Taller de Operaciones de ingeniería

Practica de filtración (Prensa)

Valentina Osorno Arteaga; Emanuel Sánchez Correa
2018

INTRODUCTION
Filter press is a filtration system that uses pressure as a functional principle. It consists in a
serie of parallel plates and frames alternated with a filter cloth covering each side of the
plates. Plates have incisions with shape of channels to drain the sieving in each plate.
[ CITATION ein11 \l 9226 ].
This is one of more efficient mechanisms liquid/solid separation through pressure filtration;
both for filtration of solutions and for volume reduction. It provides a simple and reliable
method of high pressure compaction to compress and dehydrate solids in filter cakes,
producing filtered solutions clearer than systems that only remove free water.[ CITATION
ACS10 \l 9226 ]
Filter press is used to carry out a separation between water and calcium carbonate; as last
one is insoluble in water, it is used to constant volume filtration, when filter is totally
vacuum, the mobile head is activated by a hydraulic-pneumatic system and closes the
plates. Closing pressure is self regulated through filtration.
Filter press have a large set of applications in solid/liquid separations. This equipment is
used in chemical industries, sugar industry, brewery, wine production, oil industries,
ceramic industries, and another applications. Currently, filter press have a preferential use
in a lot of industries because yield of processes are so high.
Mathematical model
To find filter cake specific resistance and filtering volume with a specific data set, it will be
the next equations:
−∆ P=−∆ Pc−∆ Pm (1)
Where:
 ∆Pc: Filter cake pressure drop.
 ∆Pm: Pressure drop of filtering medium.

The following equation shows the way to find filtration time. [ CITATION Ort12 \l 9226 ]

[ ]
t V V
μ CV α
∫ dt= A g(−∆ p)
∗
A 0
∫ V dV + R m∫ dV (2)
0 0
Where:
 µ: Viscosity
 A: Effective area of filter
 g: Gravity factor.
 V: Filtering volume
 C: Concentration
 Rm: Resistance of filtering medium.
Integrating both sides of equation (2)

[ ]
Cα
∗V 2
μ 2 R ∗V (3)
t= ∗ + m
g (−∆ P) A 2
A

Where:
 α: Filter cake internal resistance
Applying distributive property:
Cα
∗V 2
μ 2 Rm∗V μ (4)
t= +
g (−∆ P) A
2
A g (−∆ P)

Where:
μCα Rm μ
k P= (5) β= (6)
g (−∆ P ) A2 g (−∆ P ) A

Finally:
t KpV
= +β (7)
V 2

Kp 2
t= V + βV (8)
2
Where:
 Kp: slope
 Β: Y axis intercept

Using general formula to solve second degree algebraic equations, it is found v.

 −2 β ± √ 2 β2 −4 k p∗−2 t
V= (9)
2k p

Finally, Q can be found using the following equation:

V
Q= (10)
T
LAB GUIDE QUESTIONS
Calculate filter specific resistance and filter filtering that would have obtained if filtering
time is reduced to 45 min considering that the pulp has 15% solids and the filtration is
carried out in a parallel plate filter with a differential pressure of 290 Pa. Filtering volume
corresponds to 1.5 hours cycle. (Assume the paste is incompressible and viscosity of
filtered is 1.33 x 10-3 N s m-2). Filter area is 0.55 m2.
Table 1. Data set
time Filtering
(min) Volume (L)
7,5 1800
30,4 3800
50 4900
90 6800

Converting volume data to m3, deacummulating data and determinating t/V and Vprom
Table 2. Deaccumulate data
Time (s) v (m3) t/V (s/m3) Vp
450 1,8 250 0,9
1375 2 687,5 2,8
1175 1,1 1068,181818 4,35
2400 1,9 1263,157895 5,85

With the previous data, a plot of t/V vs Vprom can be obtained, and the slope and Y axis
intercept can be found
 t/V vs Vprom
1400
1200 f(x) = 209.51x + 89.15
1000 R² = 0.99
800
t/V

600
400
200
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
V promedio

t/V vs Vprom Linear (t/V vs Vprom)

Figure 1: plot of t/V vs V prom.

Where:
 Kp: m
 β: Y
From equations (5) and (6), it is found α y Rm
Table 3. Results of  y 

Kp β Rm 
-∆P
(kgf/m2) (s/m6) (1/m) (m/kg)
29,571764 209,5125 89,1542 10684548 92100

Equation (6) is used to calculate volume that was used in 45 min:

2(89,1542)
¿
¿
¿ 2−4 ( 209,5125 )∗2(−2700)
¿
−2(89,1542)± √ ¿
V =¿

3
V =4,662m
 Table 4. Flow rate
Flow Rate
Time (s) volume (ml)
(mL/s)
12,98 1000 77,042
12,33 1000 81,103
12,2 1000 81,967
12,52 1000 79,872
12,35 1000 80,972

Register the measurements of frames, plates, pipelines and other components of equipment.
Then use a computational package to get a graphic representation of these equipment.
RESULTS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Equipment was started up after operational conditions adjust. For lab practice, 3 frames it
was used. For filtration process it was prepared a 5% w/v calcium carbonate solution.
As filtration progresses, a deposit builds up in the filter medium that fills the spaces
between the two plates, increasing the resistance of the flow, and if this is to be maintained,
the pressure must be increased[ CITATION FEL00 \l 9226 ]. In the case of the practice the
pressure had small pressure variations therefore it was assumed to be constant. This may
have been caused by different reasons.
One of them is that the filtration time was not enough for all the solid to be retained in the
filter, therefore, the resistance of the flow did not increase considerably and the pressure did
not have to be changed. Another reason for this not to happen is that the amount of solids
present in the solution was not sufficient to form an accumulation such that the flow
resistance was increased.
In addition to this it can be considered that the cake was incompressible, since when
analyzing what happened during the practice, the volume of filtration was maintained since
the porosity of the cake remained constant.
Taking into account table 4, it is observed that in less time the flow is greater, taking into
account that the volume is constant; which means that the flow is indirectly proportional to
time.
CONCLUSIONS
The filter is used for similar applications in agribusiness, it is usually used for the acid of
fruit porridges, in obtaining sugar; and this is used when the resistance to the cake is high
and when the amount of solids is not very high, which means that it is a total loss of the
press which causes wear on the fabrics[ CITATION vir14 \l 9226 ]. This happens in this
case, that like we mentioned previously, the amount of solids present in the solution was
low.
The methodology used and the model of the filter was relevant for determination of
important values such as the amount of solids produced, the volume and the weight of the
cake. The duration of the filtration depends on the speed at which the sludge is passed, the
pressure at which it is passed, and the specifications of the filter

REFERENCES

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http://www.acsmedioambiente.com/filtrosprensa.html
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de Principios y práctica. .
Industria, e. (30 de diciembre de 2011). filtrado prensa . Obtenido de operaciones :
http://www.eindustria.com/articulos/
Ortega, & Rivas. (2012). Unit operations of particulate solid. FLORIDA .
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www.virtualplant.com