Field Knowledge, Plant Operation

Filtration I
The end of the common journey

Chemical products frequently occur as solid materials

(precipitates) in liquids. At the end of the production
process, the question arises: “How are the liquid and
solid components separated?” The method of choice
is filtration.

The Morning After...

At the end of a long night,
coffee is often the last re-
sort. Everyone knows the
procedure: A filter bag is
placed into the filter; then
the pulverized coffee is
added; the pot is placed
below, and then preparation
starts.
But what happens in the
course of this well known
form of filtration? Actually
two process are performed:
Of the hot water and the
first pulverized coffee form a
very unappetizing mixture in
the coffee filter from the
extract and the solid ground
- a suspension. In the sec-
ond step, the “spent” coffee
powder - the filter cake - is
separated from the solution
- the filtrate by letting it run
through the filter bag - the
filter material.

Pores Allow this

Approach
The filter bag has pores would be prepared by way
which must satisfy two vital of a clay candle, you would
criteria: probably have to prepare

they must be bigger than Friday’s coffee on the previ-
the liquid particles ous Monday.

and smaller than the sep-
arated solid particles.
The smaller the pores, the
better the separation of
liquids and solids, but the
slower the filtration process.
If, for example, the coffee
Table filter (Courtesy Schenk company)

Pores and Channels

If you look at a filter bag
under a microscope you see
that the material consists of
a tangle of fine crowing
fibers. Between these fibers
narrow channels remain -
the pores. This is the only
path the water - or liquid
medium -may take through
the filter material and the
filter cake. It must squeeze
through these pores. The
narrow pore produces a
flow resistance which must
be overcome by the liquid.
The flow resistance is
greatly influenced by

the viscosity (flowability)
of the liquid,

the pore diameter and
thickness of the filter
material, and

the thickness of the filter
cake.
Energy is required for con-
quering the flow resistance.

Microscopic picture of a cellulose filter

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 Field Knowledge, Plant Operation
No Effect Without Pressure...
This energy is due to the
pressure difference between the filter material, a pres-
the space upstream of the
filter material/filter cake and ing, hydraulic or pneumatic
that downstream.
In the course of pressure
filtration, the space
upstream of the filter mater- filter material. In technical
ial is closed and the space
downstream - open.
Vacuum Filtration
Naturally, it is possible to
produce the required pres-
sure difference via a vacu-
um which is applied at the
closed space downstream
of the filter material. This
causes the product to be
filtered to be drawn through
the filter layer rather than
pressed.
Pore and Capillary Moisture
If the weight of the water in
the coffee filter is no longer
adequate to overcome the
flow resistance through the
pores, it no longer flows. In
the pores of the filter and
the capillary spaces of the
filter cake a specific amount
of water remains. This is
called residual moisture of
the filter cake. This residual
moisture must now not only
overcome the flow resistan-
ce, but also the moisture
absorbing capacity of the
filter material and the filter
cake. The residual moisture
may be reduced by press-
ing.
Types of Filtration
Depending on which part of
a suspension is to be ob-
tained by filtration, we clas-
sify:

solid-phase filtration:
Here the solid substance
is the desired product
(e.g. color pigment);

clarification filtration: Here
the liquid is the objective
of the separation (e.g.
coffee);

separating filtration: Here
both, the solid substance
and the liquid, are the
objective of the process.
In the space upstream of
sure is produced by pump- ambient pressure = suspension
1.013 bar
nutsch filter
pressure or gas injection,
which presses the incoming filter material
suspension through the
seal ring
filtering systems, a pressure
of 15 bar is standard.
vacuum pump
liquid
This is called vacuum or
suction filtration. The disad- suction bottle
vantage of this method is,
e.g. that the pressure differ- internal pressure =
ence achievable at maxi- 0.6 bar
mum is 1.013 bar (in the
field, however, only 0.6 to
0.8 bar maximum).
Principle of vacuum filtration
moisture
between the
particles
capillary moisture
pore moisture
Howerver, it may only be editions Drying I and
completely removed by a Drying II).
drying process (see also the
Filtering is Not Always
the Same
Another difference in filtra-
tion is the type of solid ma-
terial separation: During
screen filtration, the filter
material retains all solid
particles whose diameter is
bigger than the pore diame-
ter. Smaller particles pass
the screen. This method
allows therefore both a sol-
id/liquid separation and also
a separation of coarse
grains. coarse particles passing
fine partiles
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 Field Knowledge, Plant Operation

The filter-medium filtration is The cake filtration, on the suspension

based on the separation of
solid substances in the filter
material (e.g. a gravel or
fiber bed).
Here, the permeability of the
filter layer decreases with
increasing absorption of
solid substances. Cleaning
on a regular basis or re-
placement of the filter layer
is required.
Due to imbedding the solid
particles in the filter layer,
this method is predominant-
ly used for clarifying filtra-
tion.
other hand, utilizes the filter
cake on the filter material
(e.g. a filter cloth) formed of
the separated solid parti-
cles.
This filter cake acts as filter
aid whose permeability
decreases with the thick-
ness of the cake. Therefore,
it is necessary to regularly
remove the filter cakes from
the filter material. For the
calculation of the filtration
capacity of a system a solid material filter cake
specified thickness of the filter material layer filter material
filter cake is considered. (e. g. membrane)
filter discharge filter discharge

Filter-medium filtration Cake filtration

When the Filter is

“Blocked”
All filtration processes face
the problem that with in-
creasing quantity of sepa-
rated solids, the filter mater-
ial becomes less permeable
for the liquid. The filter is
“blocked” or becomes un-
permeable.
This results in

a decreasing filtration
capacity (suspension
throughput per unit time);

a pressure increase up-
stream of the filter materi-
al, in the case of filter-
medium filtration;

an increase of the filtering
quality (particle retention filter cake
capacity), or filtrate flow

the solid material is
pressed into or passed
through the filter material.
pressure on the
The consequence is: filter cake

backwash to upstream
system components or

contamination of already filtering time
clarified liquid.
In case of screen filtration, great variety of grain pores. Eventuallly, a thick
the system is “blocked” sizes.The solid particles filter cake develops.
when the solid material in become blocked, then in-
the suspension displays a creasingly, the smaller

Filter Material
In the field, a great variety of
suspensions occur. The
difference may be e.g. in
the

solvents,

grain size of the solid
substance,

distribution of grain size
in the solid substance,

required separation effi-
ciency, or

characteristics of the
particles in the solvent
(e.g. susceptibility to
clogging = agglomera-
tion).
There is an adequate filter
material for each feasible
combination of these differ-
ences.

Mats and the Like

One of the oldest filter mate-
rial are mats and fabric fil-
ters. Both consist of inter-
woven fibers. The difference
is in the method of fiber
bonding: Mats are irregularly
felted fibers. They are fab-
rics consisting mostly of
woven fiber bundles
(threads). Fiber materials are
e.g. synthetic fibers (nylon,
polyester), natural fibers
(e.g. cellulose), glass
fibers or carbon fibers. Met-
al fabric are frequently ap-
plied as prefilters. The pore
diameter in these filters is a
function of the fiber thick-
ness: the finer the fiber, the
smaller the pore diameter
that can be obtained.
Microscopic mat filter - Microscopic mat filter -
cellulose cardboard glass fiber mat

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 Field Knowledge, Plant Operation

One problem that may de- which are incorporated with

velop is they, precipitants
(e.g. flakes from effluent
treatment) very quickly
block the filter material.
Additionally, a very thin filter
cake layer seals the filter
practically completely. Here
filter aids are a solution:
substances resulting either
in an agglomeration and
thus a coarsening of the
precipitate (flocculants) or
the precipitate in the filter
cake (precoat filtration).
This causes the cake to be
less dense and guarantees
a higher residence time of
the filter material. Such
substances are e.g. kiesel-
guhrs, activated carbon.
Fabric filter - nylon Diatomaceous earth for
precoat filtration (Photo:
Courtesy Schenk company)

The Magic Word “Mem-

brane”
Membranes, as opposed to
mats or fabric filter materi-
als, do not consist of fibers,
but they are actually foams.
They consist normally of
synthetic materials which
have a defined pore struc-
ture as a result of special
manufacturing methods.
The advantages of mem-
branes are e.g.:

a pore diameter up to the
size of molecules may be
achieved,

number of pores and

pore distribution may be
accurately adjusted, and

the fabrication is fre-
quently much easier than
compared to mats or
fabrics.
Combinations of mats/fab-
rics and membranes are
also applied: For example,
the strength of a membrane
may be increased by foam-
ing in of a fabric, or mem- Membrane with bacteria PTFE-membrane
branes are combined with
matted precoat filters.
Membranes may obtain a
great variety of forms: Flat
filter courses, hoses, coat-
ings of filter cartridges.

Filtering is More than...

Of course, filtering does not
only mean separation of
solid from liquid compo-
nents of a suspension. Also
the separation of
solid/gaseous substances is
a large field of application
for filtering techniques and
materials. This includes
e.g.:

all types of breathing
filters,

the smoke filters,

dusts filters etc..
Another field of application
is that of liquid/gaseous
separation. This includes
e.g.:

demisters

recovery of solvents va-
pors (systems for the
recovery of solvents).

Why is blocking of the
filter material in case of
pressure filtration more
dangerous than in vacuum
filtration?

Why is a pressure differ-
ence greater 1.013 bar in
mere vacuum filtration im-
possible?
BASF Aktiengesellschaft
GPB/E Personnel Develop-
ment and Training
67056 Ludwigshafen
© BASF/December 2004
Suspensions - Colloids -
Emulsions
Suspension are formed by
finely dispersing a solid
substance in a liquid (the
dispersion material) in
which it does not dissolve.
Particles >1 µm
(1/1000 mm) result in sus-
pensions in which they
deposit after a prolonged
period of standing (sedi-
mentation).
Particles <1 µm are called
colloids. Colloidally distrib-
uted solids do not readily
deposit by themselves,
and the mixture appears
clear. However, if directing a
light beam into them, a
cone of light is clearly visible
- a phenomenon which
does not occur in a “gen-
uine solution” (e.g. sugar in
water). This is called after
its discoverer the Tyndall
effect.
Typical suspensions are e.g.
colored varnishes, lime
solution or fruit marrow in
fruit juices.
A fine distribution of two
liquids that cannot be
mixed is an emulsion. Nor-
mally, emulsions must be
stabilized by way of an
emulsifier so that they can-
not separate spontaneous-
ly. Typical representatives
are e.g. milk (fat in water),
cooling lubricants in metal
cutting or standard body
lotions.