Rules of Thumb: Filter Press Plates and Out of Balance Pressures

Circumstances that can lead to Out-of-Balance Pressures include:

• Different permeability of the filter cloths used inside the same filter plate stack
• Closed slurry feed holes due to incomplete cake discharge at the end of the previous cycle
• Plugged filtrate ports
• Bridging of the feed hole between filter plates
• The feed velocity is too high
• Different chamber depths within the same plate stack

Micronics can assist in optimizing your Filter Press operation, including helping to diagnose and correct for Out-of-Balance Pressures!

Here are just a few rules of thumb to ensure your optimal filter press operation:

• Don’t use cloths with different permeability or filtration characteristics in one plate stack.
• Cleaning and replacing cloths should be done for the entire stack and not for only a few plates at a time
• Check the discharge of the cakes at the end of each cycle and clean blocked feed channels. Remove any sticking portions of the filter cakes completely at the end of each cycle
• Pay careful attention to warning signs like dissimilar cake thicknesses. Especially with sidebar filter presses, pay attention to handles that change their angle, or lift up during filtration.

Avoiding Out-of-Balance Pressures is critical to effective, efficient filter press operations. For additional information on damaging differential pressure view this technical resource here.

Contact Us for new filter cloths, filter plates, or on-site service to improve your Filter Press operation. Don’t wait for a Plate Crisis!