LIST OF APPARATUS

Mortar and Pestle - The mortar is a bowl, typically made of ceramic or stone. The pestle is a

heavy and blunt club-shaped object, the end of which is used for crushing and grinding. In the

experiment, it is used to crush the chalk as main material in the slurry feed.

Plate and frame filter presses – are designed so that the separating chambers consist of one

hollow filter frame separated from two filter plates by filter clothes. It operates under pressure

using the process of cake filtration. In this experiment, the slurry enters the frame and then filtrate

will escape from the outlet in the plate.

Screen – defined by their mesh count, wire diameter, wire bias, emulsion thickness, and tension.

Mesh count is the number of wires/fibers per inch. In this experiment, the researchers used the 25

mesh type of screen.

Digital Balance – Digital balance are very sensitive instruments used for weighing substances.

For this experiment, it is widely used in measuring the filter plates with their corresponding filter

sheets before and after performing the study, as well as the weight of the pulverized chalk.

Filter Papers - is a semi-permeable paper barrier placed perpendicular to a liquid or air flow. It is

used in laboratory to remove solids from liquids. Whereas for this study, it is used to separate fine

substances of chalk material from the liquid.

References:

Ibrahim, M. (2015). Frame and Filter Press. Retrieved from

https://www.slideshare.net/MarinaIbrahim1/frame-and-plate-filter-press-animation.

Bacher, R.J. (2001). Encyclopedia of Materials: Science and Technology. Retrieved from

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/mesh-screen.
 ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS

1. What is the relationship of filtration time and volume of filtrate collected?

As the filtration takes longer time, the total volume of filtrate collected increases but the

rate becomes slower.

2. What is the significance of calculating the cake resistance and filter medium

resistance?

There are two resistances in cake filtration. These are the filter medium and the cake. The

significance of calculating both of these parameters is that the resistance of the cake increases with

time as the cake builds up (where it becomes harder to force the filtrate through the cake, as the

cake becomes thicker). Thus, filtration becomes slower and slower. On the other hand, the filter

medium resistance is the resistance due to the solid particles which forms the cake and also the

filter medium (cloth). It has the meaning of the measure of the average ability of solid particles to

pass through a filter medium. To determine the specific cake resistance (α) and filtrate medium

resistance (R) from the filtration, the Darcy’s law is used for understanding it.

3. Briefly describe the characteristics of a plate and frame filter press.

A filter press is a piece of equipment used in liquid/solid separation. Specifically, the filter

press separates the liquids and solids using pressure filtration, wherein a slurry is pumped into the

filter press and is dewatered under pressure. Basically, each filter press is designed based on the

volume and type of slurry that needs to be dewatered. Filter presses are a pressure filtration method

and as such, as the filter press feed pump builds pressure, solids build within the chambers until

they are completely chock-full of solids, forming the cake. Once the chambers are full, the cycle

is complete and the filter cakes are ready to be released.

 4. What are the factors that affect the filtration process in PFFP?

Filtration is affected by the characteristics of the slurry, including;

 The properties of the liquid – density, viscosity, and corrosiveness.

 The properties of the solid (e.g. particle size/shape/size distribution, and the

rigidity or compressibility of the solid).

 The proportion of solids in the slurry.

 Whether the objective is to collect the solid, liquid, or both.

 Whether the solids have to be washed free from the liquid or a solute.

5. How does filtration differ from other mechanical separations?

Processes which depend primarily on physical forces to accomplish the desired separation

of components are used quite commonly in most phases of the food industry. These processes are

normally referred to as mechanical separations and include filtration, sedimentation, and

centrifugation. Each of these processes involves the application of a force to the fluid of concern,

resulting in separation of the product components due to the different reaction of the components

to the force applied.

In the case of filtration, the force involved is that required to move the fluid through a filter

medium. In the case of sedimentation, the forces are those of gravity and the influence of

gravitational forces on the different components of the product. In the case of centrifugation, an

induced force is applied resulting in separation of the product components due to centrifugal force.
 6. Enumerate and define the main groups of filters. Classify PFFP under these

groups and explain.

a.) Cake filters – these are the type of filters that separate relatively large amounts of

solids as a cake of crystals or sludge.

b.) Clarifying filters – these are the type of filters that remove small amounts of solids

that produce clean gas or sparkling clear liquids. The solid particles are trapped

inside the filter medium.

c.) Crossflow filters – these are the type of filters used when the flow is applied

tangentially across the membrane surface.

7. What are the requirements of a good filter media?

A good filter media must be fine enough to be filtered. Filter media are the portion of a

filtering system that separates unwanted particles from the substance being filtered. The type of

material used as a filter medium is dependent upon the material being filtered. The most important

traits of a filter medium are its strength, improve filtration efficiency, resistance to wear and

stretch, absorption, permeability, long life, reduce filter consumption and reduce cost.

8. What is a filter aid and what is the significance of its use?

Filter Aids is a group of inert materials that can be used in filtration retreatment. The

significance of using a filter aid comprises of two objectives, (1) one is to form a layer of second

medium which protects the basic medium of the system. This is commonly referred to as “pre-

coat”. The other one is to improve the flow rate by decreasing cake compressibility and increasing

cake permeability.