VALIDATION AND APPLICATION OF FILTRATION THEORY TO PLATE AND FRAME PRESSURE FILTRATION – FROM LABORATORY TO FULL-SCALE

摘要

Utilisation of filtration theory in real world filter optimisation and design is uncommon, due primarilyrnto uncertainty over model validity outside laboratory conditions. In order to address this issue,rna research program was initiated adopting a structured approach to validation from lab throughrnpilot- to full-scale focussing on minerals industry plate and frame pressure filtration. As expected,rnexcellent agreement was observed between model predictions and test data at lab-scale for a rangernof model and real world substrates, however at pilot- and full-scale, agreement during filtrationrnand compression deteriorated. Investigations revealed pilot- and full-scale validation issues wererndue more to progressive introduction of non-idealities in filter operation and issues with plant- andrnpilot-scale test data rather than flaws in the theoretical models themselves. After accounting forrnuncertainties in the test data, evidence of validation of both filtration and compression modellingrnwas indicated. From an optimisation perspective, whilst full-scale non-idealities make quantitativernoptimisation problematic, the results presented suggest that an integrated program of theoreticalrnand plant-based investigation can offer significant practical advantages over purely fundamental orrnempirical approaches alone.