PASTE & FILTERED TAILINGS
Plate filter presses offer the lowest operating cost
passes through the filter cloths mounted on the plate surfaces . When no additional slurry can be pumped into the filter press , the slurry feed pump is stopped and the plates are separated , allowing the cakes to fall by gravity out of the press .
The up-front investment for a plate filter press can be high due the size of the equipment and required support structure . Depending on the type and amount of material being dewatered , modern filter press equipment can be very big and require a large space for installation and operation . Common polypropylene plate sizes today can be up to 8 ft wide by 8 ft tall , with large filter presses holding up to 200 hundred plates .
Plate filter press operating costs are low due to the requirement of only a part-time operator , lower wear parts cost and typically no need for chemical dewatering aids . Because the slurry material is captured completely between the filter plates , very high dewatering pressures ( up to 225 psi or higher ) can be applied to the slurry .
The high dewatering pressures produce the highest cake solids concentration possible of any mechanical dewatering equipment .
Membrane plate filter presses
Plate filter presses can also employ a second type of plate called a membrane plate . In this case , the plate has a flexible membrane surface made from polypropylene or other synthetic flexible material such as hard rubber . The membrane can be thermally fused to the concave plate core , or the synthetic membrane ’ s edge can be embedded into the concave plate core in a small channel machined in the plate surfaces .
The same initial process is used in a membrane plate press , with a high-pressure slurry pump feeding the press to fill and dewater as much slurry as possible . After the slurry feed pump is stopped and while the filter plates are still clamped together , the membrane surfaces are expanded using compressed air or water . This inflated membrane compresses the cake material , removing additional moisture to the lowest possible levels .
Concluding , no other dewatering process has shown to be more efficient at removing liquid from slurries as the plate filter press . Additional benefits of plate filter presses include the highest amount of recovered water , the driest cakes , the lowest operating cost , and the lowest waste handling cost . You are also transporting less water . Plus it offers the most stable solid material generated . Because of these advantages and the high efficiency of the plate filter press , it is the best choice of equipment to eliminate settling ponds .
IM
Another advantage of filter presses is the recovery of water
JULY 2022 | International Mining SUPPLEMENT P9