Filtration and Separation

The primary aim of the industrial web site is to provide a facility for a user to assist in equipment specification and process understanding, using only a basic knowledge of the material to undergo filtration or solid-liquid separation. Most "expert systems" equipment selection routines in the literature start with a request for information on settling velocity - using this information to deduce the ease, or otherwise, of the material to be filtered. We provide a similar option in the Equipment Selection page. Another utility provided is one to determine what the free settling velocity will be, given an average particle diameter. This could be calculated by Stokes' settling equation - or methods appropriate for larger particles where Stokes' expression is no longer valid. Both are provided in the Settling Calculations pages. However, settling velocity may not be wholly appropriate to use when specifying filtration equipment and a small amount of laboratory test data, data from an existing process or data deduced from published tables of common materials can be used to provide the "specific resistance to filtration". This could also be estimated from the particle size distribution. All these techniques are illustrated in the section on Data Analysis - including tables of how specific resistance and cake solid concentration vary with pressure. Facility is also made for Equipment Selection based on the specific resistance, instead of the settling velocity.

Future web developments will include the use of the numeric value of specific resistance to provide a full simulation of the filtration cycle; for constant pressure and constant rate filtration, and will include both incompressible (easy to filter) and compressible filter cakes. Please use the enquiry form if you would like further details on these developments.

Filtration & Separation.com can also write custom simulations and expert system selection routines based on Windows programs, web based technology and computer spreadsheets. Specialist courses can be arranged anywhere in the World for instruction on solid-liquid separation, with workshops where appropriate. If you would like to discuss our custom built simulation and modelling or our specialist courses then please use the enquiry form.