Separation processes –II

CHE F313
BITS Pilani
Hyderabad Campus
 BITS Pilani
Hyderabad Campus

Filtration
 Introduction
Filtration may be defined as the separation of
solids from liquids by passing a suspension through
a permeable medium which retains the particles.

Figure 1. Schematic diagram of filtration system

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The fine apertures necessary for filtration are
provided
 by fabric filter cloths,
 by meshes and screens of plastics or metals,
 by beds of solid particles.

In some cases, a thin preliminary coat of cake, or

of other fine particles, is put on the cloth prior to
the main filtration process.

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 Classification
Based on pressure
Based on mode of operation

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 1.Cake filters
used for cake filtration in which the solids are
deposited in the form of a cake on the up-stream
side of a relatively thin filter medium.

Figure2. Mechanism of cake filtration

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 2.Clarifying filters
used for deep bed filtration in which particle
deposition takes place inside the medium and cake
deposition on the surface is undesirable.

Figure 3. Mechanism of deep bed filtration

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 3.Crossflow filters

Filtering aids

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The fluid passes through the filter medium,
which offers resistance to its passage, under
the influence of a force which is the pressure
differential across the filter.

rate of filtration = driving force/resistance

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•The filter-cake resistance is obtained by multiplying the
specific resistance of the filter cake, that is its resistance
per unit thickness, by the thickness of the cake.
•The resistances of the filter material and pre-coat are
combined into a single resistance called the filter
resistance.
•It is convenient to express the filter resistance in terms
of a fictitious thickness of filter cake.
•This thickness is multiplied by the specific resistance of
the filter cake to give the filter resistance.

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 Factor affected on filtration

• Pressure drop ( ∆P )
• Area of filtering surface ( A )
• Viscosity of filtrate (µ)
• Resistance of filter cake ( α )
• Resistance of filter medium ( Rm )
• Properties of slurry ( ρ , density )

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 -(P) or
Pressure
drop
rate of filtration = driving force/resistance

Filter cake ()

Filter medium (Rm)
Viscosity ()

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 BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
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