Separations

Models of rotary vacuum drum and disc filters for flocculated suspensions

  1. Anthony D. Stickland1,*,
  2. Lee R. White2,
  3. Peter J. Scales1

Article first published online: 25 MAY 2010

DOI: 10.1002/aic.12310

Issue

AIChE Journal

AIChE Journal

Volume 57, Issue 4, pages 951–961, April 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Stickland, A. D., White, L. R. and Scales, P. J. (2011), Models of rotary vacuum drum and disc filters for flocculated suspensions. AIChE J., 57: 951–961. doi: 10.1002/aic.12310

Author Information

  1. 1

    Particulate Fluids Processing Centre, Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia

  2. 2

    School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095, Australia

*Particulate Fluids Processing Centre, Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 10 MAR 2011
  2. Article first published online: 25 MAY 2010
  3. Manuscript Revised: 15 APR 2010
  4. Manuscript Received: 6 NOV 2009

Funded by

  • Australian Research Council
  • Particulate Fluids Processing Centre (a Special Research Centre of the ARC)

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Keywords:

  • compressional rheology;
  • solid/liquid separations;
  • rotary vacuum filters;
  • mathematical modeling

Abstract

Models for rotary drum and disc filtration of compressible suspensions are developed using one-dimensional compressional rheology theory. The models account for cake formation while the drum or disc is submerged in the feed slurry, saturated cake consolidation upon surfacing due to capillary pressure, and cake desaturation. Desaturation does not occur for vacuum pressures below a critical value given by the material properties, or is incomplete if the formation and consolidation angles are too large. The disc filter model is formulated by applying the drum filter solutions to concentric annuli. The effect of different operating parameters such as submerged depth, rotational rate, slurry concentration, and vacuum pressure are investigated. The throughput varies linearly or quadratically with the drum or disc radius respectively, proportionally with the square-root of the angular rotational speed and linearly with the submerged angle. The angles for cake consolidation and desaturation are independent of the rotational rate. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011

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