CHE1022: Mechanical Operation Lab

Expt No :4
Date :
LEAF FILTER

AIM:

To determine the specific cake resistance and filter medium resistance for a leaf filter
by constant pressure filtration.
APPARATUS:
Leaf- filter set-up, mechanical stirrer, stop watch, scale, thread, sample, measuring jar,
bucket, watch glass and oven.
THEROY:
Filtration involves the separation of solids from liquids. In the conventional process
slurry normally flows into the filter medium. If the pressure differential is held constant the
rate of filtration will decrease with time. The decrease is directly attributed to the increase in
the flow resistance through the growing filter cake. The flow of the filtrate through the filter
cake should be desirable by any one of the general equations for flow through packed beds.
The flow is assumed to be laminar and Kozney-Karman equation applies. This equation
relates the pressure drop through the cake to the flow rate.
Leaf filters are parallel to the plate and frame filter work. It is made of metal covered
by a heavy filter cloth and outlet nipple is fixed on the frame when the leaf is submerged
metal in the liquid magma and vacuum is applied to the outlet pipe. The liquid is drawn
through the cloth while the solids adhere to the outside of the leaf.
For constant pressure filtration it has been experimentally determined that the mean
porosity of the cake and the mean specific cake resistance for the given pressure difference
remains constant and is independent of cake thickness.

PROCEDURE:
Prepare a 3% slurry of CaCO3 of around 15 liters. Stir the slurry with the help of a
stirrer, driven by an electric motor to get a uniform suspension throughout the process.
Immerse the leaf filter in the slurry. Start the vacuum pump and maintain a constant pressure
(100 mm of Hg) by adjusting the vacuum knob of the pump. When the first drop of filtration
falls in to collecting jar, start the stop clock and record the vacuum gauge reading and the
time taken for every 2cm rise of filtrate level in the collecting tank. Continue the process of

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CHE1022: Mechanical Operation Lab

filtration, up to the level of filter cloth immersed in the slurry. After completion of filtration,
take a small amount of wet cake on a watch glass and record the wet cake weight. Place the
wet sample in an oven for drying. After drying, cool the sample and weigh for dry cake
weight. Repeat the procedure for various vacuum pressure (200, 300 mm of Hg) and note the
readings.
Draw a graph between t /v vs v. Determine the slope (Kc/2) and intercept(1/qo) for
various pressure readings and calculate and Rm for each pressure and calculate the average.

OBSERVATIONS:

Initial Concentration of slurry, Cs = kg/m3

Diameter of leaf filter , D = m.
Diameter of collection tank, d = m.
Density of filtrate, = kg/m3
Viscosity of filtrate, = N.s/m3
Formula Used:

1. Concentration of filter cake C=
[1({ }1)]

Where Ww-Weight of wet cake in kg

Wd - Weight of dry cake in kg
. .2 .
2. Specific cake resistance: = m/kg

1
.. .( )

3. Filter Medium Resistance Rm = m-1

4. Filtration Characteristics, = ()
Where s = Compressibility coefficient
CALCULATIONS:
Cross-sectional area of collection tank = m2
Cross-sectional area of leaf filter, A = m2

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CHE1022: Mechanical Operation Lab

TABLE I:

Height,h Volume of Vacuum pressure Vacuum pressure Vacuum pressure

(cm) filtrate, v 100 mm of Hg 200 mm of Hg 300 mm of Hg
X10-4 (m3)
t (s) t/v (s/m3) t (s) t/v (s/m3) t (s) t/v (s/m3)

TABLE II:

S.No
Pressure Specific cake resistance, Filter medium resistance, Rm
(mm of Hg) (m/kg) (m-1)

1 100
2 200
3 300
Average Average

RESULT:

Filtration characteristics of leaf filter has been drawn and the values are:

1. Average specific cake resistance, = _______________.

2. Average filter cake resistance, Rm = _______________.
3. Filtration Characteristics equation, = _______________.