Determination of Filter Cake Resistance

*Bonn Axell Moran, Mark Joseph Reyes, Leonard Sagaral

Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, Chemical Engineering Department, 9000 Corrales St., Cagayan de Oro
City
*moranbonn@gmail.com
Abstract The separation of solid particles from liquids can be solved by using a wide variety of methods, depending on the type of
solids, the proportion of solid to liquid in the mixture, viscosity of the solution, and other factors. In filtration a pressure difference is set
up and causes the fluid to flow through small holes of a screen or cloth which block the passage of the large solid particles, which in turn
build up on the cloth as a porous cake. The objective of the experiment was to determine the filter cake resistance using constant pressure
filtration. Plate and frame filter press was used in the process in which the slurry was fed to a filter press using a pump. The obtained
specific cake resistance and filter medium resistance were found out to be 7.40x 10 12 m/kg and -9.63x 1011 m-1, respectively. Despite
having a positive specific cake resistance, due to the negative value of filter medium resistance obtained, the researchers concluded that
the values obtained were erroneous due to the committed errors during the experiment.
Keywords: filter press, filtration, cake, resistance, plate and frame
I. INTRODUCTION

Fig. 1 Plate and Frame Filter Press

The separation of solid particles from liquids can be solved

by using a wide variety of methods, depending on the type of solids,
the proportion of solid to liquid in the mixture, viscosity of the
solution, and other factors. In filtration a pressure difference is set
up and causes the fluid to flow through small holes of a screen or
cloth which block the passage of the large solid particles, which in
turn build up on the cloth as a porous cake. (Geankoplis, 2003)
In filtration, suspended solid particles in a fluid or liquid or
gas are physically or mechanically removed by using a porous
medium that retains the particles as a separate phase or cake and
passes the clear filtrate. Commercial filtration cover a very wide
range of applications. The fluid can be a gas or liquid, suspended
solid particles can be very fine or much larger, very rigid or plastic
particles, spherical or very irregular shape, aggregates of particles
or individual particles. The valuable product may be the clear
filtrate from the filtration of solid cake. The feed or slurry solution
may carry a heavy load of solid particles or a very small amount.
When the concentration is very low, the filters can operate for very
long periods of time before the filter needs cleaning. Because of the
wide diversity of filtration problems, a multitude of types of filters
have been developed.
One type of filtration equipment is the plate and frame
filter presses. These filters consist of plates and frames assembled
alternatively with a filter cloth over each side of the plates. The
plates have channels cut in them so that clear filtrate liquid can
drain down along each plate. The feed slurry is pumped into the
press and flows through the duct into each of the open frames so
that slurry fills the frames. The filtrate flows through the filter cloth
and the solids build up as a cake on the frame side of the cloth. The
filtrate flows between the filter cloth and the face of the plate
through the channels to the outlet. The filtration proceeds until the
frames are completely filled with solids. (Geankoplis, 2003)

Fig. 2. Section through a filter cake

In figure 2, a section though a filter cake is shown and a

filter medium at a definite time, t (s) from start of the flow of
filtrate. At this time the thickness of the cake is L (m). The filter
cross sectional area is A (m2), and the linear velocity of the filtrate
in the L direction is v (m/s) based on the filter area. The area and
length can be expresses in volumetric terms.
Equation 1 (From Geankoplis, 2003)

c s
dt

= 2
V+
R =K p V + B
dV A ( p)
A( p) m
where is the viscosity of the filtrate in Pa-s of kg/m-s, is the
specific cake resistance in m/kg, cs is the slurry concentration in
kg solids/m3, p is the pressure drop, V is the volume in m3 of
filtrate collected at a period of time t (s) and Rm is the resistance of
the filter medium to filtrate flow in m-1. Re-expressing the
equation into its linear form.
Equation 2 (From Geankoplis, 2003)

t KpV
=
+B
V
2

[1]

where V is the total volume of filtrate in m3 collected to. To

evaluate this equation, it is necessary to know and Rm. This can
be done by using data of V collected at different times t, then
using the equation by plotting t/V versus V with the slope Kp/2
and intercept B, and Rm can be obtained

1500

K p=

[2]

c s
A2 ( p)

Equation 4 (From Geankoplis, 2003)

B=

0.0151

99337.75

Table 1. Volume collected over time

Equation 3 (From Geankoplis, 2003)

R
A ( p) m

Table 1 shows the filtrate volume collected over time.

Filtrate volume collected from Plate 1, 2 were huge comparable to
from plate 3. By plotting t/V vs V, a straight line was then
generated which was shown in Figure 3. It produces a slope of 9x
106 s/m6 which is the half-value of Kp. Using this value, the value

[3]

II. EXPERIMENTAL
In the experiment, the limestone was pulverized into fine
powder of solids. 585 grams of powder were dissolved in 33 liters
of water and was mixed in a container. The mixed solution/slurry
were introduced into a bucket filtration set-up as the pump of the
filter press was turned on. Time was then recorded when the first
filtrate was produced. The filtration of the solids continue until the
25 min. mark.

of specific cake resistance () was then calculated as 7.40x 10 12

m/kg through equation 2.
Figure 3. Plot of t/V vs V

The filter medium resistance, Rm is the resistance of

filter medium to filtrate flow in m -1. Using equation 3, yielding a
Rm of -9.63x 1011 m-1 which is a negative value. This erroneous
result in Rm may be attributed to the slurry stuck in the throat of
the equipment which the researchers encountered during the
experiment. Furthermore, the alignment of the filter cloths in
every plate was not properly checked.
IV. CONCLUSION
Based from the data and the graph obtained, the calculated
specific cake resistance and filter medium resistance were 7.40x
1012 m/kg and -9.63x 1011 m-1, respectively. Despite having a
positive specific cake resistance, but due to the negative filter
medium resistance obtained, thus, the researchers concluded the
values obtained were erroneous.
V. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The experiment was conducted to determine the filter cake
resistance in the plate and frame filter press filtration process at a
constant pressure. The slurry consists 585 g of Calcium Carbonate
(Ca2CO3) and 33 L of water, which subjected to the filter press with
an area of 0.1024 m2 per frame. Three plates were used in the
experiment.
Time,t (s)
500
1000

Filtrate collected, V (m3)

0.0099
0.0134

t/V
50505.05
74626.87

The researchers would like to thank Engr. Rose May

Igdon for sharing her knowledge and sparing her time to
watch over us through this experiment. The researchers
would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to our laboratory
technician, Mr.
Carl Angelo Fallares, for keeping the
laboratory in good condition and for helping us with the things
we need. This experiment would have not been possible
without their help. Lastly, we thank one another for supporting
each other and always willing to help and give our best
suggestions. It would have been difficult to carry out the
experiment without each of us working together.

VI. REFERENCES
[1] Geankoplis, C. J., Transport Processes and Unit Operations
(2003) 801-810

Appendices:
Sample Calculat ions:
Calculation of Kp:
Slope= Kp/2
9x 106= Kp/2
Kp= 1.80x 107
Calculation of specific cake resistance
K p=

c s
2

A ( p)

( 0.8937 x 103 ) ( ) (17.73)

2

( 0.3072 ) (69 x 10 )

12

=7.40 x 10 m/kg
Calculation of Filter medium resistance:
3

m=40603=

(0.8937 x 10 )( Rm )
3

(0.3072)(69 x 10 )

B=
R
A ( p)
11

Rm=9.63 x 10 m

=1.80 x 107