Features:

• Separation of solids from suspensions with a plate and frame filter press  
• Discontinuous cake filtration  
• Practical experiments on a laboratory scale  

Plate and frame filter presses are used in the beverage industry, for example, to clarify  intermediate products.  
A suspension of diatomite and water (recommended) is prepared in a tank. A pump ensures  that the solid remains suspended and does not settle. The pump delivers the suspension into  the individual separating chambers of the plate and frame filter press. A separating chamber is  formed by one filter frame and two filter plates. The filter plates are grooved and covered over  with filter cloths. The filtrate passes through the filter cloth and flows via the grooves in the  plates into a collecting pipe. The filtrate exits the plate and frame filter press through the  collecting pipe and is collected in the filtrate tank. The solid material is separated off at the filter  cloth, where it forms a growing filter cake. As the filter cake becomes thicker, its flow resistance  also increases. When the separating chamber is full, or a maximum pressure difference has  been reached, the filtration process is ended. The plates and frames of the plate and frame filter  press are pulled apart. The filter cake can be removed. For the next filtration, the plates and  frames must be pushed back together. A spindle is used to press them together. The press  forces ensure that the suspension does not leak from the contact points between the plates and  the frames, but is forced through the filter cloth. 

The flow rate through the plate and frame filter press is adjusted by a valve. The pressure  occurring during filtration is indicated on a manometer. The filtrate tank is scaled. This means a  stopwatch can be used to measure the flow rate.  
An optional Opacimeter allows the solid concentration of the filtrate to be determined.  A drying chamber is recommended for the evaluation of the experiments.  

Specifications:
Plate and frame filter press for discontinuous cake filtration  
HDPE tank to produce a suspension  
Centrifugal pump to deliver the suspension to the plate and frame filter press  
Plate and frame filter press with 10 opening separating chambers for removal of the filter cake  
PMMA tank with level scale for filtrate 
Adjustment of suspension flow rate by valve  
Thermometer and manometer in an inlet  
Optional Portable Opacimeter to measure the solid concentration in the filtrate  

Technical Specifications:
Plate and frame filter press  
Filter area: approx. 0,72m2 
Working pressure: approx. 0,4…2,5bar 
Centrifugal pump (submersible pump)  
Max. flow rate: 4,5m3/h 
Max. head: 45m  
Tanks  
Suspension tank: 200L  
Filtrate: 20L 
Measuring ranges 
Pressure: 0…4bar 
Temperature: 0…60°C 

Experiments:

1. Learning the fundamental principle and method of operation of a plate and frame filter press  
2. Production of a suspension  
3. Removal of the filter cake  
4. Insertion of the filter cloth  
5. Fundamentals of cake filtration  
6. Darcy’s equation  
7. Variation in time of filtrate quantity and solid concentration infiltrate  
8. Mass of filter cake dependent on filtrate quantity  

Mains Power 
? 220 – 240V 1Ph, 50Hz