How Can I Reduce Expenses for Transporting Filter Cake?

Let’s start with some simple definitions. “Dewatering” is a physical method for reducing the water content from sludge. “Filter Cake” is the compacted solid or semisolid remaining after the pressure filtration dewatering process.

Micronics is an expert in dewatering and all aspects of liquid/solid separation. Beyond the supply of advanced filtration equipment, Micronics can assist you in identifying areas that will contribute to increased cake dryness and, consequently, help you reduce O&M costs.

Some of the areas we explore with clients include proper selection of the filter cloth media for your slurry and operating conditions; proper selection of the filter plates; and adjusting process variables such as cycle time, cake thickness, and feed pressure to achieve your objectives. Today’s filter presses – such as the automated sidebar and overhead beam presses – offer many more options for achieving much drier filter cakes and reducing operating expenses than ever before. With assistance from filtration experts, you can truly maximize your filtration equipment investment and reduce O&M costs.

Here are just a few factors to consider as you seek to reduce expenses for transporting filter cake.

Rod suspension makes for easy filter cloth change-out in this mining operation.

Filter Cloth
If your plate is dropping wet, slimy, sticky cakes, it is likely that your filter cloths need cleaning or changing.

In addition to proper cloth cleaning and maintenance, filter cloth selection is key to cost-effective dewatering operations, including forming a drier cake.

Cleaning with an automatic cloth washing system can help prolong the lifetime and performance of the filter cloth, helping to ensure drier cakes.

Recessed Cloth with Velcro and Rubber Neck

Caulked and Gasketed Filter Cloth

Filter Plates
The use of membrane (diaphragm) filter plates is one method for literally squeezing extra moisture from the filter cake, thus yielding a drier cake before being discharged from the filter press. We discussed the use of membrane squeeze plates and membrane mixed packs in a recent blog post.

Whether you are using recessed chamber filter plates or membrane filter plates, Micronics recommends on-site pilot testing to determine what cake moistures are achievable for your operation.

Automatic Drip Trays
Automated bomb bay door drip trays play an important role in creating a drier filter cake in modern automated filter press dewatering operations. For instance, when an automated cloth washing system is being utilized, in their closed position, the bomb bay door trip trays protect the discharged filter cake from the cloth washing liquids.

Air Blow
Air blowing is a post-filtration step – prior to cake discharge – that is useful for removal of residual filtrate from the filter cake and for improving both cake dryness as well as loosening the filter cake for improved cake release.

Contact Us to review filter cloth selection, plate & and filtration equipment selection to optimize your filter press dewatering operations and reduce O&M expenses for areas such as transporting filter cake. Micronics will help you squeeze out more from your dewatering operations.