Pressure filters and presses

Variable volume pressure filters and presses Diaphragm filter press 8 8 8 7 1-200 0.1-25... 

Rotary disk (ceramic) Pressure filters and Presses 4 — 9 8 1-700 3-30... 

Filter press Variable volume pressure filters and presses 6 8 8 8 1-100 0.005-30... 

It may be noticed that some of the filters discussed are operated continuously and some are not. For example, the rapid sand filter, the slow sand filter, the pressure filter, and the rotary vacuum filter are all operated continuously. The plate-and-frame press is operated as a batch. Thus, filters may also be classified as continuous and discontinuous. Only the plate-and-frame press is discussed in this chapter as a representation of the discontinuous type, but others are used, such as the shell-and-leaf filters and the cartridge filters. The first operates in a mode that a leaf assembly is inserted into a shell while operating and retracted out from the shell when it is time to remove the cake. The second looks like a cartridge in outward appearance with the filter medium inside it. The medium could be thin circular plates or disks stacked on top of each other. The clearance between disks serves to filter out the solids. 

Although one of the oldest types of filter, the filter press has, over the last century, been the most important of the process pressure filters, and remains important to this day, despite the appearance of competitive types of filter. It has kept this major role by virtue of a small number of design improvements, and also of developments in filter media that have enabled it to keep pace with market demands for improved filtration efficiencies, better energy efficiency, higher degrees of clarity in its filtrates and some measnre of automation. Almost every type of filter medium, available in sheet form and with the ability to resist the pressnre differentials involved in the filter press, can be used, although membrane media are not often called for outside the microfiltration range. 

Pour the resulting dark reddish-brown liquid into 500 ml. of water to which 17 ml. of saturated sodium bisulphite solution has been added (the latter to remove the excess of bromine). Steam distil the resulting mixture (Fig. II, 41,1) , collect the first portion of the distillate, which contains a little unchanged nitrobenzene, separately. Collect about 4 litres of distillate. Filter the yellow crystalline solid at the pump, and press well to remove the adhering liquid. The resulting crude m-bromonitrobenzene, m.p. 51-52°, weighs 110 g. If required pure, distil under reduced pressure (Fig. II, 19, 1) and collect the fraction of b.p. 117-118°/9 mm. it then melts at 56° and the recovery is about 85 per cent. 

Membrane plate and tube presses are dealt with here belt and screw presses are included in the discussion of continuous pressure filters. 

The Flat-bed pressure filter (Hydromation Engineering Co. Ltd.) (19) is based on the above principle. The pressure compartment consists of two halves, top and bottom. The bottom half is stationary while the top half can be raised to allow the belt and the cake to pass out of the compartment, and can be lowered onto the belt during the filtration and dewatering stage. The filter can be considered as a horizontal filter press with an indexing cloth in comparison with a conventional filter press, however, this filter allows only the lower face of the chamber to be used for filtration. 

The vertical recessed plate automatic press, shown schematically in Figure 15 and described previously, is another example of a horizontal belt pressure filter. Cycle times ate short, typically between 10 and 30 minutes, and the operation is fully automated. The maximum cake thickness is about 35 mm washing and dewatering (by air displacement) of cakes is possible. Apphcations include treatment of mineral slurries, sugar, sewage sludge, and fillers like talc, clay, and whiting. 

A pressure filter is a plate-and-frame press which operates on an intermittent time cycle. Drier cakes are generally attainable from a filter press. Sludge drying beds are usually used for smaller sludge volumes, which drain and dry rapidly. Thein appHcation is usually restricted to the more arid climates. 

In the true gravity case, pumps are not used. If, however, the liquid is highly viscous, to achieve efficient operation, pumps are required to force the fluid through the pressure filters. The pump can be considered essentially as a press with a plate-and-frame filter. The plate-and-frame filter consists of a series ot frames over which the filter medium is stretched. A centrifugal basket of fine mesh is another method of particulate removal. 

The plate and frame press is a type of pressure filter (Figure 4.6). Filter plates are held within a frame and slurry is pumped under pressure into the spaees between sueeessive plates. As filtration proeeeds filter eake builds up and the pressure drop inereases, finally reaehing the limit of the pump. Eventually, the plate spaees beeome filled with eake and the plates are released in the frame and the eake diseharged. A wash eyele may also be introdueed to remove liquor held up in the filter eake. The operation is thus essentially bateh-wise and ean be labour intensive. 

The reaction product, which is a dark reddish-brown liquid, is poured or siphoned (Note 5) into 1.5 1. of water to which 50 cc. of a saturated solution of sodium bisulfite has been added (Note 6). The mixture is distilled with steam (Org. Syn. 2, 80) and the first portion of the distillate is collected separately to remove a small amount of unchanged nitrobenzene. It is necessary to collect about 12 1. of distillate in order to obtain all of the m-bromonitrobenzene. The yellow crystalline solid is filtered with suction and pressed well on the funnel to remove water and traces of nitrobenzene. The yield of crude product varies from 270-340 g. (60-75 Per cent °f the theoretical amount). It melts at 51.5-520 and boils at 117-118 79 mm. This product is satisfactory for most purposes. If a purer material is desired, the crude /w-bromonitrobenzene may be distilled under reduced pressure. The recovery on purification is about 85 per cent. Briihl recorded the b.p. as 1380/18 mm. and the m.p. as 56° for pure wz-bromonitrobenzene.1... 

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