Scale-up of steam pressure filtration

The characteristic of steam pressure filtration is the distinctive and even dewatering front. First, the interest has been focused on the main dewatering mechanism of steam pressure filtration. The question was whether the even and sharply distinctive dewatering front remains stable when the filtration face is scaled up by the factor 50. The experimental studies were carried through on a 3.75 m² disc filter which was modified for steam pressure filtration. A temperature sensor was installed in the rotating disc of the filter. The temperature at the filter cloth, opposite to the steam atmosphere is measured. The steam break through which determines the end of the mechanical displacement of the filtrate can be detected. The duration until the steam breaks through the filter cake in pilot scale is compared to the duration measured in lab scale. A simple calculation is presented which computes approximately the steam break through. The calculated steam breakthrough is also compared to the experimental data. The degree of moisture reached using the pilot scale steam filter is compared to conventional pressure filtration on the same pilot filter and data measured in lab scale.     

An assessment of the conventional cake filtration theory

An assessment of the viability and utility of the conventional cake filtration theory was made by comparing the results based on the conventional theory with those obtained from more exact numerical analyses. The validity of the assumptions on which the conventional theories are based, such as negligible solid motion, constant liquid velocity through a cake and constant and time-invariant wet to dry cake mass ratio was examined. Based on the comparisons, a more accurate procedure of applying the conventional theory was presented.     

Cake properties of nanocolloid evaluated by variable pressure filtration associated with reduction in cake surface area

A potential method has been developed for evaluating simultaneously both the average specific resistance and average porosity of the filter cake formed in unstirred dead‐end ultrafiltration of nanocolloids such as bovine serum albumin solution and silica sol. The method consists of variable pressure filtration followed by constant pressure filtration. The relation between the average specific cake resistance and the pressure drop across the cake was determined from the evolution of the filtration rate with time in the course of the variable pressure filtration period, based on the compressible cake filtration model. The average porosity was evaluated from the significant flux decline caused by a sudden reduction in the cake surface area in the middle of the constant pressure filtration period. The pressure dependences of both the average specific cake resistance and average cake porosity were obtained from only two runs which differed from each other in the pressure profiles. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 3869–3877, 2014     

Improvement of dead-end filtration of biopolymers with pressure electrofiltration

Solid/liquid separation of biopolymers such as polysaccharides and proteins is still a problem not solved sufficiently on a technical scale. The main objective of the presented work was to set up a process strategy in order to improve the recovery of biopolymers by dead-end filtration. One aspect was the investigation of the influence of the pH value, ionic strength and pressure on the filtration kinetics of the dead-end filtration of the polysaccharide xanthan. pH value and ionic strength have an impact on the hydrodynamic radius and the zeta potential of biopolymers, and thus they have an impact on the filter cake structure and the filtration kinetics. The main focus was set on the enhancement of the filtrate flux by an electric field. This process, called pressure electrofiltration, leads to a drastic improvement of the filtration kinetics. The filtration time was thereby reduced from the range of hours down to minutes. Additionally another strategy was followed up, which aimed at an improvement of the specific filter cake resistance by changing process parameters like the pH and the ionic strength. These parameters influence the polymer-polymer and the polymer-water interactions and thus have an influence on the filter cake properties. Due to the great acceleration of the filtration kinetics the pressure electrofiltration serves as an interesting alternative to the cross-flow filtration and the precipitation with alcohol for the separation of biopolymers.     

An experimental and theoretical study on the initial period of cake filtration

Experimental measurements were made of the average specific cake resistance during the initial period of cake filtration, and the theoretical calculations about the period were also performed. The “filtration-permeation method” in the filtration cell of small area was used to measure the flow rate during the initial period of filtration, which is essentially characterized by the large flux due to fast flow rate and the rapid change of flow rate within a relatively short time interval. The measured average specific cake resistances of thin cakes which represent the cakes of initial period had very large values compared to the overall average specific cake resistance. This experimental result was contrary to the conventional theory about the initial period. Applying the “unified theory on solid-liquid separation” to the initial period, the average specific cake resistances at the initial period can have the large values--more than two times greater than that of the overall value.     

A unified theory on solid-liquid separation: Filtration, expression, sedimentation, filtration by centrifugal force, and cross flow filtration

Based upon a new conception that the solid compressive pressure on a cake surface is not null, almost of all solid-liquid separation operations have been re-examined. For cake filtration, the phenomenon caused by the solid compressive pressure on a cake surface is discussed for thin cake. New expression and hindered sed-imentation theories are developed by above new conception using Darcy’s equation. Application of the new conception to centrifugal filtration and tangential filtration is also discussed. Above results lead to the conclusion that cake filtration, expression, hindered sedimentation, centrifugal filtration and tangential filtration can be described with a unified theory, and the main difference between the operations is only the boundary condition of cake.     

Nanocolloid cake properties determined from step‐up pressure filtration with single‐stage reduction in filtration area

A sophisticated method was developed for evaluating simultaneously and accurately both the average specific resistance and average porosity of the filter cake formed in unstirred dead‐end ultrafiltration of nanocolloids such as protein solution and nanosilica sol. In the method, a step‐up pressure filtration test was conducted by using a filter with a single‐stage reduction in the effective filtration area. The influence of the pressure drop across the cake on not only the average specific cake resistance but also on the average cake porosity of highly compressible filter cake was evaluated using only flux decline data in one dead‐end filtration test, taking advantage of the decrease in the cake thickness caused by the pressure increase. As a result, the cake properties were easily determined for a variety of nanocolloids. Constant pressure dead‐end ultrafiltration data obtained under various pressures and concentrations were well evaluated based on the method proposed. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 4426–4436, 2015     

Determination of cake properties in ultrafiltration of nano‐colloids based on single step‐up pressure filtration test

The single step‐up pressure filtration test was developed to determine the pressure dependence of average specific resistance of the cake formed in ultrafiltration of a variety of nano‐colloids over a wide range of pressure drops across the cake. The values of the average specific resistance at extremely low pressures were obtained from only the flux decline data through the use of the distinct time variation of the pressure drop across the cake generated by using the ultrafiltration membrane with a high hydraulic resistance under the low filtration pressure in the first step of filtration. The values at higher pressures were obtained from the time variation of the filtration rate induced by a stepwise increase in the pressure. The correlations between the average specific cake resistance and the pressure drop across the cake were evaluated using only the flux decline data for a variety of different proteins and nanoparticles. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 289–299, 2014     

A spatially resolved model for pressure filtration of edible fat slurries

A spatially resolved one dimensional pressure filtration model was developed for a slurry of edible fat crystals. The model focuses on the expression step in which a cake is compressed to force the liquid through a filter cloth. The model describes the local oil flow in the shrinking cake modeled as a porous nonlinear elastic medium existing of two phases, viz. porous aggregates and interaggregate liquid. Conservation equations lead to a set of two differential equations (vs. time and vs. a material coordinate ω) for two void ratios, which are solved numerically by exploiting a finite-difference scheme. A simulation with this model results in a spatially resolved cake composition and in the outflow velocity, both as a function of time, as well as the final solid fat contents of the cake. Simulation results for various filtration conditions are compared with experimental data collected in a pilot-plant scale filter press.     

Numerical modelling of filtration with and without sedimentation runs

From experimental batch runs of filtration with sedimentation above the cake formed, a procedure is proposed and applied to experimental data for obtaining the relationships between the settling solids velocity in the hindered settling zone, the local specific resistance and the effective pressure and the solids concentration. Considering the material and momentum balances in the hindered settling zone above the cake, in the cake and in the filter membrane, a simulation program was obtained that satisfactorily reproduces the experimental runs of filtration with sedimentation runs. This simulation work confirms the hypothesis considered in the theory of filtration with sedimentation runs, e.g. the fact that the characteristic lines arise tangently from the cake surface. In addition, the method developed for obtaining the different relationships considered has been demonstrated as correct. The simulation of filtration without sedimentation runs (stirring the suspension above the cake) has also been studied.     

恒压过滤滤饼孔隙率分布

在解过滤偏微分方程的基础上导出了滤饼孔隙率分布，对影响孔隙率分布的因素进行了讨论，指出恒压过滤时滤饼孔隙率分布不仅与物料的可压缩性有关，还与料浆浓度及操作条件有关，孔隙率分布的实测结果与理论预测值吻合较好。     

Statistical evaluation of hyperbaric filtration for fine coal dewatering

A statistical design of parametric study of pressure filtration for fine coal dewatering is presented. The effects of five major parameters of the dewatering, i.e. applied pressure, filtration time, cake thickness, solids concentration and slurry pH, on cake moisture reduction and air consumption were investigated. The study was conducted starting with two level factorial experiments to identify the most significant parameters, and concluding with response surface methodologies to establish an optimum operating condition for the dewatering of fine coal. It was observed that applied pressure, cake thickness and filtration time were identified to be the key operating variables for reduction of filter cake moisture as well as air consumption. With the key parameters, an optimum condition for the dewatering was determined to be an applied pressure of 93 psi with a cake thickness of 2.5 cm and a filtration time of 4.8 minutes for the laboratory filtration system. At these optimum conditions the filter cake containing about 22 percent moisture by weight and consuming air by 4.1 m³/(m²·min·kg) on dry solid basis was obtained.     

Filtration in coal liquefaction. Influence of filtration conditions in non-hydrogenated systems

A series of experiments has been carried out to study the effects of filtration conditions upon the rate of filtration of non-hydrogenated coal digests. The results show the dependence of cake resistivity on both the filtration temperature and pressure. Filter cakes were found to be compressible, resulting in smaller increases in rate with increasing pressure than with incompressible cakes. The filtration temperature determines the packing of residual solids in the cake which in turn affects the cake resistivity. An empirical relation has been derived between filtration temperature and resistivity. With increasing temperature there is an increase in filtration rate due to the reduced viscosity, but a reduction owing to a higher packing density of solids in the filter cake.     

液力过滤与液力压密脱水的理论(Ⅱ)

将滤室固定不变的板框或箱式压滤机的操作过程分成滤饼过滤阶段和液力压密脱水阶段两个过程来研究。在滤饼过滤阶段 ,应用表面过滤机理 ,采用传统的鲁思过滤基本方程和平均过滤比阻的理论进行研究。在液力压密脱水阶段 ,应用达西定律建立了液力压密基本微分方程 ,根据研究得出滤饼渗透系数与孔隙率在压密脱水阶段的线性取代关系的结论 ;滤室固定的限制条件和物料平衡条件 ,推导出液力压密的脱水方程式。分析了影响液力压密脱水的时间因素和液力压密速率的各操作参数。建立了完整的液力过滤和压密脱水理论 ,为自动压滤机的设计提供了理论指导     

液力过滤与液力压密脱水的理论(一)

将滤室固定不变的板框或箱式压滤机的操作过程分成滤饼过滤阶段和液力压密脱水阶段两个过程来研究。在滤饼过滤阶段 ,应用表面过滤机理 ,采用传统的鲁思过滤基本方程和平均过滤比阻的理论进行研究。在液力压密脱水阶段 ,应用达西定律建立了液力压密基本微分方程 ,根据研究得出滤饼渗透系数与孔隙率在压密脱水阶段的线性取代关系的结论 ;滤室固定的限制条件和物料平衡条件 ,推导出液力压密的脱水方程式。分析了影响液力压密脱水的时间因素和液力压密速率的各操作参数。建立了完整的液力过滤和压密脱水理论 ,为自动压滤机的设计提供了理论指导     

纤维素助滤剂的预敷过滤性能

对高黏度物料加入纤维素助滤剂的预敷过滤性能进行了研究,说明不同的预敷条件对预敷层的过滤性能会有很大影响。通过改变预敷压力和浓度,对纤维素滤饼层的过滤比阻、可压缩性系数和孔隙率进行了研究。实验表明,纤维素预敷层的比阻随压力增加而增加,随浓度增加而减小;孔隙率随压力增加而减小,随浓度增加而增加;可压缩性系数随浓度增加而增加。纤维素助滤剂为中等可压缩性物料,孔隙率大。研究结果可为高黏度物料用纤维素预敷过滤的工程应用提供参考。     

等效滤饼过滤模型

Cake filtration has been widely used in many chemical processes with more non-Newtonian, highly viscous and compressible materials involved. Neither traditional nor modem filtration theory can be applied in practice ＂Equivalent cake filtration model＂ is a recently developed mathematical model to describe cake filtration for both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, in either steady or unsteady filtration stages. This model has two strengths： （1） It can be used to determine equivalent capillary radii and predict filtration quality based on the properties of solid/liquid system and operation parameters; and （2） to calculate cake specific resistance and its variations with time at various cake thickness locations.     

Investigation of the fundamental assumptions relating compression-permeability data with filtration

A recently reported investigation indicates several inaccuracies in the methodology of compression-permeability (C-P) testing which suggest that previously reported agreement between C-P and filtration data may be fortuitous. Until now, there has been no separate and direct confirmation of each of the two assumptions necessary to obtain a unique correspondence between C-P and filtration data. The first assumption that the specific filtration resistance is a function solely of cumulative-drag-stress is generally accepted. Direct proof requires that the parabolic filtration equation, which is derived primarily on this assumption, describes both incompressible and compressible cake behavior. Most materials produce compressible cakes and “a priori” screening to find an incompressible cake requires identification of a material (Geon) that produces a cake with a linear axial pressure distribution. Results show that the parabolic filtration equation fits both types of cake behavior but an equation based on constant filtration resistance describes only incompressible cake behavior. To engineering accuracy and for dilute slurries, the assumption is verified. The second assumption that the cumulative-drag-stress equals the cake pressure drop is a macroscopic force balance and experimental verification requires a filter chamber designed to measure both of these quantities. A theoretical development, based on integral averaging, and experimental results both indicate that the ratio of cumulative-drag-stress to cake pressure drop correlates extremely well with cake porosity. A unique one-to-one correspondence between C-P and filtration data is not possible without “a priori” knowledge of filter cake porosity. Previously reported agreement between C-P and filtration data can probably be attributed to the L/D dependence of C-P specific filtration resistances. Consequently, C-P data can be used as a research tool to simulate filtration data but predicted filtration times based solely on C-P data can be in considerable error.     

聚丙烯酰胺对含蒙脱石煤泥压滤效果的影响

以综合指标S和K为煤泥压滤效果评价指标,研究了聚丙烯酰胺(PAM)对精煤及精煤与蒙脱石混合压滤效果的影响。精煤压滤试验表明:随着阴离子PAM用量的增加,S值逐渐下降,精煤压滤效果变差,PAM用量不宜超过5.0 kg/t;当PAM用量相等时,粒度越细,S值越小,精煤压滤效果越差,当粒度为+0.075 mm时,PAM对精煤压滤效果较好。精煤与蒙脱石混合压滤试验表明:阳离子PAM的煤泥压滤效果优于阴离子PAM,当煤泥中蒙脱石含量较多时,可适当添加粗颗粒煤泥以提高其压滤性能;PAM用量相等时,粒度越细,S值越小,煤泥压滤效果越差,实际压滤过程中应尽可能减少超细颗粒-0.045 mm含量;随着蒙脱石质量分数的增加,S值逐渐下降,K值逐渐增大,煤泥压滤效果变差。最后建立了黏土矿物含量、灰分等煤泥综合指标与滤饼水分的关系,为选煤厂煤泥压滤工艺的设计提供一定的指导作用。     

Prediction of the air consumption when dewatering a filter cake obtained by pressure filtration

In this communication, we report some data for the dewatering of a coal flotation concentrate in which very fine particles occur Dewatering is carried out by pressure filtration (up to 6 bar) followed by blowing to partially dry the cake (the filtration and dewatering phase respectively). For the systems studied, a reasonable prediction of the air consumption in either a lab filter, or a one-element test filter, or a full-scale continuous filter is possible, based on measurement of the liquid permeability for saturated flow in a lab filter cake. Together with scaling-up characteristics of the filtration step (not reported here), this gives the possibility of a reliable prediction of the required size and energy consumption of a large-scale continuous-pressure filter based on bench-scale test data.