FILTRATION MECHANISM

This is the method used to separate fine suspended solids with particles that are too small to be
separated from the liquid by gravitational or centrifugal methods, dead-end filtration in particular. In
dead-end filtration, the slurry moves toward the filter medium, which provides an obstruction to the
flow of the liquid. The liquid passes through the medium while the solid particles settle at the surface of
the filter medium. Note that the diameter of the filter of the medium is less than that of the solid
particles. The solid particles that get trapped in the surface of the medium build up in layers until they
form what is called the cake. The cake provides for actual filtration and the filter medium supports the
cake.

CLASSIFICATIONS

FLOW DIRECTION:

1. Crossflow filtration
2. Dead-end filtration

PARTICLE REJECTION:

1. Surface Filtration
2. Depth Filtration

FILTER MEDIA

Two types:

1. Surface filters: a solid sieve which traps the solid particles, with or without the aid of filter paper
2. Depth filters: a bed of granular material which retains the solid particles as it passes (e.g. sand
filter)

Woven-Cloth Felt Metal

Pore Size Distribution 30-50% interfiber pores, 100% Interfiber Sintered
the rest are interyarn 90% uniform size
pores distribution

Pore Size Radius Interfiber: 10 microns 2 180 microns 20 50 microns

Interyarn: 70-200
microns

Canvas Cloth

Filter cloth or paper consists of different types of fibers layered to create pores that allow liquid to flow
through while collecting solid particles. These fibers may be synthetic, such as nylon or polyester, or
natural, such as cotton or wool.
Metal

Filters made from metal or ceramic are rigid and used in high-pressure applications, such as for polymer
filtration or where a corrosive fluid is present. An example would be diesel exhaust filters or high-
temperature environments. They are almost always capable of being cleaned and reused.

As is the case for all MiniMesh S metal filter cloths, the pore size of MiniMesh RPD HiFlo-S metal filter
cloth can be calculated precisely in advance and adapted to the respective requirements. These
precision pores can achieve extremely high cut-points and dimensional stability, says the manufacturer.
Previous filter cloths with small pore sizes lead to reduced flowrates and significant pressure loss in the
production process. Due to the new three-dimensional cloth structure, the open surface over an area is
significantly increased. For a given pore size, the flowrate is more than doubled compared to
conventional woven-metal filter media, says the company. In addition, the flow conditions are optimized
and turbulence around the filter cloth is effectively avoided.

Synthetic Fibers

Polypropylene.
Nylon.

Granular Beds of Particulate Solids

Filter Medium Selection

In selecting an appropriate filter medium for an operation, take note of the following:

Ability to remove the solid phase (Pore Size)

High liquid throughput for a given pressure drop
Mechanical strength
Chemical inertness to the slurry to be filtered and to any wash fluids
Lowest possible overall filtration cost
PROBLEMS IN FILTRATION
As time increases, filtration rate decreases. This is due to the flow of the slurry pressing
over the cake. This compresses the cake, increasing the cake resistance.
Also, solid particles may penetrate the filter medium and cause plugging. Eventually, they
accumulate on the surface of the filter medium plugging up 5 25% of the pore volume
in normal cases. This results in a sharp increase in flow resistance.
FILTER AID

Filter aids are used to speed up the filtration or to make it possible to collect more completely the finest
particles held in the slurry. These are finely divided, hard structured solids that form an open non-
compressible cake and increase cake permeability b. Thus, they act as the primary filter medium.

The filter aid forms a porous layer on the septum and becomes the filtering medium that traps
the solids and prevents them from blinding the septum. Filter aid filtration is mechanical, not
chemical in nature. Irregularly shaped particles interlace and overlay leaving 85 to 95 % voids or open
spacesbillions of microscopically fine interstices between the filter aid particles.

Good filter aids are light in weight and chemically inert. They form high porosity filter cakes that permit
high initial liquid flow, provide pore spaces to trap and contain the filterable solids and leave a
high percentage of channels remaining open for flow. Particle size distribution is tailored to permit pre-
coating on coarse wire and yet give the desired flow rate and clarity.

A) Silica-based Minerals

Diatomaceous Earth

DE consist of skeletons of ancient diatoms. Diatomaceous Earth (also known as DE, diatomite and
Kieselghur) is the fossil remains of plankton that died in the oceans millions of years ago and sank to the
bottom to form deposits. Chemically it is predominantly silica, one of the most abundant minerals on
the upper crust of our planet, earth! They are mined from ancient seabed, processed, and classified to
make different grade of filter aids.

DE is the most commonly used filter aid today. There are different grades of commercial DE. A finer
grade may be employed to increase the clarity of filtrate. The smaller the filter aid particle size, the
smaller the process particles can be removed. However, the filtration rate is lower. There is always a
balance between initial filtrate clarity and filtration rate. The particle size capture by various filter aids
may also vary because of liquid viscosity, surface charge, etc.
Price range: SGD185/kg = Php 6432.92/kg

Perlite

Perlite is another important mineral filter aid. It is a particular variety of naturally occurring glassy
volcanic rock, characterized by onion like, splintery breakage planes (Fig 2b). After crushing and heating,
this rock will expand in an explosive fashion to about ten times its original volume.

Others

There are several other special materials used as filter aids, including asbestos, cellulose, agricultural
fibers, saw dust, rice hull ash, paper fibers etc.

B) Cellulose

Application of the Filter Aid

1. Pre-coating: This will prevent gelatinous-type solids from plugging the filter medium and also
give a clearer filtrate.
2. Body feed (Mixing into the slurry): This increases the porosity of the cake and reduces resistance
of the cake during filtration.

Limitations of use: The use of filter aids is usually limited to cases where the cake is discarded or where
the precipitate can be chemically separated from the filter.

Filter Aid Selection

Clarity is considered by many engineers to be the most important measure of efficiency in filter aid
filtration. A high quality filter aid is most important for uniform results day after day. Selection of the
particular type and grade of filter aid having the correct particle size and distribution is a major factor.
After these come many considerations such as the quantity of filter aid to be used; flowrate needed to
meet plant production schedules, equipment limitations and general filtration conditions. All of these
can best be resolved by tests using the actual liquid involved.

An efficient, economical filter aid must:

1) have rigid intricately shaped, porous individual particles.
2) form a highly permeable, stable and incompressible cake
3) remove even the finest solids at high rates of flow
4) be chemically inert and essentially insoluble in the liquid being filtered.
Diatomite

Perlite

References:
Darby, ()

(b) http://www.afssociety.org/filtration-media/61-what-are-filter-aids

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filtration#Filter_aid

http://www.beaverchemicals.com/how_filteraid_works.html

http://www.chemengonline.com/metal-filter-cloths-precise-pore-sizes/

http://onlinembr.info/membrane-process/classification-of-filtration-modes/

http://www.afssociety.org/filtration-media/257-every-filtration-media-has-a-purpose