: Solution
: Solution Summary
Rotary Drum Vacuum Filter Results
Rotational speed of drum 1 rev/360 s
Filter drum submergence 20%
Overall filtration rate 1.25 x 10-4 m3/s
Volumetric rate of deposition of solids 1.79 x 10-5 m3/s
Volume of cake deposited per revolution 6.44 x 10-3 m3
Cake thickness produced 5.7 mm

Plate and Frame Filter Results

Total time for 1 complete filtration cycle 1416 s = 24 mins
Thickness of frames 47 mm
Minimum number of frames 6
43
 Class Exercise FP3
Show that, in constant rate filtration, when a filter cloth
and the initial layer of the cake are together equivalent to
the thickness 𝑳 of the cake as deposited at a later stage
in the process, and −∆𝑷 is the pressure drop across the
cake and cloth combined, then the following basic
filtration equation:

𝟏 𝒅𝑽 −∆𝑷 𝒗𝑽
= 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝒍=
𝑨 𝒅𝒕 𝐫𝝁 𝒍 + 𝑳 𝑨
can be expressed in a quadratic form set-up as follows:

𝑳𝑨 𝑨𝟐 −∆𝑷
𝑽𝟐𝟏 + 𝑽𝟏 = 𝒕𝟏
𝒗 𝐫𝝁𝒗

44
where 𝑽𝟏 is the volume of filtrate collected
in time, 𝒕𝟏 .
Class Exercise FP3: Solution
Consider that the filter cloth and initial layers of cake are
together equivalent to thickness 𝑳 of cake as deposited at a
later stage in the process:
𝟏 𝒅𝑽 −∆𝑷 𝒗𝑽
= 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝒍=
𝑨 𝒅𝒕 𝐫𝝁 𝒍 + 𝑳 𝑨
𝑨
𝒅𝑽 𝑨 −∆𝑷 𝑨 −∆𝑷 × 𝒗
= =
𝒅𝒕 𝐫𝝁 𝒗𝑽 + 𝑳 𝐫𝝁
𝒗𝑽
+ 𝑳 ×
𝑨
𝑨 𝑨 𝒗

𝒅𝑽 𝑨𝟐 −∆𝑷
=
𝒅𝒕 𝐫𝝁𝒗 𝑽 + 𝑳𝑨
𝒗
Rearranging the equation and integrating from
𝑽𝟏 𝐭𝐨 𝑽 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝒕𝟏 𝐭𝐨 𝒕, gives:
𝑽 𝒕
𝑨𝟐 −∆𝑷
න 𝒅𝑽 = න 𝒅𝒕
45 𝑳𝑨
𝑽𝟏 𝐫𝝁𝒗 𝑽 + 𝒗 𝒕𝟏
Class Exercise FP3: Solution
𝑨𝟐 −∆𝑷
𝑽 − 𝑽𝟏 = 𝒕 − 𝒕𝟏
𝑳𝑨
𝐫𝝁𝒗 𝑽 +
𝒗
For constant rate filtration, the following limits apply:
𝒕 = 𝟎, 𝑽=𝟎 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝒕 = 𝒕𝟏 , 𝑽 = 𝑽𝟏
𝑨𝟐 −∆𝑷
𝑽𝟏 = 𝒕
𝑳𝑨 𝟏
𝐫𝝁𝒗 𝑽𝟏 + 𝒗

𝑨𝟐 −∆𝑷 𝑽𝟏 𝑨𝟐 −∆𝑷 × 𝑽𝟏
𝑽𝟏 = 𝒕𝟏 × ↔ 𝑽𝟏 = 𝒕𝟏
𝑳𝑨 𝑽𝟏 𝑳𝑨𝑽𝟏
𝐫𝝁𝒗 𝑽𝟏 + 𝐫𝝁𝒗 𝑽𝟐𝟏 +
𝒗 𝒗
𝑳𝑨𝑽𝟏
𝑽𝟏 𝐫𝝁𝒗 𝑽𝟐𝟏 + = 𝑨𝟐 −∆𝑷 × 𝒕𝟏 𝑽𝟏
𝒗

𝑳𝑨𝑽𝟏
𝐫𝝁𝒗 𝑽𝟐𝟏 + = 𝑨𝟐 −∆𝑷 𝒕𝟏
𝒗
𝑳𝑨 𝑨𝟐 −∆𝑷
46 𝑽𝟐𝟏 + 𝑽 = 𝒕𝟏
𝒗 𝟏 𝐫𝝁𝒗