ChE 304

Chemical engineering laboratory - III

Experiment No. 6

Group No. 03 (A2)

Name of the experiment:

CONSTANT PRESSURE FILTRATION

Submitted by:
Md. Hasib Al Mahbub
Student Id: 0902045
Level: 3; Term: 2
Section: A2

Date of performance: 25/02/2014

Partners Student Id. 0902041

Date of submission: 04/03/2014

0902042
0902043
0902044

Department of Chemical Engineering.

Bangladesh University of engineering and technology, Dhaka.

Summary
The purposes behind this experiment were to study the filtration phenomena and to calculate
the flow rate, resistance of the performed filtration process. For these above objectives slurry
of CaCO3 was pumped through filter press at a constant pressure (10psig for & 20 psig). The
plate-and-frame filter presses were arranged properly for one directional flow of slurry. The
plots of cumulative volume vs. cumulative time were drawn for both pressures which show the
nature of filtrate with time progress. For determine the filtration constant two bar diagram (t
/V) vs. cumulative volume (V) for both pressures were plotted. The optimum volumes of
filtrate per cycle found from the experiment were 0.450 m3 and 0.557 m3 and optimum filtration
times were 2255.78 sec and 6017.03 sec for 10 and 20 psig respectively. The specific cake
resistances were found to be 1.95 1010 m/kg and 9.31 1010 m/kg respectively.

Experimental setup

Fixed
head
Plate
Clear
filtrate out

Fram
e

Movable
head
Closing
device

Side rails
Slurry
in

Filter cloths

Figure 1: Schematic diagram of a typical Plate-and-Frame Filter Press.

Stan
d

Figure 2: Sketch of a plate and a frame.[Badger,1997,Page-561]

Observed Data
Mass of bucket no. 01 = 0.700g
Mass of bucket no. 02 = 0.550g
Table 1: Observed data for constant pressure filtration at 10 psig.
Observation No.

Bucket No.

Time (sec)

Mass of filtrate
collected+bucket
(kg)
3.5

01
02

30

03

2.8

30

04

2.3

30

05

2.3

30

06

30

07

2.1

30

08

1.75

30

09

1.75

30

10

1.5

30

11

1.5

30

12

1.2

30

13

1.4

30

14

1.2

30

15

1.3

30

16

1.1

30

1st down time=10 min 25 sec

30

Table 2: Observed data for constant pressure filtration at 20 psig.

Observation No.

Bucket No.

Time (sec)

Mass of filtrate
collected+bucket
(kg)
3.5

01
02

3.2

30

03

2.7

30

04

2.3

30

05

2.15

30

06

1.9

30

07

1.95

30

08

1.8

30

09

1.85

30

10

1.6

30

11

1.7

30

12

1.5

30

13

1.6

30

14

1.45

30

15

1.6

30

16

1.35

30

2nd down time = 4 min 25 sec

30

Calculated Data
Table 3: Calculated data for cumulative volume of filtrate and filtration time at 10 psig.
V
(m3)

t/V
(s/m3)

Obs.
No.

Volume of
filtrate
(m3 )

Time
(s)

Cumulative
volume
(m3)

Cumulative
time
(s)

t
(s)

01

0.002806

30

0.002806

30

30

0.002806 10690.39

02

0.002455

30

0.005262

60

30

0.002455 12217.59

03

0.002105

30

0.007366

90

30

0.002105 14253.86

04

0.001754

30

0.00912

120

30

0.001754 17104.63

05

0.001604

30

0.010724

150

30

0.001604 18708.19

06

0.001453

30

0.012177

180

30

0.001453 20643.52

07

0.001403

30

0.01358

210

30

0.001403 21380.79

08

0.001203

30

0.014783

240

30

0.001203 24944.25

09

0.001052

30

0.015835

270

30

0.001052 28507.71

10

0.000952

30

0.016787

300

30

0.000952 31508.53

11

0.000802

30

0.017589

330

30

0.000802 37416.38

12

0.000651

30

0.018241

360

30

0.000651 46050.92

13

0.000702

30

0.018942

390

30

0.000702 42761.57

14

0.000651

30

0.019594

420

30

0.000651 46050.92

15

0.000601

30

0.020195

450

30

0.000601

16

0.000551

30

0.020746

480

30

0.000551 54423.82

49888.5

Table 4: Calculated data for cumulative volume of filtrate and filtration time at 20 psig.
V
(m3)

t/V
(s/m3)

Obs.
No.

Volume of
filtrate
(m3 )

Time
(s)

Cumulative
volume
(m3)

Cumulative
time
(s)

t
(s)

01

0.002806

30

0.002806

30

30

0.002806 10690.39

02

0.002656

30

0.005462

60

30

0.002656 11295.51

03

0.002004

30

0.007467

90

30

0.002004 14966.55

04

0.001754

30

0.009221

120

30

0.001754 17104.63

05

0.001453

30

0.010674

150

30

0.001453 20643.52

06

0.001353

30

0.012027

180

30

0.001353 22172.67

07

0.001253

30

0.01328

210

30

0.001253 23946.48

08

0.001253

30

0.014532

240

30

0.001253 23946.48

09

0.001153

30

0.015685

270

30

0.001153 26028.78

10

0.001052

30

0.016737

300

30

0.001052 28507.71

11

0.001002

30

0.01774

330

30

0.001002

12

0.000952

30

0.018692

360

30

0.000952 31508.53

13

0.000902

30

0.019594

390

30

0.000902

33259

14

0.000902

30

0.020496

420

30

0.000902

33259

15

0.000902

30

0.021398

450

30

0.000902

33259

16

0.000802

30

0.0222

480

30

0.000802 37416.38

29933.1

Table 5: Calculated data for ekscsesc tsesereccs ceps at 10 psig.

Observation
no

Filtration
time
t
sec

01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

28.98415757
54.35634984
76.11215506
94.24778315
110.8335354
125.8681741
140.3878062
152.8358865
163.7299872
173.5881874
181.8910329
188.6379049
195.9045792
202.6529594
208.8828781
214.5941804

Qavg

9.54561E-06
1.64761E-05
2.15953E-05
2.53873E-05
2.85337E-05
3.11541E-05
3.34995E-05
3.53798E-05
3.69354E-05
3.82761E-05
3.93591E-05
4.02098E-05
4.1098E-05
4.18979E-05
4.26161E-05
4.3258E-05

Resistance
of cake
Rc
m
43318907.19
81222950.98
113712131.4
140786448.4
165540109.6
187973115.1
209632568.7
228197814.7
244442404.9
259139891.2
271516721.9
281572896.7
292402623.5
302458798.4
311741421.4
320250492.4

Resistance
of filtering
medium
Rm
m

1.95 1010

Specific
cake
resistance
m/kg

8.33 108

Table 5: Calculated data for ekscsesc tsesereccs ceps at 20 psig.

Obs.
No.

Filtration
time
t
sec

Qavg

Resistance of
cake
Rc
m

01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

28.98415757
56.42800471
77.14833486
95.28426375
110.315164
124.3126991
137.2761729
150.2423324
162.1735711
173.0692961
183.4479389
193.3092417
202.6529594
211.9980695
221.3445718
229.6537427

9.54561E-06
1.69935E-05
2.18228E-05
2.55925E-05
2.84396E-05
3.08924E-05
3.30112E-05
3.49974E-05
3.6718E-05
3.8207E-05
3.95577E-05
4.0784E-05
4.18979E-05
4.29681E-05
4.3997E-05
4.48789E-05

43318907.19
84317158.64
115259235.2
142333552.2
164766557.7
185652459.4
204991257.2
224330055.1
242121749.1
258366339.3
273837377.6
288534864
302458798.4
316382732.9
330306667.3
342683498

Resistance of
filtering
medium
Rm
m

9.31 1010

Specific cake
resistance
m/kg

9.53 108

Sample Calculation
A sample calculation has been shown for observation number 5 at 20 psig
Weight of (Filtrate + Bucket1) =2.15 kg

Weight of Bucket1 =

0.70 g

Weight of Filtrate = (2.15-.70) g

= 1.45 kg
Density of Water at Room Temperature = 997.77 kg/m3
Volume of Filtrate = (1.45/997.77) m3
=1.45310-3 m3
Cumulative Volume Flow = (2.806+2.66+2.00447+1.754+1.453) 10-3 m3
= 10.67410-3 m3
Cumulative Time = (30+30+30+30+30) sec
= 150 sec.
dt/dv = (150-120) / 1.45310-3
= 20643.52 s/m3

From graph (plotted for 20-psig pressure)

It is found that the constants of filtration are:
Slope of curve, a = 1711.2 s/m6
Intercept at y axis, b = 10326 s/m3
Down time = 4 min 25 sec
= 460+25 sec
= 265 sec
The optimum volume of filtrate per cycle,
Vopt = (2td/a)
= (2265/1711.2)
= 0.557 m3
The optimum filtration time,
topt = avopt2/2+bvopt
= 1711.2 (0.557)2 0.5+103260.557
= 6017.03 s

Theoretical time, t = 2 2 +
=

1711.2
2

0.0106742 + 10326 0.010674

= 110.32 sec

Qavg =

+
0.010674
110.32+265

= 2.8410-5 m3 /sec

Solubility of CaCO3 in water = 16.6 kg/L

16.6

So, concentration of CaCO3, C = 16.6+1 = 0.9432

Plate height= 9.5 inch
Plate width= 9.5 inch
Area of plate, A = (9.5 9.5) in2
= 90.25 in2
= 0.05823 m2
Specific cake resistance, =
=

1711.20.058232 137857.14
0.94320.00089

= 9.53 108 m Kg-1

Mass of the cake, w =
=

0.94320.010674
0.05823

kg

= 0.1729 Kg
Cake Resistance, Rc = w
= 9.53 1080.1729
= 1.65 107 m
Resistance of the filtering medium, Rm =
=

103260.05823137857.14
0.00089

= 9.31 1010 m

Graphical Presentation

60000

Reciprocal of filtration rate, t / V (sec/m3)

50000

y = 2993.5x + 4339.3
40000

30000

20000

10000

Cumulative volume103, m3

Figure 3: Reciprocal of Filtration Rate ( t ) vs. Cumulative Volume graph at 10 psig

V

45000

40000
y = 1711.2x + 10326

Reciprocal of filtration rate, t / V (sec/m3)

35000

30000

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

Cumulative volume103, m3

Figure 4: Reciprocal of Filtration Rate ( t ) vs. Cumulative Volume graph at 20 psig

V

0.025

Cumulative volume103, (m3)

0.02

0.015

10 psig
20 psig

0.01

0.005

100

200

300

400

500

Cumulative time, t (s)

Figure 5: Cumulative Volume vs. Cumulative Time graph

600

Results
Pressure
psig

optimum
filtration time,
topt

10

sec
2255.78

Optimum
volume of
filtrate,
Vopt
m3
0.450

20

6017.03

0.557

Resistance of
filtering
medium
Rm
m
1.95 1010

Specific cake
resistance
m/kg

9.31 1010

9.53 108

8.33 108

Discussions
Plate and frame filter press is the most fundamental design among all the other filter presses,
and majority nowadays refer it as membrane filter plate. In this experiment we used filter
press consists of three plates and frames assembled alternately with the supports of a pair
of rails. Presence of a gear pump ensured the remaining suspended solids do not settle in
the system and its main function was to deliver the suspension into each of the separating
chambers in the plate and frame filter. For each of the individual separating chambers, there
was one hollow filter frame separated from two filter plates by filter clothes. The introduced
slurry flows through a port in each individual frame, and the filter cakes are accumulated
in each the hollow frame. As the filter cake becoming thicker, the filter resistance increases
as well. The filtrate that passes through filter cloth are collected through collection pipes
and stored in the filter tank. Whereas filter cakes (suspended solids) accumulation occurs
at the hollow plate frame, then being separated at the filter plates by pulling the plate and
frame filter press apart. At the end of each run, the cloth are cleaned using wash liquid and
ready to start the next cycle.
The experiment was conducted very carefully and calculations were performed sincerely.
From the calculated data, three graphs showing the change of Cumulative volume of filtrate
with filtration time and of reciprocal filtration rate with Cumulative volume of filtrate.
Figure 3 and 4 shows the change of reciprocal of filtration rate with cumulative volume of
filtrate for pressure 10 and 20 psig respectively. These are bar charts instead of a straight
line because in actual equation the time difference was differential but in the calculation
procedure, finite time differences were used. So the bar chart indicates that the value (t
/V) represents the average rate during the interval between V and V+V. From the bar
diagram a trend line was drawn and the values of constants of filtration, a and b were
determined from the equation of the line. Optimum volume of filtrate and optimum
filtration time were determined in this experiment. Also Resistance of filtering medium and
specific cake resistance was determined.
The cumulative volume vs. cumulative time plot for both the two pressures shows
decreasing slope. The significance of the decreasing slope is that the rate of filtrate
collection was decreased with the aid of time. Because the resistances to flow increased
with time as the filter medium become blocked by filter cakes building up. As the operating
pressure remains constant, the volumetric flow of filtrate diminished.

The main feature of this experiment is that it is constant pressure filtration. But, it was not
truly possible to maintain a constant pressure. Moreover, instead of a centrifugal pump, a
gear pump was used for pumping the slurry because they are particularly effective with
high viscosity liquids, including greases, molasses and paints. They can operate in moderate
pressure ranges and have small to medium capacities. In order to keep the mixture
homogeneous the slurry was continuously stirred manually.