EXPERIMENT 6: FILTRATION UNIT WITH PLATE AND FRAME

Objectives 1. To learn step by step how to start and run filtration unit. 2. To determine the relationship between FNU and flowrate of CaCO3 solution. 3. To compare FNU between filter F1 (plate and frame) and filter F2 (microfilter).

Apparatus 1. Absorption / Stripping Column and PC 2. Plate and frame 3. Distilled water 4. Beakers 5. Black plastic element 6. Plexiglas frame 7. Carbon filter 8. White plastic element 9. Rubber packing 10. 300 gram of Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) 11. Stainless steel support (screwside) 12. pH meter 13. Rubber glove Filtration is the unit operation enabling to separate a solid from a liquid or from gas by the use of a filter medium that can be passed through only by the liquid, not by solid. Whenever filtration system is used, the flow inside the filter id laminar and flowrate of the filtered liquid is directly proportional to the motive power generating it (that is, to the difference in pressure between inlet and outlet of the filter) and inversely proportional to the resistance opposed to the liquid (due to the filter medium and to the cake of solid progressively settling on it).

Procedures Start up and running of the plant : Automated Mode

Setpoint of FIC 20% and PIC 10% 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The selectors of pump G1 and G2 on the switch board was switched to 0 position. The selected AUT/PC was set in AUT position. The plant was connected to the electric supply. E.L.C.B was inserted. The filter was assembled as below and strongly closed the filter by means of the screw.

Figure 1 : Arrangement of the Filter Assembling A : Stainless steel support (screw side) B : Black plastic element C : Plexiglas frame D : Carton filter E : White plastic element F : Black plastic element G : Stainless steel support

6. All valves are closed. 7. The tank D1 was filled with solution to be filtered (CaCO3 and water, 0.6% w/v-300g/50 litres). 8. The push button START is pushed. 9. Loop 1 on the controller was selected with pushbutton Loop. The set-point of FIC is fixed (select the indication SP1 with pushbutton Ind and increase its value to 20%. 10. Loop 2 on the controller is selected with pushbutton Loop. The set-point of pressure is fixed (select the indication SP1 with pushbutton Ind and increase its value to 10%.

Plate and frame filter F1 11. The pump G2 was started (switch the selector of pump G2 in position 1) 12. VALVE V2, V5, V10 & V13 was opened and the pump G1 is started (switch the selector of pump G1 in position 1. Installation of filters was adjusted in case of leakage. 13. V12, V16 was opened and V10 are closed when water out through the tank D2. 14. The reading FNU and volume was started taking for every 30 second. 15. The readings are recorded in the table 1 given below. 16. Pump G1 was stopped and all valves are closed.

Microfilter F2 17. Valves V2, V6, V9 and V10 were opened. The pump G1 is started. 18. V12, V16 were opened and V10 are closed when water out through the tank D2. 19. The reading of FNU and volume was started taking for every 30 seconds. 20. The reading was recorded in the table 2 given below.

Stop and cleaning of the plant 21. The selectors of pump G1 and G2 was switched in position 0. 22. The lines was depressurized (connect the valve V3 with a drain and open the valve V3). 23. The tank D1 and D2 was discharged and was washed with water.

Setpoint of FIC 30% and PIC 10% 1. The selectors of pump G1 and G2 on the switch board was switched to 0 position. 2. The selected AUT/PC was set in AUT position. 3. The plant was connected to the electric supply.

4. 5. 6. 7.

E.L.C.B was inserted. The filter was assembled as below and strongly closed the filter by means of the screw. All valves are closed. The tank D1 was filled with solution to be filtered (CaCO3 and water, 0.6% w/v -300g/50 litres). 8. The push button START is pushed. 9. Loop 1 on the controller was selected with pushbutton Loop. The set-point of FIC is fixed (select the indication SP1 with pushbutton Ind and increase its value to 30 %. 10. Loop 2 on the controller is selected with pushbutton Loop. The set-point of pressure is fixed (select the indication SP1 with pushbutton Ind and increase its value to 10%.

Plate and frame filter F1 11. The pump G2 was started (switch the selector of pump G2 in position 1) 12. Valve V2, V5, V10 & V13 was opened and the pump G1 is started (switch the selector of pump G1 in position 1. Installation of filters was adjusted in case of leakage. 13. V12, V16 was opened and V10 are closed when water out through the tank D2. 14. The reading FNU and volume was started taking for every 30 seconds. 15. The readings are recorded in the table 1 given below. 16. Pump G1 was stopped and all valves are closed.

Microfilter F2 17. Valves V2, V6, V9 and V10 were opened. The pump G1 is started. 18. V12, V16 were opened and V10 are closed when water out through the tank D2. 19. The reading of FNU and volume was started taking for every 30 seconds. 20. The reading was recorded in the table 2 given below.

Stop and cleaning of the plant 21. The selectors of pump G1 and G2 was switched in position 0. 22. The lines was depressurized (connect the valve V3 with a drain and open the valve V3). 23. The tank D1 and D2 was discharged and was washed with water.

Results / Observations A : FLOWRATE SET POINT 20% Time (s) 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 FNU 26.0 25.4 25.2 24.9 24.4 24.1 23.8 22.8 22.4 21.8 Table 6.1 : Filter F1 Volume 6811.61 6812.18 6812.79 6813.34 6813.96 6814.49 6815.16 6815.93 6816.42 6817.01

Time (s) 0 30

FNU 33.1 31.2

Volume 6820.45 6820.47

60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270

29.6 28.0 27.5 24.6 23.5 22.7 22.2 21.7 Table 6.2 : Filter F2

6820.49 6820.51 6820.53 6820.58 6820.59 6820.60 6820.61 6820.63

A : FLOWRATE SET POINT 30% Time (s) 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 FNU 34.2 32.7 30.4 29.2 29.1 28.9 28.8 28.2 27.6 27.3 Table 6.3 : Filter F1 Volume 6821.03 6821.55 6822.16 6822.75 6823.37 6823.97 6824.58 6825.20 6825.81 6826.40

Time (s) 0 30 60 90

FNU 29.6 27.0 26.1 25.5

Volume 6826.98 6827.00 6827.01 6827.02

120 150 180 210 240 270

24.1 23.7 23.4 21.1 20.8 20.5 Table 6.4 : Filter F2

6827.03 6827.04 6827.05 6827.06 6827.07 6827.08

Analysis/Discussion

Filtration is commonly the mechanical or physical operation which is used for the separation of solids from fluids (liquids or gases) by interposing a medium through which only the fluid can pass. The fluids that pass through are called a filtrate. Oversize solids in the fluid are retained, but the separation is not complete; solids will be contaminated with some fluid and filtrate will contain fine particles (depending on the pore size and filter thickness). Filtration is also used to describe some biological processes, especially in water treatment and sewage treatment in which undesirable constituents are removed by absorption into a biological film grown on or in the filter medium as in slow sand filtration. The define of the plate and frame is made up of two units, known respectively as plates and frames, with a filter medium, usually filter cloth, between the two. The frame is open, with an inlet for the slurry, while the plate has grooved surface to support the filter cloth, and with an outlet for the filtrate. The operation of the press and frame filter is first the slurry enters the frame from the feed channel. Next the filtrate passes through the filter medium on to the surface of the plate while the solids form a filter cake in the frame. The filtrate then drained down the surface of the plate, between the projections on the surface and escapes from the outlet. Filtration is continued until the frame is filled with filter cake, when the process is stopped, the frame emptied, and the cycle re-started. Channels for the slurry inlet and the filtrate outlet can be arranged by fitting eyes to the plates and frames. This has the advantages that the filtrate from each plate can be seen and, in the event of a broken cloth, the faulty plate can be isolated and the filtration continued with one plates less. The thickness of the cake can be varied by using frames of different thickness and, in general, there will be an optimum thickness of filter cake for any slurry, depending on the solids content of the slurry and the resistance of the filter cake. As filtration proceeds, the resistance of the cake increases and the filtration rate will decrease. At a certain point it will be preferable in terms of the overall output of the process,

to stop and empty the pressrather than to continue filtration at a very low flow rate. Plates and frames may be made in various metals to provide resistance to corrosion or prevent metallic contamination of the product. Non-metals e.g. plastics is lighter, also varieties of wood are satisfactory materials of construction. Plates and frames may be of considerable size, of about 1m square. In this experiment, the mixtures of CaCO3 are filtered by using the plate and frame filter (F1). Plate and frame filter contains a set of plate designed to provide a series of chambers in which the end product will be collected at the end of the experiment. The microfilter (F2) contains a series at thin metal disc with very narrow spaces between them. Microfilter is more efficient compare than the frame and plate filter (F1). The advantages of the press and frame filter areconstruction is very simple and a wide variety of materials can be used. It also provides a large filtering area in a relatively small floor space. Then it is versatile, the capacity being variable according to the thickness of the frames and the number used. The also construction permits the use of considerable pressure difference. The operation and maintenance is straightforward, because there no moving parts, filter cloths are easily renewable and, because all joints are external, any leaks are visible and do not contaminate the filtrate. Disadvantages of the press and frame filter are it is a batch filter, so it is a time consuming. The filter press is an expensive filter, the emptying time, the labor involved, and the wear and tear on the cloths resulting in high costs. The operation is critical, as the frames should be full, otherwise washing is inefficient and the cake is difficult to remove. The filter press also is used for slurries containing less about 5 % solids. Based on the graph, the result show that the levels of turbidity decrease against time. The level of the turbidity is high at the beginning of the experiment but decreases as time passes. However during the beginning of the experiment our group are having difficulty in arranging the F1, there are some increase the CaCO3 and water occur and this also effect the flow of the experiment. The flow rate can also be determined by below formulae: Q=

Recommendation/Conclusion: