Filtration

Chapter 4 in Fundamentals
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Professor Richard Holdich
R.G.Holdich@Lboro.ac.uk

Course details:
Particle Technology,
module code: CGB019 and CGB919,
2nd year of study.

Filtration
Types
Cake filtration mechanism
Modification of Darcy's law
Constant pressure filtration
Constant rate filtration
Variable rate &
pressure
filtration

Industrial equipment

Types of filtration
Deep bed clarification
Normally batch (in
duplicate) but some
continuous ones:

Image supplied by DynaSand and Hydro International (Wastewater) Ltd.

Types - membrane

Clarification on filtering

Types - Clarification

Cartridge and candle filtration

Cake filtration mechanism

Multifilament filter cloth p. 40

Cake filtration mechanism

Monofilament filter cloth

Cake filtration mechanism

Monofilament open filter cloth/mesh

Cake filtration mechanism

p.31
Why cant we simply measure Rm for each
medium?I d e a l
F ilte r c a k e
F ilte r m e d iu m
F ilt r a te

B r id g in g
o v e r p o re s

s h a r p in te r fa c e m e d iu m /
c a k e - u n ifo r m s p h e r e s
in c a k e e a s y to m o d e l

Cake filtration mechanism

reality p 41
Why cant we simply measure Rm for each
medium?
R eal
F ilte r c a k e

F ilte r m e d iu m

i.e. Rm = f(material to be
filtered)

Modification of Darcy's
law
Porosity or voidage

S u p e r fic ia l v e lo c it y :

dV 1

dt A

and Concentration
P o r o u s m e d ia

U
V o lu m e fra c tio n s :
v o id + s o lid = u n ity
fr a c t io n fr a c tio n

C =

Modification of Darcy's
law
Darcys law:

Flow rate

P dV 1

L
k dt A
Kozeny-Carman equation:
2
2

5(1 ) S v dV 1
P

3
dt A
L

Pressure/L
use:
Sv 6 / x

Modification of Darcy's
law
Darcys law/Kozeny:

Flow rate

Volume
liquid

P dV 1
5(1 ) 2 S v 2 Q

A
L
k dt A

Pressure/L
What do the graphs tell us about these equations?
How will this vary for filtration?
Think about a given material and filter in these
equations what is constant, what varies, look at
the graph
What are the independent and dependent

Time

Modification of Darcy's
law p.29
At constant pressure
drop:
Q is
constant permeation

Darcys law:

P dV 1

L
k dt A

Filtrate
volume

Q
decreases filtration

Time

Modification of Darcy's
law p. 32
Build up of incompressible filter
cake:

Filter cake
formation
Filter
medium

Modification of Darcy's
law
P = dV 1
L k dt A

V = R I

20 kPa

1 .5 V

10 kPa

0 .7 5 V

0 kPa

0 V

Modification of Darcy's
law
Pressure drops are
additive:
Pcake

Pmedium

L d V 1
k

dt

Lm dV 1
km

dt

Modification of Darcy's
law
Pressure drops are additive:
P

L d V 1
k

dt

Rm

dV 1
dt A

Ratio:
G ra d ie n t:
=

LA
V

F iltra te v o lu m e

cake volume:filtrate = constant

=

dt

dV
PA 2

C s

kC s

Rm
AP

dt
c
Rm

dV
PA 2
AP

Modification of Darcy's
law
Ratio:

What does

cake volume:filtrate = constant

=

G ra d ie n t:
=

LA
V

F iltra te v o lu m e

C s

Represent in
English, see the
graph
What does

1
kC s

Represent in
English

Modification of Darcy's
law p.36
where c is the dry cake mass per unit volume of
filtrate:
s
c

1 sm
s is feed slurry mass fraction and m is the moisture
ratio of the cake (mass cake wet/mass cake dry - or
sample). In some instances one can assume m=1; i.e.
neglect liquid in cake.

and is the specific resistance to filtration (m/kg).

Modification of Darcy's law

p.36
P ( Rc Rm )Q / A
Considering Rc & alpha some
more:
w is dry mass/unit area
solids:
cV

Rc

alpha = Rc/w

so:

cV
P (
Rm )Q / A
A

Modification of Darcy's
law equation (4.11)
General filtration equation:

Rm
dt
c

2
dV
PA
AP
s
c

1 sm

Constant pressure
filtration
Constant P filtration - integrate general
equation: dt
c
Rm
dV

Time over
filtrate volume
a
b

Filtrate
volume

PA

AP

to
give:

t
c
Rm

V
2PA 2
AP

i.e:
t
aV b
V

Constant pressure
filtration
summary
:
c
R

t
m

V
2PA 2
AP

Time over
filtrate volume
a
b

Filtrate
volume

Need to
know:
viscosity,
pressure, and
filter area
& slurry mass
fraction, liquid
density (and
cake moisture Need
to
if poss.)
calculate:
c then
and Rm

Constant pressure
filtration
General filtration
Rm
dt
c
equation:

V
dV

PA 2

AP

Constant
pressure:

Rm
t
c

V
2
V
2PA
AP
y =

m x + c

Constant pressure
filtration
Filtration Testing in the
Laboratory:
High
permeability: vacuum
Low permeability: pressure
leaf

bomb

Tests:

effect of pressure,
different cloths or media,
slurry agitation,
filter aids and flocculants
effect of slurry pre-concentration

Constant pressure
filtration
Filtration Testing in the
Laboratory:
High
permeability: vacuum
Low permeability: pressure
leaf

bomb

To obtain values of:

specific resistance - possibly as

f(pressure),
medium resistance
cake concentration - possibly as
f(pressure) or moisture ratio

Constant pressure
filtration
Filtration Testing in the
Laboratory:
High
permeability: vacuum
Low permeability: pressure
leaf

bomb

Also required for scale-up or simulation:

Liquid viscosity
filtration
pressure
filter area

Slurry mass
fraction
liquid density
solid density - if
cake height is

Constant pressure
filtration p. 41 vacuum
filter leaf
Experimental
characterisation
V a lv e
To vacuum
pum p

- fu lly o p e n in te s t

Vent
M e c h a n ic a l
a g ita tio n
S lu rr y ta n k
C a lib r a te d
f iltr a te
re c e iv e r

F ilte r in g s id e

D r a in

S tir re r

L eaf or
B uchner
fu n n e l

Constant pressure
filtration

Constant rate filtration p.

36
General filtration
equation:dt c V
dV

Constant
rate: dV
dt

PA 2

Rm
AP

Filtration
pressure
t
V

Rm V
c V
P
V
2
A t
A t

a
b

Filtrate
volume

Variable rate & pressure

filtration
General filtration
equation:dt c V
dV

PA 2

Rm
AP

Variable pressure and rate equation:

P c
Rm

2
Q
A
A

plot

1
&V
Q

numerical integration
t
of:

dV
Q

Industrial equipment p.
35
Rotary vacuum filter
(continuous)

Stages

W
D

D & Di
F

cake
formation
in
slurry tank (F)
drying
and/or
washing (D and W)
discharge - then back
to formation (D & Di)

Industrial equipment
Constant
pressure:

Rm
t
c

V
2
V
2PA
AP

Rearrange for a
quadratic:
c

Rm
V
V t 0

2
AP
2PA
2

Industrial equipment p.
36
Simulation of Rotary Vacuum
Filter:
c 2 Rm

2PA
2

AP

V t 0

i.e. aV2 + bV - t = 0

V
where form time t = F/n
(submergence/speed)

b 2 4at
2a

Industrial equipment
per cycle of drum:
V

b 2 4at
2a

Calculate volume, hence:

Mass dry cake deposited = cV
(kg)
Mass wet cake deposited = mcV
(kg)
All above is per cycle,
hence
3600/t
for output
mass
slurry
filtered
= mcVper
+ V

Industrial equipment
Vacuum belt filter
(continuous)

Image appears
courtesy of
Polyfilters UK
Limited
www.polyfilters.com

Industrial equipment
Vacuum
belt filter
(continuous
)

Image supplied courteousy of BHS-Sonthofen GmbH, Germany www.bhs-sonthofen.de

Industrial equipment
Vacuum disc filter (continuous)

Image courtesy of FLSmidth, Inc.

Industrial equipment
Tube pressure filter (batch)

Image courtesy of Mesto Minerals (Sala) AB

Filtration
Types
Cake filtration mechanism
Modification of Darcy's law
Constant pressure filtration
Constant rate filtration
Variable rate &
pressure
filtration

Industrial equipment

This resource was created by Loughborough University and released as an open educational resource through the Open Engineering
Resources project of the HE Academy Engineering Subject Centre. The Open Engineering Resources project was funded by HEFCE
and part of the JISC/HE Academy UKOER programme.
Slide 3. Image of a DynaSand is provided courtesy of Hydro International (wastewater) Limited. See http://www.hydro-international.biz/irl/wastewater/dynasand.php for
more details.
Slide 37. The image of a vacuum belt filter (continuous is provided with the permission of Polyfilters (UK) Limited. See http://www.polyfilters.com/process.html for more
details.
Slide 38. Image provided courtesy of BHS-Sonthofen GmbH. See www.bhs-sonthofen.de for more details.
Slide 39. Image provided courtesy of FLSmidth Inc. See
http://www.flsmidthminerals.com/Products/Filtration/Vacuum+Filtration/Vacuum+Disc+Filters/Agidisc+Vacuum+Filters/Agidisc+Vacuum+Filters.htm for more details.
Slide 40. Image of a tube press discharge, provided courtesy of Mesto Minerals (Sala) AB. See
http://www.metso.com/miningandconstruction/MaTobox7.nsf/DocsByID/C44A6B216E52C95142256AF6002D6148/$File/Tube_Press_ES.pdf for more details.
2009 Loughborough University

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