Pressure filtration studies with combined concentrate

Pressure filtration tests were conducted using a LAROX PF 0.1 H2 Laboratory filter. The unit
has one slurry tank of capacity 100 litre, which is provided with an electrically operated stirrer. A
compressed air operated feed pump is used to feed slurry into filtration chamber at desired
pressure. The time given for this process of feeding is referred as Pumping time. This unit also
has a pressure water station which is used to facilitate Pressing after Pumping, through pushing
water into rubber diaphragm at variable pressure, which further presses the slurry inside filtration
chamber. After Pressing, compressed air used for drying at maximum pressure of 5 bars, this
stage is called drying of cake. The tests were conducted with combined concentrate (100% below
75 micron) with varying pumping time and drying time. The tests were carried out at with 60%
solids feed, which were prepared in slurry tank. Slurry was fed to filtration chamber and all the
cycle timings were noted down subsequently. Results of tests are presented below:

Table 1 DETAILS OF PRESSURE FILTER

Type/ Model PF 0.1 H2

Main Dimensions 1650 x 600 x 1300 [L x W x H]
Make M/s Larox Corporations, Finland
Slurry Tank capacity 100 litres
Filter Area 0.1 m2
Feeding Pressure Max. 6 bar
Pressing Pressure Max. 16 bar
Table 2 Results of pressure filtration tests with combined concentrate

Test-1 Test-2 Test-3

Cloth Type S2108-L1 S2108-L1 S2108-L1
Air Permeability(m3/m2) 2.7 2.7 2.7
Filtration Area(m2) 0.1 0.1 0.1
Pumping (sec) 60 90 90
Pressing (sec) 60 60 60
Drying (sec) 210 210 120
Dead time (sec) 240 240 240
Total Cycle time 570 600 510
Total Cycle time (min) 9.50 10.00 8.50
Feed Pressure 5 -6 bar 5 -6 bar 5 -6 bar
Pressing water Pressure 15 bar 15 bar 15 bar
Drying Air Pressure 7 bar 7 bar 7 bar
Air Flow (lpm) 125 125 125
Cake Thickness (mm) 33.00 40.00 37.00
Cake Weight(wet) 8.12 10.71 9.62
Cake Weight(Dry) W 7.61 10.04 8.96
% moisture 6.22 6.26 6.90
Capacity (kg / m2 h) 480.9 602.4 632.2

Table 3 Size wise chemical assay of Final combined concentrate ground to below 75 micron (200
mesh)

Size Wt.% Fe SiO2 Al2O3 LOI

+250# 2.40 60.20 10.62 1.15 1.33
+325# 16.20 67.00 2.32 0.57 0.81
+400# 8.90 67.60 1.52 0.78 0.74
-400# 72.50 67.20 1.89 0.77 0.99
Head Cal. 100.00 67.04 2.14 0.75 0.95