Vacuum Filtration Equipment

Effective Cake Dewatering and Washing

Vacuum Filtration Experts
WesTech engineers and manufactures robust vacuum filtration equipment for industrial,
mineral, and municipal applications. Backed by a responsive and experienced team,
WesTech’s vacuum filtration equipment provides reliable solutions for liquid/solids separation.

For nearly half a century, WesTech has supplied liquid/­

solids separation equipment to customers throughout the
world. During this time, WesTech has designed reliable
vacuum filtration equipment that has exceeded ­c ustomer
expectations.

WesTech continues to prove that our experience in the

industry adds value to the equipment we sell. This value
is seen in sound engineering design, reliable liquid/­
solids separation processes, and long service life for your
process equipment.

Fully Assembled Horizontal Belt Filter for Ease of Installation

Durable and Reliable Equipment

When dealing with some of the harshest environments
for process equipment, durability and reliability are a
must to keep your operation running. WesTech vacuum
filtration equipment uses robust materials and the latest
technological advancements to meet your plant demands
and requirements.

• Reliable performance availability

• Designed for low cost operation
Belt Discharge Vacuum Drum Filters
• Robust and conservative design

Project Support
WesTech strives to act as a seamless member of your team.
WesTech provides full process support from concept to
delivery continuing through operation. We strive to do
whatever it takes to ensure a successful project.

• Technical support and documentation

• Responsive customer service
• On-time deliveries
6’ dia Disc Filter
Dewatering Equipment Selection Contact WesTech to help determine the best
WesTech offers three types of vacuum filter equipment, equipment for your dewatering process.
each with multiple custom configurations to meet your
exact dewatering process requirements.

Horizontal Belt Filters

For heavy duty, large throughput and/or coarse granular
­processes, WesTech offers Horizontal Belt Filters.

• Large throughput capacity

• Drier cakes
• Highest cake washing efficiency
• Ideal for heavy solids that will
Horizontal Belt Filter settle or classify

Rotary Vacuum Drum Filters

The Rotary Vacuum Drum Filter provides a smaller foot-
print for dewatering, washing, and filtration applications.

• More cost effective per unit area

• Smaller footprint
• Less throughput capacity
• Materials that dewater easily
13’-6” dia x 36’ Roll-Discharge Drum Filters

Vacuum Disc Filters

The Vacuum Disc Filter offers the most filter area per
square foot of floor space.

• Common for coal and mineral applications

• Most filter area for the smallest footprint
• Requires a cake that discharges easily

12’-6” dia Disc Filter for Coal Fines Reclamation

Horizontal Belt Filters
Horizontal Belt Filters are an ideal solution for industrial and
mineral applications with large flow rates, stringent low
cake moisture requirements, and/or the need for highly
efficient cake washing. The WesTech Horizontal Belt
Filter gives customers the advantage of low maintenance
requirements as well as high performance availability,
thus reducing downtime and monthly labor costs.

12 m2 Horizontal Belt Filter with Steam Hood
Robust Design
The minerals and power industries demand a robust design
and rigorous performance requirements. The WesTech
Horizontal Belt Filter meets or exceeds demanding
production rates, low cake moisture and cake washing
­requirements, while offering the flexibility to absorb process
upsets. WesTech employs the right balance of conservative
design and experience to provide a cost effective and
high performance filter.

Feed Dam Roller

Feed Box
Endless Carrier Belt
Wash Box

Filter Cloth

Cloth Tracker
Filtrate Manifold

Pneumatic Vacuum
Box Lifting System
Vacuum Box
WesTech offers a wide range of units from the smallest ­pilot
filter up to 150 m2 of effective filtration area. These units ­utilize
belt speeds up to 200 ft/minute and vacuum levels up to 25
inches of mercury measured at sea level.
 Easy Manual Locking Vacuum Box Potash Dewatering

Locking Vacuum Box

Based on feedback from owners/operators, WesTech
has simplified the operation and maintenance for our
­Horizontal Belt Filters. One of these simplifications is the
manual or automatic locking of the vacuum box. This
locking system allows operators to maintain seal strips
and wear belts with ease.

See the manual locking vacuum box

in action by ­visiting our website at:
westech-inc.com/hbf_vac FGD Gypsum Dewatering

HBF Applications
Air Box / Water Slide
• Power (FGD Dewatering)
• Potash
• Steel Mills
• Mineral Concentrates
• Mineral Tailings
• Phosphoric Acid
• Chemical
• Agricultural
• Food Processing
• Oil Sands
Water Slide Manifold
Discharge Chute
Rotary Vacuum Drum Filters
WesTech Rotary Vacuum Drum Filters provide a wide
range of liquid/solids separation for many types of
­industrial processing flow sheets. They offer the ­operating
flexibility to handle dewatering, washing, and clarification
applications. WesTech drum filters are available with
drums up to 13.5 ft in diameter and 36 ft in length and are
built to customer specifications.

Scraper Discharge Drum Filter

Large Internal Piping Design

WesTech provides larger internal piping and a larger
filter valve, minimizing the headloss that diminishes
performance of the drum filter.

• Low velocity for less wear

• Longer service Life
• Better dewatering performance
• Higher throughput Belt Discharge Drum Filter

Vacuum Drum Filter Zones

1 Cake Form Zone
Optional Cake Slurry forms into a cake on the drum.
Wash Water Internal Piping
Cake form zones can be varied ­depending
on a­ pplication requirements.
3 4
2 Primary Cake Dry Zone
Vacuum and Filtrate Outlet
Filter Cake Ongoing moisture removal from the cake.
2 5
3 Optional Cake Wash
Compressed Up to one wash ratio for certain applications
Air Inlet (displacement wash).

4 Secondary Cake Dry Zone

1 Continuous filtrate and cake wash removal
Cloth Wash
from cake.
Water
5 Optional Blow-Back Zone
Compressed air lifts cake off the drum
(specific to scraper discharge drum).
Vat Agitator
 Scraper Discharge Belt Discharge Roller Discharge Precoat Discharge

Media Media Precoat

Drum Drum Drum Drum

Discharge Discharge
Roll Roll
Precision
Cutting
Blade

Roller Drive Advance

Mechanism

Unique Process, Custom Solutions • Metal Hydroxide Waste • Corn Gluten

With different methods of cake discharge, WesTech can • Gypsum • Aluminum
handle all types of municipal, industrial, and mineral
dewatering applications. WesTech offers standard scraper, • Municipal Waste • Mineral Concentrates
continuous belt, roll, and precoat systems to fit your
process requirements. Contact WesTech to find the right • Lime Softening Sludge • Mineral Tailings
equipment for your applications.
• Potato Waste • Starch Recovery

Vacuum Disc Filters

The WesTech high capacity Vacuum Disc Filter offers
exceptionally large filtration area per square foot of floor
space and provides the latest innovations in disc filter center
barrel design. The split center barrel design with offset
flow tubes allows WesTech Vacuum Disc Filter systems to
increase filtrate removal, reduce wear in each flow tube,
and provide a stronger, more efficient snap-blow.

• Small footprint, large filter area

• Split center barrel design 300 to 800 ft2 Filtration Area Capability
• Requires a cake that discharges easily
• Ideal for coal and mineral applications Vacuum Disc Applications
• Iron Ore
Snap-Blow System • Potash
As each disc rotates around to discharge, a solenoid valve
opens and blows air into the disc sector just as it is rotating • Steel Mills
toward discharge. WesTech’s disc filter design offers a
“staggered” snap-blow system option that will smooth • Paste Backfill
out your discharge process. It lowers your air consumption
and will not jar your conveyor belt system.
• Mineral Concentrates
 Pilot Plants, Bench Scale, and Laboratory Units
From filters to thickeners, WesTech provides pilot plant and laboratory bench
scale equipment to determine process effectiveness and equipment size.

Field Service Support

WesTech has responsive and experienced field service
professionals available to visit your site for the installation
of parts and equipment. Our field service personnel can
also troubleshoot problems, assist with installation and
startup, and provide maintenance supervision. They
understand your equipment and are available 24/7.

• Onsite engineering and inspection

• Maintenance and repair
• Plant upgrades
• Startup and training
• Maintenance contracts

See more WesTech process equipment at: westech-inc.com

Aerators Dewatering Headworks Septage and Receiving
Anaerobic Digestion Dissolved Gas Flotation Membranes Thickeners
Biological Treatment Drive Units Oil / Water Separators Parts and Field Service
Clarification Filtration Package Plants Systems and Turnkey
Combined Sewer Overflow Flocculation Residuals Handling Laboratory Testing

Call for all of your process equipment needs.

North America
Tel: 1 801 265 1000
info@westech-inc.com
www.westech-inc.com
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
China
Tel: +86 23 6554 9143
info@westech-china.com
www.westech-china.com
Chongqing, China
India
Tel: +91 44 4331 3471
info@westech-inc.com
www.westech-inc.com
Chennai, India
South Africa
Tel: +27 11 794 5205
info@westech-inc.co.za
www.westech-inc.co.za
Johannesburg, South Africa

South America
Tel: +55 11 3129 5226
info@westech.com.br
www.westech.com.br
São Paulo, Brazil

Represented by:

© WesTech Engineering, Inc. 2011