Cake removal

Because gravity is too weak to be used for removal of cakes in a gravity side filter (2), continuously operated gravity side filters are not practicable but an intermittent flow system is feasible in this arrangement the cake is first formed in a conventional way and the feed is then stopped to allow gravity removal of the cake. A system of pressure filtration of particles from 2.5 to 5 p.m in size, in neutralized acid mine drainage water, has been described (21). The filtration was in vertical permeable hoses, and a pressure shock associated with relaxing the hose pressure was used to aid the cake removal. 

Mechanical Cake Removal. This method is used in the American version of the dynamic filter described under cross-flow filtration with rotating elements, where turbine-type rotors are used to limit the cake thickness at low speeds. The Exxflow filter, introduced in the United Kingdom, is described in more detail under cross-flow filtration in porous pipes. It uses, among other means, a roUer cleaning system which periodically roUs over a curtain of flexible pipes and dislodges any cake on the inside of the pipes. The cake is then flushed out of the curtain by the internal flow. 

As observed from Figure 27, the cake removal by fluid shear is also aided by centrifugal force. Other arrangements include stationary filtration media and rotating disks to create the shear effects, and rotating cylindrical elements it has also been shown how such filters can be used for cake washing. 

Both faces of each plate are hollowed to form a chamber for cake accumulation between adjacent plates. This design has the advantage of about half as many joints as a plate-and-frame press, making a tight closure more certain. Figure 18-114 shows some of the features of one type of recessed-plate filter which has a gasket to further minimize leaks. Air can be introduced behind the moth on both sides of each plate to assist cake removal. 

Scraper-Discharge Filter The filter medium is usually caulked into grooves in the drum grid, with cake removal facihtated by a scraper blade just prior to the resubmergence of the drum (Fig. 18-122). The scraper selves mainly as a deflector to direcl the cake, dislodged by an... 

Nonwoven filter media are mostly used for filter medium filtration with pore clogging. Because of the relatively low cost of this medium, it is often replaced after pore clogging. In some cases, nonwoven media are used for cake filtration. In this case, cake removal is so difficult that it must be removed altogether from the filter medium. Nonwoven filter media can be prepared so that pore sizes decrease in the direction from the surface of the filter media contacting suspension to the surface contacting the supporting device. This decreases the hydraulic resistance of... 

In selecting cloths made from synthetic materials, one must account for the fact that staple cloths provide a good retentivity of solid particles due to the short hairs on their surface. However, cake removal is often difficult from these cloths - more than from cloths of polyfilament and, especially, monofilament fibers. The type of fiber weave and pore size determine the degree of retentivity and permeability. The objective of the process, and the properties of particles, suspension and cake should be accounted for. The cloth selected in this maimer should be confirmed or corrected by laboratory tests. Such tests can be performed on a single filter. These tests, however, provide no information on progressive pore plugging and cloth wear. However, they do provide indications of expected filtrate pureness, capacity and final cake wetness. 

This family of filters consist of a vertical pressure vessel with a horizontal filter plate at the bottom. The filtrate from this equipment flows out a nozzle on the bottom of the filter. These devises are usually used for slurries where large amounts of solids are being collected. Variations of this equipment include equipment with removable lower heads for easy cake removal, ability to pressure or vacuum filter, ability to wash the filter cake, an agitator to break-up and rewash the filter cake, and heating or cooling jackets for the whole vessel. The Nutsche filter is the industrial version of the well known laboratory scale Buchner Funnel with the exception that it is designed to operate under either on vacuum or pressure. 

The total time for cake removal and filter preparation is 20 min. 

Two methods are used to remove the dust cake, both of which require interruption of the airflow. The difference in dust-cake removal conveniently divides filters into intermittent and continuous rating. In the intermittent type the pressure increases (with time) up to a pre-arranged level. The airflow is then stopped and the fabric is mechanically shaken. In the continuously rated filter the pressure drop rises to a low set point, after which it remains constant across the filter as a whole. The cleaning is done by isolating a part of the filter from the air stream and that section is cleaned. 

J. W. Dobson, Jr. and P. D. Kayga. Magnesium peroxide breaker system improves filter cake removal. Petrol Eng Int, 68(10) 49-50, October 1995. 

J. Weaver, K. M. Ravi, L. S. Eoff, R. Gdanski, and J. M. Wilson. Drilling fluid and filter cake removal methods and compositions. Patent US 5501276, 1996. 

Cake removal usually is with a scraper into a screw or belt conveyor, but Figure 11.12(d) depicts the use of a drum with a filtering belt that is subject to a continual cleaning process. Some filters have a multi parallel string discharge assembly whose path follows that of the belt shown. 

Methylmorpholine (6.8 mmol) was added to a solution of Fmoc-Asp(OBn)-OH (4.55 mmol) in 50 ml THF at -10°C followed by the addition of isobutyl chloroformate (6.0 mmol), then stirred 20 minutes, filtered, and the cake removed. 

Fig. 6.1. Twin-belt filter press (Bellmer) 1. Prior extraction of juice, 2. Wedge zone, 3. Low-pressure pressing zone, 4. High-pressure pressing zone, 5. Juice runoff, 6. Filter cleaning, 7. Filter cake removal.

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