Particle Technology

Filtration
• The separation of solids from a suspension in a liquid by
means of a porous medium or screen which retains the
solids and allows the liquid to pass is termed filtration.
• Volumes of the suspensions to be handled vary from the
extremely large quantities involved in water purification to
relatively small quantities, as in the fine chemical industry
• Filtration is essentially a mechanical operation and is less
demanding in energy
• Slurry: The suspension of solid and liquid to be filtered.
• Filter medium: The porous medium used to retain the solids.
• Filter cake: The accumulation of solids on the filter medium.
• Filtrate: The clear liquid passing through the filter and collected in
the receptor.
 Factors effecting the operation of Filtration
The main factors to be considered when selecting equipment and
operating conditions are:
(a) The properties of the fluid, particularly its viscosity, density and
corrosive properties.
(b) The concentration of solids in suspension.
c) The nature of the solid
 Its particle size and shape
 Size distribution, and packing characteristics.
(d) The quantity of material to be handled, and its value.
e) Whether the valuable product is the solid, the fluid, or both.
Filtration
(f) Whether it is necessary to wash the filtered solids.
(g) Whether very slight contamination caused by contact of the
suspension or filtrate with various components of equipment is
detrimental to the product
Filter medium
The septum in any filter must meet following

•It must retain solids to be filtered

•It must not plug or blind
•It must be chemically resistant and also physically strong
enough to withstand the process conditions
•It must permit the cake formed to discharge cleanly
•It must be cheap
•Filter media can be cleaned by rinsing with solvents or
detergents.
•Alternatively, in engineering applications like water treatment
plants, they may be cleaned by backwashing
Mechanism of filtration
Straining:
Straining, also referred to as Sieving, is when particles are larger than
the clearance between the fibers. The particles can not pass through
the opening and are collected on the media
Inertial Impingement:
When a dilute suspension approaches a fiber the fluid passes along the
side of the fiber will pass with the fluid but the particles in between A
– B region will hit directly on the fiber. Due to their higher moment of
inertia they strike (impinge) on the fiber and accumulate
Interception/electrostatic attraction
• The particle is held to the fiber by a molecular surface attraction
known as Van der Waals' Forces
Diffusion
Mechanism of filtration
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOOfcztBXbs
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1GpIp-fIqM
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL40fftQw7U
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOdV6YCPzHY
TYPES OF FILTER MEDIUM

Surface filtration
• It is a screening action by which pores or holes of the medium prevent the
passage of solids.

• The mechanisms, straining and impingement are responsible for surface

filtration
Screen type
Stacked disc

Depth filtration
• This filtration mechanism retains particulate matter not only on the surface
but also at the inside of the filter
Fibrous media
Porous media
Cake filtration
• Cake accumulated on the surface of filter is itself used as a filter
Types of filter medium
• Surface filter, a solid sieve which traps the solid particles, with or without
the aid. This type allows the solid particles, i.e. the residue, to be collected.
As the solids build up on the septum, the initial layers form the effective
filter medium, preventing the particles from embedding themselves in the
filter cloth, and ensuring that a particle-free filtrate is obtained.
• Depth (or deep bed) filter, a bed of granular material which retains the
solid particles as it passes. This type has greater surface area where the
particles can be trapped.
• This configuration is commonly used for the removal of fine particles from
very dilute suspensions, where the recovery of the particles is not of
primary importance.
• The filter bed gradually becomes clogged with particles, and its resistance
to flow eventually reaches an unacceptably high level.
• For continued operation, it is therefore necessary to remove the
accumulated solids, and it is important that this can be readily achieved.
which can be cleaned by back-flushing, often accompanied by fluidization.
• Surface vs depth
Filter aids

Inert substances that are used to support the filtration

process

Objectives:
 To form a layer of second medium which protects the basic
medium of the system.
 To improve the flow rate by decreasing cake compressibility
and increasing cake permeability

Example:
Incompressible diatomite, which is composed primarily of silica,
wood cellulose and other inert porous solids can be used.
Filter aids
METHOD OF ADDITION
Precoat
They can be used as a pre-coat before the slurry is filtered. This
will prevent gelatinous-type solids from plugging the filter medium
and also give a clearer filtrate

Body mix
They can be added to the slurry before filtration. This increases the porosity of
the cake and reduces resistance of the cake during filtration
Filter aids

IDEAL PROPERTIES OF FILTER AID

• Chemically inert
• Insoluble in the filter media
• Used over wide range of pressure drop
• Economical
• Non toxic
Selection of filters

• Properties of fluid particularly viscosity & density

• Nature of solids, size distribution and shape
• Amount of material to be handled
• Concentration of solids in suspension
• Requirement of pretreatment
Filtration Modes
There are two principal modes under which deep bed filtration may be
carried out
Dead-end filtration: The slurry is filtered in such a way that it is fed
perpendicularly to the filter medium and there is little flow parallel to the
surface of the medium
Cross-flow filtration: Which is used particularly for very dilute
suspensions, the slurry is continuously recirculated so that it flows essentially
across the surface of the filter medium at a rate considerably in excess of the
flowrate through the filter cake
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkoQX7U4eeo
Rate of Filtration
The rate of filtration is given by a law known as “Darcy’s law” and may
be expressed as:
dV / dt = KAP/ul
where
V= volume of filtrate,
t = time of filtration ,
K = constant for the filter medium and filter cake
A = area of filter medium ,
P = pressure drop across the filter medium and filter cake ,
u = viscosity of the filtrate ,
l = thickness of cake.
Factors affecting rate of filtration
1- Permeability coefficient: The constant (K) represents the resistance of both the filter
medium and the filter cake. As the thickness of the cake increase, the rate of filtration
will decrease. Also the surface area of the particles, the porosity of the cake, and rigidity
or compressibility of the particles could affect the permeability of the cake.
2- Area of filter medium: The total volume of filtrate flowing from the filter will be
proportional to the area of the filter. The area can be increased by using larger filters. In
the rotary drum filter, the continuous removal of the filter cake will give an infinite area
for filtration.
3- Viscosity of filtrate:
It would be expect that an increase in the viscosity of the filtrate will increase the
resistance of flow , so that the rate of filtration is inversely proportional to the viscosity
of the fluid.
This problem can be overcome by two methods:
a- The rate of filtration may be increased by raising the temperature of the liquid, which
lowers its viscosity. However, it is not practicable if filtrate is volatile.
b- Dilution is another alternative but the capacity will be decreased.
Factors affecting rate of filtration
4- Pressure drop;
The rate of filtration is proportional to the pressure difference across both the
filter medium and filter cake.

The pressure drop can be achieved in a number of ways:

Gravity: A pressure difference could be obtained by maintaining a head of slurry
above the filter medium. The pressure developed will depend on the density of
the slurry.
Vacuum: The pressure below the filter medium may be reduced below atmospheric
pressure by connecting the filtrate receiver to a vacuum pump and creating a
pressure difference across the filter.
Pressure: The simplest method being to pump the slurry into the filter under
pressure.
Centrifugal force: The gravitational force could be replaced by centrifugal force in
particle separation
5- Thickness of filter cake;
The rate of flow of the filtrate through the filter cake is inversely proportional to thickness of
the cake. Preliminary decantation may be useful to decrease the amount of the slurry.
Filters
Four groups may be listed:
A- Gravity filters. B- Vacuum filters
C- Pressure filters. D- Centrifugal filters.

Gravity filters,
• Thick granular beds are widely used in
water filtration e.g. Sand Filter
Industrial filters
Vacuum filters
• Vacuum filters operate practically at higher pressure differentials than gravity filters.
• Rotary vacuum filter and the leaf filter are most extensively used.
Rotary Drum Filters
• It is used in continuous operations to filter slurries containing a high proportion of solids. It
has a system for removing the cake that is formed.
• The technique is well suited to high solids liquids that would blind or block other forms of
filter.
• It is a metal cylinder mounted
horizontally with the curved
surface being a perforated
plate supporting a filter cloth.
Internally, it is divided into
several sectors and a separate
connection is made between
each sector and a special
rotary valve.
Industrial filters
Rotary Drum filters
• The liquid to be filtered is sent to the tub below the drum. The drum rotates through
the liquid and the vacuum sucks liquid and solids onto the drum pre-coat surface. The
liquid portion is "sucked" by the vacuum through the filter media to the internal
portion of the drum, and the filtrate pumped away.
• The solids adhere to the outside of the drum, which then passes a knife, cutting off
the solids
• The drum is immersed to the required depth in the slurry, which is agitated to prevent
settling of the solids, and vacuum is applied to those sectors of the drum which is
submerged.
• A cake of the desired thickness is produced by adjusting the speed of rotation of the
drum. Each sector is immersed in turn in the slurry and the cake is then washed and
partially dried by means of a current of air.
• Finally, pressure is applied under the cloth to aid the removal of the cake.
• Removal of the washed and partially dried cake is affected by means of a doctor knife.
• When the solids of the slurry are too much that the filter cloth becomes blocked with
the particles, a pre-coat filter may be used. A pre-coat of filter aid is deposited on the
drum prior to the filtration process.
Industrial filters
Advantages:
1-The rotary filter is automatic and is continuous in operation, so the labour costs are very low.
2- The filter has a large capacity , so it is suitable for the filtration of highly concentrated
solutions.
3- Variation of the speed of rotation enables the cake thickness to be controlled.
4- Pre-coat of filter aid could used to accelerate the filtration rate.
Disadvantages:
1- The rotary filter is a complex piece of equipment , with many moving parts and is very
expensive,.
2- In addition to the filter itself, some accessories are connected ,e.g, a vacuum pump, vacuum
receivers , slurry pumps and agitators are required .
3- The cake tends to crack due to the air drawn through by the vacuum system, so washing and
drying are not efficient.
Industrial filters
Pressure Filters
Due to the formation of cakes of low permeability, many types of slurry
require higher pressure difference for effective filtration that can be applied
by vacuum techniques.
Pressure filters are used for such operations.
However, high operational pressures, may prohibit continuous operation
because of the difficulty of discharging the cake while the filter is under
pressure.
Example is plate and frame filter press.
Industrial filters
Plate and Frame Filter Press
This press is made up of two units, known respectively as plates
and frames, with a filter medium, usually filter cloth, between
the two.
The frame is open, with an inlet for the slurry, while the plate
has grooved surface to support the filter cloth, and with an
outlet for the filtrate.

The operation
• The slurry enters the frame from the feed channel,
• The filtrate passes through the filter medium on to the
surface of the plate while the solids form a filter cake in the
frame.
• Filtration is continued until the frame is filled with filter
cake.
• The filter press is then opened and the filter cake is
discharged by gravity as each plate is shifted.
• As filtration proceeds, the resistance of the cake increases
and the filtration rate will decrease. At a certain point it is
stopped and emptied.
Industrial filters
Plate and Frame Filter Press
Advantages:
1- Construction is very simple
2- It provides a large filtering area in a relatively small floor space.
3- It is versatile, the capacity being variable according to the thickness of the frames and the
number used.
4- The construction permits the use of considerable pressure difference.
5- Efficient washing of the cake is possible.
6- Operation and maintenance is straightforward , because there no moving parts, filter cloths
are easily renewable and, because all joints are external, any leaks are visible and do not
contaminate the filtrate.
Disadvantages:
I- It is a batch filter, so time consuming.
2- The filter press is an expensive filter, the emptying time, the labor involved, and the wear
and tear on the cloths resulting in high costs.
3- Operation is critical, as the frames should be full, otherwise washing is inefficient and the
cake is difficult to remove.
4- The filter press is used for slurries containing less about 5-10 % solids
5- In view of the high labor costs , it is most suitable for expensive materials.
Industrial filters
Centrifugal Filters
Filter centrifuges consist of
• Rotating porous basket
• Drive shaft
• Filter medium (woven wire mesh, perforated
plate)

There are two broad types of Centrifugal filters

• Fixed bed filtering centrifuge
• Moving bed centrifuge
Industrial filters
Fixed bed centrifuges
• In this solids lay as cake that stays in place on the walls of basket during
filtration, dewatering and washing stages
• Centrifugal force enhances the effective cake formation
• Cake is removed manually so these are mostly batch machines
• 500- 1200 rpm speed
Moving bed centrifuges
• Solids separate from suspension in feed zone and then move at the wall of
the basket in the direction parallel to that of axis of rotation
• Filtration, dewatering and washing take place as the cake move along the
basket
• Baffles around the casing of basket keep separate liquid from solids
• Normally continuously discharges cake so operation is continuous
• Movement of cake is done by mechanical device or by component of
centrifugal force
Industrial filters
Clarifying Filters
• Remove small amount of solids or liquids from
liquids or gases
• Particles are trapped inside the filter medium or
in its surface

Cartridge Filters
• It includes Pressurized cylindrical housing
• Replaceable filter element (cylindrical shaped)
normally made up of disks or some standard
length materials
• Liquid is passed under pressure in disks or
cartridge/s and solids particles are trapped
• Combs are used for cleaning of disks
Pressure drop in filtration
Pressure drop in filtration
Cozney Carman Equation
Pressure drop in filtration
Cozney Carman Equation
Pressure drop in filtration

……………………….
A
Cake resistance α
Specific Cake Resistance

Putting the value of Pc in A

In terms of Dp using a new

Coefficient K2

For incompressible cakes α is independent of pressure drop

α is resistance of cake that gives unit pressure drop µ, u, mc /A equals to
1.
Filter Medium Resistance

Total Pressure
Time Required

mc = Vc
Where
C = mass of particles deposited on filter per unit Volume of filtrate
Constant Pressure Filtration

When P is constant there are only two variables V and t.

At t=0 V=0
Constant Pressure Filtration