VACUUM PRESS FILTER

Model: VP-190A
SUMARY
PREPARING THE EQUIPMENT TO BE TRANSPORTED ...........................................................................................3

PREPARING THE EQUIPMENT TO LIFT TO THE OPERATION FLOOR ......................................................................3

PREPARING THE EQUIPMENT FOR PIPE INTERCONNECTION ...............................................................................3

SCREEN INSTALLATION ................................................................................................................................4

SCREEN CIRCUIT – UNION POINT ......................................................................................................................4

UNION POINT DETAILS .....................................................................................................................................5

CENTRALIZING THE SCREENS ...........................................................................................................................5

ADJUSTING THE DRAINAGE BOARD SEALS AND IMBIBITION SHOWERS POSITIONS .............................................6

REPLACING THE DRAINAGE BOARD SEALS .........................................................................................................6

BEFORE START THE VP OPERATION .............................................................................................................7

CHECKING THE PERIPHERALS AND PURGING THE PIPE LINES .............................................................................7

POLYMER PREPARE ...........................................................................................................................................7

STARTING THE VP FILTER ............................................................................................................................8

STARTING AND STOPPING SEQUENCE ...............................................................................................................8

VARIABLES TO BE CONTROLLED ..................................................................................................................9

MUD PH ...........................................................................................................................................................9

SOLIDS CONCENTRATION AT THE CLARIFIER ................................................................................................... 10

SOLIDS CONCENTRATION AT THE FEEDING BOX | MUD PRE-DILUTION. ............................................................ 11

FILTRATE PURITY ........................................................................................................................................... 11

ADDITIONAL BAGASSE .................................................................................................................................... 11

PERIOD INSPECTIONS ................................................................................................................................ 12

SEAL TANK ..................................................................................................................................................... 12

SCREEN STRETCHER SAFETY PIN – CORRECT POSITION ................................................................................... 12

SCREEN SHOWERS ......................................................................................................................................... 14

AUTOCLEAN NOZZLE....................................................................................................................................... 15

CLEAN WATER FILTER WF30 ........................................................................................................................... 16

SCREEN ALIGNMENT ....................................................................................................................................... 17

LUBRICATING THE PNEUMATIC LINES.............................................................................................................. 17

LUBRICATING THE BEARINGS.......................................................................................................................... 18

OFF-SEASON MAINTENANCE ...................................................................................................................... 19

CORDOBA WEB SITE ................................................................................................................................... 19

CORDOBA INDUSTRIAL LTDA. | Ribeirão Preto – SP | Brazil | Phone: +55 16 3911-7474 P - 2 / 19

PREPARING THE EQUIPMENT TO BE TRANSPORTED

1) The VP FIlter is prepared to be transported inside a 40 feet Open Top Container.

2) The pneumatic cylinder and the air unit are parcially protected inside the VP Frame. For
this reason we recommend all attencion to avoid any mechanical shock against this
devices.
3) The pneumatic hoses are sealed to avoid any impurities inside it. (Before the start up,
the CI Technician will connect the pneumatic hoses to the Guide Valves).
4) The VP Gearmotor and Peripherals Includded are packed.
5) After load the VP and Peripherals, photos are taken and availiable to the costumer, to
ensure the correct accomoddation of the goods inside the container.
6) The Delivery Document is signed by the responsible of the transportation company.

PREPARING THE EQUIPMENT TO LIFT TO THE OPERATION FLOOR

1) Before to lift the VP Filter to the operation floor, check all screwes tightness.
2) Check the support bases ensuring that they are completely flat and leveled, as indicated
in our certified drawing.
3) The 4 (four) grab-points placed at the upper beam of the frame must be used to lift the
VP Filter to the operation floor.
4) Consider 7.5 ton for the crane capacity.

PREPARING THE EQUIPMENT FOR PIPE INTERCONNECTION

1) After placed the VP on the operation floor, follow the instruction, as shown on the
certified drawing, to block the VP Frame on the structure.
2) Do not weld any object or support on the VP Frame.
3) Lubricate the shaft before couple the VP Gearmotor.

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SCREEN INSTALLATION

SCREEN CIRCUIT – UNION POINT

This procedure requires at least 3 people where one of them will unreel the screen and the others will
pull it along the circuit, as shown below.
1 – Retreat totally the pneumatic piston and the scrapers.
2 – Start with the secondary screen (in red), initiating from the point, as shown.
3 – The “Union Point”must be used to join the screen parts and pass the union wire.
4 – Do the same procedure for the primary screen (in blue).
5 – Use the primary screen union point, as shown, to join the screen parts and pass the metalic union
wire.

SECONDARY
SCREEN
UNION POINT

PRIMARY
SCREEN
UNION POINT

Secondary Screen
Union Point

Primary Screen
Union Point

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UNION POINT DETAILS

UNION
WIRE

SPIRAL
ANGLE
DIRECTION

Join the screens parts and fit the spirals one by one, using the fingers, and then, push the metalic union wire
to complete the procedure.
CENTRALIZING THE SCREENS
Afert install the screens, check the Guide Valve Reels position (pictures 3 and 4), increase the air
pressure to 3,0-3,5 bar.
Activate the STRETCHER ROLL. The Reels must be positioned as shown below.
Turn on the VP Motor and increase the speed up to 25%.
Centralize the screens (picture 1), adjusting the the Guide Valve Support position, as shown below
(pictures 2 and 4)

Screens
1 2
Centralized

3 4

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ADJUSTING THE DRAINAGE BOARD SEALS AND IMBIBITION SHOWERS POSITIONS
This procedure must be done only with the VP Filter turned off.
After install the screens, the drainage board seals must be adjusted.
To adjust the seals, first put the sideguad at the highest position and fasten the screws.
This procedure will make the seals touch the primary screen softly.
In addition, the imbibition showers must be positioned as recommended on the certified drawing
supplied.
Use only appropriated hoses, able to work with high temperature (condensate water) with strong
clamps, for safety reasons.

Pull the Support and

Fasten the Screws

REPLACING THE DRAINAGE BOARD SEALS

Use part “strips” from new or old spiral screen to built a SEAL for the drainage board.
These strips must be cutted crosswised, as shown below, and mended across the sideguard,
Keeping the flexibility to touch the primary screen softly, avoiding its premature wear.
The picture below right side exemplifies the wrong procedure where the SEAL (strip) was taken
correctly from a old screen, but cutted (wrongly) lenghtwised, exerting excessive pressure on the
primary screen, causing its premature wear.

CORRECT INCORRECT

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BEFORE START THE VP OPERATION

CHECKING THE PERIPHERALS AND PURGING THE PIPE LINES

Before start up the Filter, is strongly recommended to test all pumps with clean water.
Check the motor rotation and amperage.
Purge all lines.
Close the showers valves before purge the clean water line, avoiding any impurities to the nozzles.

POLYMER PREPARE

• The tank must be totally clean.

• Follow the manufacturer instructions as the safe procedure to handle with the powder polymer.
• Check if the polymer is up to date.
• Check the water pH and hardness. Adjust them to pH 7,0 and max hardness to 5 dH.
• Use the concentration 0,1% W/V for powder polymer.
• Keep the polymer solution shaking softly for at least 60 minutes before pump it.
• We recommend two (2) tanks, 8,0 m3/each, exclusively to the VP Filter mud.
• The polymer dosage must be done only with Positive Displacement Pump (NEMO) with variable
frequency drive (VFD).

LUMPS: INCORRECT PREPARE

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STARTING THE VP FILTER

STARTING AND STOPPING SEQUENCE

START THE VP FILTER

1 – Check the air pressure, that must set between 4,0 – 5,0 bar.
2 – Check the Pneumatic Guide Valve Reels positions.
3 – Turn on the VP Motor. Start with low speed, up to 35%.
4 – Turn on the Multi-Stage Pump for the screen showers.
5 – Turn on the Vacuum Generator (GV160).
6 – Turn on the Lime Pump (Nemo pump with VFD).
7 – Turn on the Polymer Pump (Nemo pump with VFD).
8 – Turn on the Mud Pump (Nemo pump with VFD).
9 – Turn on the Imbibition Water Pump.

STOP (temporary).
Turn off the motors:
1 – Mud Pump.
2 – Lime Pump.
3 – Polymer Pump.
4 – Water Pumps (imbibition and screen showers).

STOP (definitive).
Turn off the motors:
1 – Mud Pump.
2 – Lime Pump.
3 – Polymer Pump.
4 – Vacuum Generator.
5 – Water Pumps (imbibition and screen showers), only after the screens are totally clean.
6 – VP Filter Motor.

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VARIABLES TO BE CONTROLLED

MUD PH
The most important variable to be informed to the operators or automatic controlled due your direct
influence on the flocculation performance.
The lime must be obligatory pumped by Positive Displacement Pump with VFD.
Only this way will be possible keep inside the short range of Ideal mud pH and provide the CORRECT
FLOCCULATION.
The pictures below exemplify the correct operation and flocculation.

Filtrate clean, high porosity (cake) due to correct flocculation.

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 The inconstancy of mud pH causes flooding on the board due to low porosity cake, reverting quickly a
premature wear of primary screen and vacuum boards.

SOLIDS CONCENTRATION AT THE CLARIFIER

The Clarifier must be operated with high solid concentration, as high as possible, to reduce the mud
volume to be filtered by the VP Filter, improving both performance.
This procedure will avoid produce huge volume of mud with low concentration, exceeding the VP Filter
capacity.
The picture below exemplifies the incorrect operation on Clarifier.

INCORRECT

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SOLIDS CONCENTRATION AT THE FEEDING BOX | MUD PRE-DILUTION.
The mud pre-dilution is important because it allows to use optionally part of the wastewater
that comes from the screens showers.
The dilution can be done on the mud tank and be controlled to ensure the mud concentration
no less than 30% V/V.

FILTRATE PURITY
The filtrate purity analysis shows the flocculation performance and must be done periodically.

ADDITIONAL BAGASSE
The VP Filter demands a minimum amount of bagasse, up to 1,0 Kg/ton cane (bound dry) to
improve the flocculation performance, mainly during critical situations as rainy season.

CORDOBA INDUSTRIAL LTDA. | Ribeirão Preto – SP | Brazil | Phone: +55 16 3911-7474 P - 11 / 19

PERIOD INSPECTIONS

SEAL TANK
Check periodically the seal tank, keeping it always clean to ensure the vacuum system operating
correctly.

SCREEN STRETCHER SAFETY PIN – CORRECT POSITION

The safety pins must be always placed at the correct position, as shown.
The correct distance from the base of bearing house is 30 to 40 mm. This way, the stretcher will work
correctly like a “spring” absorbing different tension on the screens, saving the bearings effort.
If the pins are not inserted in a correct position, the screens can be damaged by low tension, after an
air pressure falls.
The recommended air pressure range is 4,0 – 5,0 bar.
See the next pictures some examples showing the correct position for the safety pins.

INCORRECT
(EXCESSIVE GAP)

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 The picture below shows the right position of the pins.

CORRECT
GAP (30-40 mm)

INCORRECT
(NO GAP)

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SCREEN SHOWERS
The screens must operate totally clean to ensure the full VP Filter capacity and performance.
For this reason, the showers must be inspected periodically.
Dirty screen causes a premature wear of itself and on the vacuum boards.

INCORRECT

INCORRECT

CORDOBA INDUSTRIAL LTDA. | Ribeirão Preto – SP | Brazil | Phone: +55 16 3911-7474 P - 14 / 19

AUTOCLEAN NOZZLE
The auto clean system keep the nozzles operating correctly and the screens completely clean.
Turn the ball valve open and close repeatedly to activate the auto cleaning mechanism of the nozzles, releasing
small impurities that normally block the nozzles.

CORDOBA INDUSTRIAL LTDA. | Ribeirão Preto – SP | Brazil | Phone: +55 16 3911-7474 P - 15 / 19

 CORRECT
screens totally clean

CLEAN WATER FILTER WF30

Backwash the WF30 Filter and check the screen inside periodically.

CORDOBA INDUSTRIAL LTDA. | Ribeirão Preto – SP | Brazil | Phone: +55 16 3911-7474 P - 16 / 19

SCREEN ALIGNMENT
The screen’s misalignment can occur when the air pressure falls to 3,0 bar or less.
To prevent any damage with the screens, the four (04) Full Stop Switch must be installed correctly to work
properly.
For this reason, we strong recommend to check all switch periodically.
DO NOT RUN THE VP FILTER BYPASSING THE FOUR (04) FULL STOP SWITCH.

LUBRICATING THE PNEUMATIC LINES.

Use only synthetic oil SAE10 to ensure the Pneumatic Alignment Valve and the Pneumatic Pistons working
properly.
Check frequently the OIL LEVEL.

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LUBRICATING THE BEARINGS

All the bearings are lubricating with Starplex2 Texaco or similar, due to its composition
(complex lithium and additive to extreme pressure) and efficiency.

Keep this lubricant or similar during the warranty period.

Below, the recommended time to lubricating the rolls.

ROLL COLOR LUBRICATE EVERY BRAND / SPECIFICATION

Red 15 days Texaco, Starplex 2 or similar.

Black 150 days Texaco, Starplex 2 or similar.

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OFF-SEASON MAINTENANCE
Below, the items that must be checked, in priority order, to prepare the VP Filter to another
crop season.

1 – Screens.
Inspect the surface of the screens, both sides, ensuring about holes and wear condition
present in it.
Take out the screens and keep it packed during the off-season.
If necessary replace them, follow the procedure as shown.
2 – Bearing and Houses.
Check all bearing and houses, cleaning everyone and change the grease.
3 – Vacuum Board.
Check the wear condition of each Vacuum Board (primary and secondary zone).
We recommend measure the thickness consumed during the crop season and the thickness
available to the next crop season.
Is very important do this procedure to avoid serious and irreversible problems during the
crop season.
If there is no thickness enough, replace the vacuum board.
4 – Nozzles – Screen Showers.
Check the wear condition of each Nozzle to ensure the efficiency of the screen washing
system.
Replace the nozzles with severe wear.
5 – Guide Valves.
Check the functioning of the two Pneumatic Guide Valves (primary and secondary).
6 – Scrapers.
Check the wear condition of each Scrapers, replacing it if necessary.
7 – Seals.
Replace all seals: Feeding Box, Drainage Board and Shower Box.
8 – Pneumatic.
Check all Pneumatic Cylinder, Valves and Connections.
9 – Gearmotor.
Check the gearmotor oil quality, replacing it if necessary.
10 – Homogenize Roll (Belt).
Check the wear condition of the belt, replacing it if necessary.
11 – Full Stop Switch
Check the functioning of the four (04) Full Stop Switch.

CORDOBA WEB SITE

Make your subscription in our web site (www.cordoba.eco.br) to access our restricted area and get
the map component and respective codes, request a quotation, consult the Vacuum Press Filter
Manual (update).

Any additional technical information? please consult us by email: salatecnica@cordoba.eco.br

CORDOBA INDUSTRIAL LTDA. | Ribeirão Preto – SP | Brazil | Phone: +55 16 3911-7474 P - 19 / 19