Refinery Clarification

Basic Operation & Design

Concepts
Clarification – Why?

 Clarity requirement
 Protect downstream equipment
 What is Refinery “Mud”?
– Combination of fats and protein released
from starch in the conversion process
 Suspended Solids - Sediment
 Coagulated enzyme protein
Solid-Liquid Separation

 Settle-float (gravity)
 Centrifuge (1000 X gravity)
 Filter (size exclusion)
– Filter media selection
 Size rejected
 Renewable surface

 High loading

 Disposal
Filtration Options
 Filter Presses - Pressure Leaf Filters
– Use Mud Centrifuge on Liquefact (CSU)
 Ultrafiltration – Microfiltration (UF/MF)
– Very clean filtrate
– Limit on % recovery
– Huge viscosity effect
– not good for low to medium DE syrups
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filters
 Rotary Vacuum
Precoat Filter
Typical Equipment Schematic

Process Feed
air

Vacuum Filter
Vacuum
Receiver

Vacuum Pump
To Process Filtrate Pump
seal water
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Operating Cycle (A Single Drum Revolution)

Dry Zone

Cake
Discharge
Zone

Form Zone
Filter Aid Selection
 What’s important?
 Syrup Clarity
 Filtration Flux rate (permeability)
– Darcies
– (m3/m2-hr) or (gal/sqft-hr)
 Filter aid usage.
– Penetration
– Fouling layer
– Area available
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Filter Aid Grade Selection

Penetrated Solids
Filtered Solids

Requirements of the
Precoat
Maintain required process filtrate
Filter clarity
Cloth
Maintain desired & achievable flow
rates
Knife Blade
Precoat
Clean Precoat
Minimize process solids’
penetration
cake cross section view

Maximize precoat cake life

 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Optimum Filter Aid Grade Selection

Criteria: Minimize Solids’ Penetration Into Precoat Cake

Flow Flow
Filtered Cake Solids

Solids Penetration
 minimal
 high
 excessive

Applicable High Excessive

Filter Cloth
(septum) (Relative Filter Aid Permeability For Process Application)

Precoat Cake
Types of Filter Aid

 Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

– Fresh Water
– Marine
 Perlite
 Cellulosic (wood flour)
 Mixtures
Filter Aid Types
 Order of Preference for RVF use
– Fresh Water DE
– Marine DE
– Perlite
 WHY?
– Clarity, Flux, Usage
– Operational difficulties
 Compressible cakes
 Cakes crack or fall off.
Types of Filter Aid

Diatomaceous Earth Fresh

Diatomaceous Earth Marine
Water Type
(Sea Water) Type

Cellulose Fiber
Perlite
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Knife Cut Analysis
Excessive Knife Advance Rate Per Drum
Revolution

Penetrated Solids  low precoat cake life

Filtered Solids i.e knife advance rate greater
than what is optimally required

Excess
 low filter aid efficiency
Precoat
i.e. more filter aid used per
Filter Cloth gallon of slurry than what is
normally required

 increased filter aid costs

Precoat
Knife Blade
cake cross section view  increased disposal costs
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Knife Cut Analysis
Insufficient Knife Advance Rate Per Drum
Revolution
Penetrated Solids  low filtration rates
Filtered Solids i.e flow rates are lower than
expected because of precoat cake
fouling

 low filter aid efficiency

Filter Cloth i.e. more filter aid used per
gallon of slurry than what is
normally required

Knife Blade  increased filter aid costs

Residual
Precoat
Penetrated Solids

cake cross section view

 increased filtration time
 Flux & Clarity as a function of
Grade
Clarity vs Flow
BAS ED ON RAW S UGAR S OLUTION @ 6 0 BRIX& 80 C

10,000

FW - 80
FW - 70

FW - 60
FW - 50

FW - 40
Flow Index

1,000 FW - 20
FW - 18

FW - 14
FW - 12

FW - 10

FW - 6

FP - 4

FW - 2
100
1000 990 980 970 960 950 940 930 920
Clar ity Inde x
Filter Aid Grade Table
Questions?
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Operating Parameters

Drum Submergence Drum Speed

(operating vat level)

The “Knife Advance Rate” is a given, established by the interaction

of the process slurry solids & the selected precoat filter aid.
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Operating Parameter Analysis

Drum Submergence
Impact of a “Vat Level”
Decrease……. 
(operating vat level)
(typical trends)

Thickness of filtered cake..……….. 

Filtered cake drying time….………. 
Moisture content of filtered cake…. 
Flow rate per drum revolution…….. 
Filter aid efficiency…………………. 
All other operating parameters constant
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Drum Submergence Analysis

~ “HIGH” ~ A Preferable Operating Condition

Drum for…..
Submergence  “Easy to Filter” slurries
(operating vat level)  Slurries with “low” suspended solids

~ Benefits ~
 Maximum filter flow rate
 Maximum filter aid usage efficiencies
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Drum Submergence Analysis
(High Vat Level Operation)

100 %

Filter Flow Rate

% Maximum Filter Thru-put

vs
% Drum
Submergence

All filtration parameters and filter

operating conditions CONSTANT as
vat level varies.

100 %

% Maximum Drum Submergence

 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Drum Submergence Analysis

~ “LOW” ~ A Preferable Operating Condition

Drum for…..
Submergence  “Hard to Filter” slurries
(operating vat level)  Slurries with “high” suspended solids

~ Benefits ~
 Improved filtered cake dryness
 Improved filtrate recovery
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Operating Parameter Analysis

Impact of a “Drum Speed” 

Drum Speed Increase…….
(typical trends)

Filter thru-put……………………….. 
Thickness of filtered cake…………. 
Moisture content of filtered cake…. 
Flow rate per drum revolution…….. 
Filter aid efficiency…………………. 
All other operating parameters constant
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Knife Cut Analysis

Insufficient Cut Excess Cut

Optimum Range
Relative Filter Flow Rate

0.000 0.001 0.002 0.003 0.004 0.005 0.006 0.007 0.008 0.009
Knife Advance Rate (inches per drum revolution)
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Knife Cut Analysis

Optimum Knife Advance Rate Per Drum

Revolution
Penetrated Solids
Filtered Solids
 optimum filtration rates
I.e highest possible flow rate
for the given process slurry &
filter settings

 optimum filter aid efficiency

Filter Cloth I.e. lowest filter aid usage for
the quantity of process slurry
filtered

Knife Blade  lowest filter aid costs

Precoat
Clean Precoat

cake cross section view

 improved filter utilization
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Consistent / Irregular Knife Cut vs Flow Rate
(per drum revolution)

Lost Production

Consistent
Relative Filter Flow Rate

Cut

Irregular
Cut

Filtration Time, (T)

 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter

Filtration Time (hours) per Inch of Usable Precoat Cake

Knife Advance Rate (thousandths of an inch per drum revolution)

2 3 4 5 6 8 10 12 15
MPR
0.5 4.2 2.7 2.1 1.7 1.4 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.6
0.75 6.3 4.2 3.1 2.5 2.1 1.6 1.3 1.0 0.8
minutes per revolution

1.0 8.3 5.6 4.2 3.3 2.8 2.1 1.7 1.4 1.1
Drum Speed

1.5 12.5 8.3 6.3 5.0 4.2 3.1 2.5 2.1 1.7
2.0 16.7 11.1 8.3 6.7 5.6 4.2 3.3 2.8 2.2
2.5 20.8 13.9 10.4 8.3 6.9 5.2 4.2 3.5 2.8
3.0 25.0 16.7 12.5 10.0 8.3 6.3 5.0 4.2 3.3
3.5 29.2 19.4 14.6 11.7 9.7 7.3 5.8 4.9 3.9
4.0 33.3 22.2 16.7 13.3 11.1 8.3 6.7 5.6 4.4
Optimum Range
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter

 DESIGN PARAMETERS
– Hydrolysate
 13 – 15 gal/hr-ft2 (0.5 - 0.6 m3/hr-m2) (K-1000)
 0.4 RPM
 0.004 inch /rev (0.10 mm/rev) knife cut
 4.5 inch (115 mm) cake
– Glucose
 8 – 10 gal/hr-ft2 (0.3 – 0.4 m3/hr-m2) (K-2500)
– Maltodextrin
 4 – 5 gal/hr-ft2 (0.15 – 0.21 m3/hr-m2) (K-5200)
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Filter Cloth Selection ~ General
Specifications
Common Filter Cloth Design Parameters
Applicable For All Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filters
……….. Mono or multifilament, depending upon solids
Yarn retention and cleaning requirements. DO NOT USE
SPUN-STAPLE.
……. Twill is the best ‘All Around’ weave, providing
Weave good flow characteristics and excellent durability. DO
NOT USE PLAIN WEAVE WITH PRECOAT.

Permeability …Air flow rating (permeability) should be matched to

the grade of filter aid being used in the process. The
cloth should not be a restriction to filtration.
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Filter Cloth Selection ~ Yarn

Preferred Yarn Selections

Monofilament
Yarn
*
(for universal
applications)

Multifilament
Yarn
(for minimum ‘bleed-
thru’)
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Filter Cloth Selection ~ Weave

Preferred Weave
Selections

Twill Weave Satin Weave

(tough, w/good flow) (best flow, poor wear)
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Filter Cloth Selection ~ Permeability

Suggested Septum Permeability Range For Required Precoat Grades

200 Not Usually Required ~ Too High Permeability

High
150
Permeability ~ CFM / ft2

FW-40  FW-80
Medium
100
Low
FW-20  FW-60

FW-12  FW-40
Very Low
50 FW-6  FW-10

Not Suggested ~ Too Low Permeability

0
(For twill weave, mono or multifilament yarn synthetic fabrics)
Precoating a RVPF
 Rotary Vacuum
Precoat Filter
Precoat
Typical Equipment Schematic
System

Process Feed
Recirculated Filtrate

air

Vacuum Filter
Vacuum
Receiver

Vacuum Pump
Filtrate Pump
seal water
To Process
Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Suggested Precoating Procedures

 add clean syrup to precoat slurry tank

 prepare precoat slurry to suggested concentration

 start filter vat agitator & drum drive (maximum rpm)

 pump over precoat slurry to a drum submergence

level of 10%-15% (just touching drum)

 start vacuum pump(s) & filtrate pump(s)

 recirculate filtrate back to the precoat mix tank

 minimal vacuum level/ high air flow at start

 maintain a constant precoat slurry concentration

throughout period of filter aid addition (if applicable)

 maintain constant drum speed & vat level throughout

precoating period

 recirculate precoat liquor (filtrate) until clear

 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Precoat Loading Rates

2 lbs. per 1 ft2 of drum filter area per inch

thickness of desired precoat cake. (1.9
Diatomaceous kg / m2 / cm)
Earth

Use same volume of perlite as that

calculated for a diatomaceous earth
Perlite
precoat cake. (2/3’s of weight of DE)
 Rotary Vacuum Precoat Filter
Precoat Slurry Concentrations

5%-10% wt:wt basis

Lower for slow DE & higher for fast.
Can be applied to filter immediately.
Diatomaceous
Earth

2%-5% wt:wt basis

Lower for slow FA & higher for fast.
Can be applied to filter immediately.
Perlite
Design Conditions

 Filter Area
– High clarity – High DE
 12 gal/sq ft-hr (0.49 m3/m2-hr)
– Glucose Syrups
 7.5 gal/sq ft-hr (0.31 m3/m2-hr)
– Maltodextrin
 5 gal/sq ft-hr (0.21 m3/m2-hr)
Design Conditions –
cont’d
 Vacuum
– Operational
 2 ACFM/sq ft & 23+ in Hg
 0.32 m3/hr -m2

– Precoating
 4 ACFM/sq ft
 0.64 m3/hr-m2

– Seal Water Temperature < 90F (38C)

Design Conditions –
cont’d
 Drum Speed
– Maximum > 2 rpm
– Operation 0.2 – 0.4 rpm
 Knife Advance
– Servo Motor or Stepping Motor drive
 Single gear box
 Precise control (ratioed to drum rotation)
 Very fast retraction
 Saves on filter aid
– Knife material – Stellite
Design Conditions
 Filtrate Pumps
– Standard Centrifugal Pumps
– Install on floor below filtrate receiver
 Temperature
– 60 C to 70 C
– Possible flashing at higher temperture
– Affects vacuum pump & seal water cooling
– Viscosity lower at higher temperature
Troubleshooting

 Loose (soft) precoat cake

– Built the cake too quickly
 Level too high
 Too much vacuum

 Too high solids in precoat slurry

 Drum speed too slow

 Wrong filter aid

– Cloth blinded
Troubleshooting
 Low Filtration rate
– Wrong filter aid – (too many fines)
– Cake blinding – insufficient knife cut
– Insufficient Vacuum
– Low Temperature / high viscosity
– High Fine fiber in starch
– Syrup supply changed for the worst
 Oil, protein, unconverted amylose & sediment
– Cake too tight
Troubleshooting

 Poor filtrate quality (low clarity)

– Wrong filter aid
– Hole in cloth
– Loose cake

 Foaming in receiver
– Insufficient vacuum
– Air leak
Troubleshooting

 Knife Chatter
– Dull knife
– Wrong angle on blade holder or bevel
– Drum bearings worn
– Cake too hard