Filtration cycles

There is an additional pressure drop across the cake, developed by electroosmosis, which leads to increased flow rates through the cake and further dewatering at the end of the filtration cycle. The filtration theory proposed for electrofiltration assumes the simple superposition of electroosmotic pressure on the hydraulic pressure drop. 

The cleaning action of the pulse is so effective that the dust layer may be completely removed From the surface of the fabric. Consequently, the fabric itself must sei ve as the principal filter medium for at least a substantial part of the filtration cycle. Woven fabrics are unsuitable for such service, and felts of various types must be used. The bulk of the dust is still removed in a surface layer, but the felt ensures that an adequate collection efficiency is maintained until the dust layer has formed. 

The examples which follow show how data from the correlations justpresented and a knowledge of thephysical characteristics of a particular filter are used to determine a filtration cycle and, subsequently, the size of the filter itself. The three examples which follow involve a disk, a drum belt, and a horizontal belt filter. 

FK . 18-106 Typical filtration cycles. [Tiller and Ciump, Chem. Eng. Prog. 73(10), 72(1977), hy pennission.]... 

The advantages of the tubular filter are that it uses an easily replaced filter medium, its filtration cycle can be interrupted and the shell can be emptied of prefilt at any time without loss of the cake, the cake is readily recoverable in dry form, and the inside of the filter is conveniently accessible. There is also no unfiltered heel. Disadvantages are the necessity and attendant labor requirements of emptying by hand and replacing the filter media and the tendency for neavy solids to settle out in the header chamber. Applications are as a scavenger filter to remove fines not removed in a prior-filtration stage with a different land of equipment, to handle the runoff from other filters, and in semiworks and small-plant operations in which the filter s size, versatility, and cleanliness recommend it. 

External-Cake Tubular Filters Several filter designs are available with vertical tubes supported by a filtrate-chamber tube sheet in a vertical cylindrical vessel (Fig. 18-115). The tubes may be made of wire cloth porous ceramic, carbon, plastic, or metal or closely wound wire. The tubes may have a filter cloth on the outside. Frequently a filter-aid precoat will be applied to the tubes. The prefilt slurry is fed near the bottom of the vertical vessel. The filtrate passes from the outside to the inside of the tubes and into a filtrate chamber at the top or the bottom of the vessel. The sohds form a cake on the outside ofthe tubes with the filter area actually increasing as the cake builds up, partially compensating for the increased flow resistance of the thicker cake. The filtration cycle continues until the differential pressure reaches a specified level, or until about 25 mm (1 in) of cake thickness is obtainea... 

Filter aids may be applied in one of two ways. The first method involves the use of a precoat filter aid, which can be applied as a thin layer over the filter before the suspension is pumped to the apparatus. A precoat prevents fine suspension particles from becoming so entangled in the filter medium that its resistance becomes exces-sive. In addition it facilitates the removal of filter cake at the end of the filtration cycle. The second application method involves incorporation of a certain amount of the material with the suspension before introducing it to the filter. The addition of filter aids increases the porosity of the sludge, decreases its compressibility, and reduces the resistance of the cake. In some cases the filter aid displays an adsorption action, which results in particle separation of sizes down to 0.1 /i. The adsorption ability of certain filter aids, such as bleached earth and activated charcoals, is manifest by a decoloring of the suspension s liquid phase. This practice is widely used for treating fats and oils. The properties of these additives are determined by the characteristics... 

When solid particles undergo separation from the mother suspension, they are captured both on the surface of the filter medium and within the inner pore passages. The penetration of solid particles into the filter medium increases the flow resistance until the filtration cycle can no longer continue at economical throughput rates, at which time the medium itself must either be replaced or thoroughly cleaned. 

When a clear filtrate is required immediately after the filtration cycle commences otherwise recirculation must be employed until a clear filtrate is obtained. 

Step 3. Heel Removal - Once the filtration cycle is completed it is necessary to remove the slurry heel that surrounds the leaves otherwise the cake will be wet while being discharged. For this purpose a special dip pipe at the very bottom of the tank evacuates the remaining slurry heel which is recirculated back to the feed tank. 

A central valve with bridge setting to control the various zones throughout the filtration cycle, and in some instances, two bridge circles with the second serving to purge the pan. The valve has internal compartments for the mother and wash filtrates. 

An internal rim fixed to the table at the inner circumference and a continuous rubber belt that surrounds the table at the periphery and confine the slurry, wash liquids and the cake during the filtration cycle. 

Neglecting the resistance of the filter medium, determine (a) the total filtration time and (b) the filtration cycle with the existing pump for a maximum daily capacity, if the time for removing the cake and reassembling the press is 1200 s. The cake is not washed. 

Few basic studies of the efficiency of bag filters have been made. Increased dust penetration immediately following cleaning has been readily observed while the dust layer is being reestablished. However, field and laboratory studies have indicated that during the rest of the filtration cycle the effluent-dust concentration tends to remain... 

In a compressible cake, the volume v of cake deposited per unit area as a result of the flow of unit volume of filtrate will not be constant, but will vary during the filtration cycle. If the particles themselves are not compressible, however, the volume of particles (vr) will be almost independent of the conditions under which the cake is formed assuming a dilute feed suspension. Any small variations in v arise because the volume of filtrate retained in the cake is a function of its voidage, although the effect will be very small,... 

Under all conditions, it is essential to operate with combinations of drum speed, submergence and vacuum, which, for the feed conditions that apply, will ensure that a fully dischargeable cake is formed. If this is not done then progressive deterioration in the effectiveness of the filter medium will occur and this will adversely affect the performance of the machine. Typical filtration cycles for drum filters are given in Table 7.4. 

Table 7.4. Filtration cycles for drum-type rotary vacuum filter (times in seconds)... 

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