FILTER PRESS

PURPOSE
To conduct constant pressure filtration tests by the use of a pilot scale filter press in order to
determine,

1. Cake resistance
2. Filter medium resistance

THEORY
For constant pressure filtration

𝑡
=𝐾 𝑉+ 𝐾
𝑉

Where,

𝛼𝜇𝛽
𝐾 =
2∆𝑃𝐴
𝛼𝜇𝑙
𝐾 =
∆𝑃𝐴

𝑉 − 𝐶𝑢𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒

𝛼 − 𝐶𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒

𝛽 − 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛

∆𝑃 − 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒

𝐴 − 𝐹𝑖𝑙𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎

𝜇 − 𝑉𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑦

𝑙 − 𝐹𝑖𝑙𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒

PREPARATIONS
1. Turn the handle (8) of the body by hand in the counterclockwise direction for loosening of
chambers. Then open each chamber and put a filter paper or a filler cloth on each frame (9) neatly
aligning their holes with those of frame (9).

2. Provide rubber packing between each filter plate(10) and each filter frame(9) and move them
leftward by hand, one after another by following the steps as above.

3. Then, turn the handle (8) by hand in the clockwise direction to move the screw shaft and
subsequently fasten all chambers.

4. Close the drain valve (1) of the reservoir tank (15) and then put 40 liters of fresh water and 400g
of dried diatomaceous earth in the reservoir tank (15)
5. Agitate this mixture of fresh water and diatomaceous earth for a period of 5 minutes by use of an
agitator (optional). This will be the slurry solution (soil suspension).

6. Measure a specific gravity of solution by the specific gravity bottle.

EXPERIMENTS
1. Air purging
a. Thoroughly close filtrate delivery valve (16) and air purging cock(20) and open return
valve(14) and feed valve(12), then turn the switch of the pump on.
b. Open air-purging cock (20) gradually to purge air from filter chamber.
c. After it becomes that air does not come out any longer, close the cock.
2. Pressure set
a. After the completion of air purging, close return valve (14) totally and open feed
valve (12) totally. This time, filtrate liquid may leak from filter chamber, as the total
pressure from the pump will be put on filter chamber.
b. Fully open filtrate delivery valve (16) and collect filtrate into a vessel, which is
prepared.
c. When filtrate delivery valve (16) is fully opened, pressure gauge (13) indicates
almost zero. Then gradually the cake will be remained inside of the filter chamber
and the pressure will increase.
d. When the pressure comes up to the optional value, open return valve(14) to
maintain constant pressure (∆𝑃: 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑢𝑔𝑒)(13)
3. Measurement
a. Open filtrate delivery valve (16). Measure the time of filtration and the quantity of
filtrate liquid collected from the start of filtration(as per 2a.) until the operational
value of pressure is obtained.(as per 2d.)
b. As from the state mentioned in the above 2d., change the vessel into a new one.
Collect filtrate liquid in respective vessels per unit time.
c. After all the prepared vessels are filled with filtrate liquid, turn off the switch of
power source of the pump.
d. Measure the volume of filtration liquid in respective vessels and record it. Make sure
the vessels are in order from the first until last.
e. Repair the above measurement at least 3 times under different conditions and
pressure
4. Conditions and maintenance
a. Do not operate pump at no load
b. Confirm rotational direction of the pump before the tests. Rotational direction
should be clockwise when seen from the flange side. If it runs in reverse direction
immediately stop it and remove flange and then re-assemble impeller or rearrange
the wiring diagram.
c. After completion of the tests, take the pump and filter press and wash them. Filter
press should be dried up thoroughly.
CALCULATIONS

1. Calculate data of vs V (Cumulative volume) for each constant pressure test and enter in a
table
2. Plot graphs of vs V for each constant pressure

3. Find K1 (gradient of the graph) and K2 (intercept of the graph) and enter in a table

4. Perform following calculations to find necessary parameters on equation

4.1 Specific gravity of the solid (s) and slurry solutions ()

4.2 Solid volume fraction () and Volume of solids per unit volume of liquid () using following
equations
 −1
 =
𝜌 −1
𝜙
𝛽=
1−𝜙

4.3 Viscosity of the slurry (𝜇 ) using equation

5𝜙
𝜇 = 𝜇 𝑒𝑥𝑝
3(1 − 𝜙)
Here viscosity of the water 𝜇 = 0.8 × 10 𝑁𝑠𝑚

5. Calculate the cake resistance () and the filter medium resistance (𝑙) from the expressions for K1
and K2 and enter the results in a table

DISCUSSION

1. How do cake resistance and filter medium resistance vary with the pressure difference? Briefly
reason out the variation (10 marks)

2. Draw the flow path of the slurry and filtrate in a plate and frame filter press (10 marks)

3. What are the materials used for the fabrication of the various different parts of the apparatus
and why do you think those materials have been used at those points? (10 marks)

4. Carry out a thorough search about various type of filter presses (or filters) used in industrial
applications and mention them briefly (type and application) (10 marks)

5. Suggest ways and means that can be used to improve the practical (15 marks)
REFERENCES

List all the references used to write the discussion by appropriate way (References should be cited in
the discussion clearly)
APPARATUS- FILTER PRESS