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Particulate Seperation PDF
Particulate Seperation PDF
FILTRATION
This is the mechanical separation of solid particles from a fluid by passing the fluid through a
filtering medium, or septum, on which the solids are deposited. The most common filtering
medium is fabric cloth with strong mechanical properties. The fabric causes the solid particles to
become entangled on the surface of the cloth, resulting in the formation of a layer of solids, and
the buildup of the solids on the layer. Filtration separation is driven by the pressure difference
(p) between two sides of the filtration medium, created either by a pressure on the upstream
side, by a vacuum at the downstream side. For filtration to take place, external force is applied to
a fluid-solid mixture to make it flow through the medium.
Definition of terms:
Slurry: Suspension to be filtered
Filter medium: Porous medium used to retain solid
Filter cake: Accumulated solids on the filter
Filtrate: Fluid passing through the filter
The liquidsolid filtration is often called cakefiltration. In cake filtration, the separation of
solids from the slurry by the filtering medium is effective during the initial stages of filtration;
later, the solid layer deposited on the filter increases in thickness with time, making the
resistance to the fluid flowing through the filter to increase. The rate of filtration is strongly
affected by properties of the slurry, compressibility of solid cake and viscosity of liquid.
The filtration process in rotary-drum filter is continuous whereas the filtration process in plate
and frame press filter is a batch.
How it works
Working of the plate and frame press filter can be divided into two steps:
1. Filtration operation
2. Washing of cake (if desirable)
Washing operation
Slurry enters the frame from the feed channel and passes through the filter medium on
the surface of the plate
The thickness of the cake is half of the frame thickness, because on each side of frame
filtration occurs
Thus two filter cakes are formed , which meet eventually in the centre of the frame
The filtrate drains between the projections of the surface of the plate and escape from the
outlet
As filtration proceeds, the resistance of the cake increases and filtration rate decrease
At a certain point process is stopped and press is emptied and cycle is restarted
Washing operation
To wash the filter cake, the outlets of washing plates are closed.
The water enters through the inlets on the surface of washing plate.
Water passes through the filter cloth and enters frame which contains the cake.
Then water washes the cake, passes through the filter cloth and enters the plate down the
surface.
Rotary-drum filter
How it works
A portion of the cylinder (rotary drum) submerged in the trough is subjected to vacuum
applied to the outlet, which is connected to the filtrate receiver.
A layer of solids (cake) builds up on the drum as the liquid is drained through cloth; the
cake formed is drained or partially dried by vacuum.
Retaining the vacuum connection drains the cake and produces partial dryness then,
removed by a doctor knife.
When the solids of the slurry are too much that the filter cloth becomes blocked with the
particles, a pre-coat filter may be used.
A pre-coat of filter aid is deposited on the drum prior to the filtration process.
( ) 3
(1)
Where,
=
And =
Expressing pressure drop as a function of surface-volume ratio instead of particle size
Where,
= 6 ( )
(2)
Then,
2
2
(
)
4.17
1
(3)
2
2
(
)
4.17 1 ( )
=
3
(4)
So,
(1 )
(5)
(6)
4.17(1 ) ( )
=
3
(7)
Integrating;
2
(
)
4.17
1
0
2
4.17(1 ) ( )
=
=
3
Let 1 = 4.17
2
1 (1 ) ( )
=
=
3
(8)
Rearranging;
2
1 ( ) (1 )
=
3
(9)
The term on the LHS is equivalent to the term on the RHS and are called the specific
cake resistance
2
1 ( ) (1 )
=
3
(9)
(9)
(10)
Where
By analogy with the cake resistance, filter medium resistance, can be defined as:
=
=
(11)
Where
From equation(11),
(11b)
= (
+ )
(12)
(13)
Let:
=
=
=
From material balance, =
(14)
(15)
Taking the inverse of equation (16)
() =
(16)
1
1
=
=
Substituting for
(17)
in equation (15),
=
(
+ )
=
(
+ )
(18)
) =
=
0 0
(19)
= = 2 +
Let
(19)
= = +
(20)
1
)
0
= +
2
+
2
0
(21)
Divide through by V;
1
=
+
2
0
(21)
(22)
(23)
recall, =
Recall:
=
1 1
=
( )
( )
=
(24)
Rearranging;
2
= 2
2
=
( )
(25)
Exercise
In a laboratory, CaCO 3 slurry in water at 25o C was filtered at constant pressure drop of 338kPa.
The filter area of the pilot plate-andframe press was 0.0439m2 , the slurry concentration was
c=23.47kg/m3 and its viscosity was 8.937 104 . .
a. For this laboratory filtration process, calculate the constants and from the
experimental data given in the table below
b. Using the same pressure drop as above, the same slurry is to be filtered industrially with a
plate-and-frame press having 20 frames and 0.873 m2 area per frame. Calculate the time
to recover 3.37m3 filtrate assuming the same filter cake properties and filter cloth.
t(s)
V(m3 )
4.4
0.498 103
9.5
1.000 103
16.3
1.501 103
24.6
2.000 103
34.7
2.498 103
46.1
3.002 103
59.0
3.506 103
73.6
4.004 103
89.4
4.502 103
107.3
5.009 103
Hint
From your graph determine the intercept as (the value is around 6400s/ m3 ) and
slope as
Determine the new filter area from the new values given in the question
Note that from equation (19b), is inversely proportional to the square of the
filter area; based on the new filter area, calculate the new value of