Title of Invention

METHOD FOR FILTERING A SUSPENSION AND FILTER DEVICE

Abstract The invention relates to a filter device comprising at least one filter chamber, which is configured between a filter plate and a counter plate when the filter device is closed, into which filter chamber a suspension can be inducted on a cake side of a filter cloth through at least one filling shoe (12) anchored in the filter plate and clamping the filter cloth with the filter plate in a sealing manner, and the suspension can permeate the filter cloth to the filtrate side thereof, wherein a solid content of the suspension can be deposited on the filter cloth as a filter cake, and the filter plate and the counter plate are at an offset from each other when the filter device is open, and the filter cake can be removed from the at least one filter chamber. In order to simplify the disassembly of the filter cloth, it is proposed that the at least one filling shoe (12) is movably anchored in the filter plate, and the filling shoe (12) is automatically lifted off from the filter plate and the clamping of the filter cloth is released when filter device is opened.
Full Text

METHOD FOR FILTERING A SUSPENSION AND FILTER DEVICE
The invention relates, on the one hand, to a method for filtering a suspension which
is initially inducted through a filling shoe into a filter chamber on a cake side of a filter
cloth, permeates the filter cloth to a filtrate side of the filter cloth, and flows from the
filter chamber on the filtrate side in a filtered state as a filtrate, while a solid content
of the suspension is deposited on the filter cloth as a filter cake, wherein the filter
chamber in a closed state of a filter device is configured between a filter plate and a
counter plate, and the filling shoe is anchored.in the filter plate, and clamps the filter
cloth with the filter plate in a sealing manner in the closed state, and wherein the
filter device is subsequently opened, so that the filter plate and the counter plate
have an offset and the filter cake is removed. Furthermore the invention relates to a
filter device comprising at least one filter chamber, which is configured between a
filter plate and a counter plate when the filter device is closed, into which filter
chamber a suspension can be inducted on a cake side of a filter cloth through at
least one filling shoe anchored in the filter plate and clamping the filter cloth with the
filter plate in a sealing manner, and the suspension can permeate the filter cloth to
the filtrate side thereof, wherein a solid content of the suspension can be deposited
on the filter cloth as a filter cake, and the filter plate and the counter plate are at an
offset from each other when the filter device is open, and the filter cake can be
removed from the at least one filter chamber.
Such filter devices with a plurality of filter plates as plate stacks and filter chambers,
which are respectively configured between a filter plate and a second filter plate (as
a counter plate), lying in parallel on the first filter plate or standing adjacent to it, are
generally known e.g. from DE 199 56 617 A1. In the filter chambers, substantially in
the respective separation plane between the filter plate and the associated counter
plate, one or two filter cloths and a rubber elastic membrane are disposed depending
on the configuration of the filter device. Subsequently, only the filter cloth is
designated as filter cloth, which is clamped tight between a filter plate and a filling
shoe anchored in the filter plate in a closed state of the filter device.
During filtering operation of the known filter devices, the filter chambers are supplied
through the filling shoes with a pressurized suspension, which is to be filtered, and

the suspension is pressed through the filter cloths. Thus, the solid content of the
suspension is deposited on the filter cloth as a filter cake. The filtered suspension
from which the solid content is purged flows out from the filter chambers as a filtrate
below the filter cloth substantially without pressure.
After the filtration is completed, washing and pressing the filter cake, the filter
chambers are opened one after the other by moving the respective filter plate and
the associated counter plate away from one another to form an offset distance. In
the open state, the filter cake is either removed respectively self-acting or with
mechanical devices after the filtration is completed. When the filtering properties of
the filter cloths are not sufficient anymore, the filling shoes inserted into the filter
plates respectively through respective recesses of the filter cloths are manually
disassembled, the filter cloths are removed from the filter chambers for removing the
filter cake, the filter cake is removed from the filter cloths, and the filter cloths are
cleaned or replaced as required and mounted again in the filter plates for reuse with
the filter shoes.
Besides the substantial manual complexity of mounting and dismounting the filter
cloths, and the filling shoes anchored through clamping in the filter plates, which
hinders a partial automation of the process cycle, also the service life of the filter
cloths in the known filter devices is very limited. Through the high pressure loading,
and depending on the method, occasional substantial temperature loading, the filter
cloths extend during operation, so that the recesses provided for the filling shoes
with respective seal rings do not coincide with the geometry of the filter plates after
few process cycles. During filtering operation, these recesses either are not
disposed exactly over the anchoring locations of the filling shoes or the filter cloth
develops wrinkles between the anchoring locations. Both lead to respective
leakages at the particular locations of the known filter devices, and otherwise lead to
increased mechanical loading and early failure of the filter cloths.
DE 103 03 817 A1 discloses such a method in which the filling shoe is pressed out
by its own weight and by the weight of the membrane, when the filter device is
opened.

Object of the Invention
It is the object of the invention to assure the movability of the filter cloth and to
simplify detaching the filter cloth.
Solution
Based on the known method, it is proposed according to the invention that the filling
shoe automatically lifts off from the filter plate, when the filter device is opened,
which liftoff releases the clamping of the filter cloth. Thus, the method according to
the invention avoids the manual complexity of mounting and dismounting the filling
shoes respectively for inserting and removing the filter cloth. The method according
to the invention furthermore facilitates a movability of the filter cloth relative to the
filter plate.
Preferably, the filling shoe is lifted off from the filter plate through a spring force when
opening the filter device, and during the closing process, the counter plate guides the
filling shoe onto the filter plate against the spring force. Using a spring element
provides a particularly simple option to implement the automatic liftoff of the filling
shoe. Alternatively, the filling shoe can also lift off automatically through gravity a
magnetic force or it can be lifted off from the filter plate through a mechanical drive or
a fluid dynamic drive
Based on the known filter devices, it is proposed according to the invention that the
at least one filling shoe is movably anchored in the filter plate, and the filling shoe is
automatically lifted off from the filter plate, and the clamping of the filter cloth is
removed, when the filter device is opened. The filter device according to the
invention facilitates performing one of the described methods and is characterized by
the advantages recited therein.
In a particularly preferred manner, the at least one filling shoe of a filter device
according to the invention is anchored in the filter plate and pivotable about an axis
parallel to the filter cloth. Thus, the clamping portion of the filling shoe, which clamps
the filter cloth with the filter plate in a closed state of the filtering device, can be lifted

off from the filter plate during opening, while the anchoring portion anchored in the
filter plate remains substantially at the same location of the filter plate.
Tilting the filling shoe can be implemented e.g. through support bushings and pins
disposed in the axle, or also without specific support elements through a particular
wedging in a receiver portion of the filter plate. Alternatively, the filling shoe can be
anchored as a whole, so that it is movable perpendicular to the filter cloth.
In an advantageous embodiment of a filter device according to the invention, the at
least one filling shoe is anchored in the filter plate outside a rectangular area covered
by the filter cloth. The outer rim of the surface covered by the filter cloth in which the
filter cloth is clamped between the filter plates and seals the filter chamber is
designated as sealing surface. At the filter device according to the invention, the
area covered by the filter cloth and thus also the seal face has a rectangular shape.
The filling shoe anchored outside of this surface permeates the surface, so that it
only becomes a pass-through element and therefore does not require specific
recesses or special sealing installations in the filter cloth. The filter device according
to the invention then facilitates using filter cloth by the meter without specific
recesses for the filling shoes. On one side, the costs for the filter cloth are
significantly reduced, on the other side, the problems described for the known filter
devices through extension of the filter cloth are effectively avoided during operation.
Embodiment
The invention is subsequently described with reference to an embodiment, wherein
FIG. 1 shows a filter plate of a filter device according to the invention;
FIG. 2 shows a filling shoe of the filter device according to the invention;
FIG. 3 shows a detail of a sectional view of the filter device according to the
invention; and

FIG. 4 shows another sectional view of the filter device according to the
invention.
The filter plate 1 made of PP shown in FIG. 1, which is part of a filter device
according to the invention, which is not shown in more detail, has a substantially
square basic shape, two load bearing extension pieces 2, 3 and two extension
pieces 4, 5, which are non-load bearing and attached to this basic shape. A filtrate
channel 6 respectively runs through the extension pieces 2, 3, 4, 5. Furthermore, a
suspension channel respectively runs through the extension piece 2 on the top left
and through the extension piece 4 on the bottom right, and a pressure medium
channel 8 extends through the extension piece 3 on the top right. The filtrate
channels 6, the suspension channels 7 and the pressure medium channel 8
respectively extend transversal to the filter plate 1 through the filter device.
The filter plate 1 comprises a chamber side 9 and a membrane side 10 placed
opposite thereto, respectively configured with a lens shaped recess 11, which is
illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. At the chamber side 9, two filling shoes 12 made of PP
are anchored, which are disposed laterally at the recess 11 and diagonally opposed,
through which filling shoes the suspension can be inducted into the filter device from
the respectively associated suspension channel 7.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, each filling shoe 12 comprises a suspension bore hole 13. In
an anchoring portion 14, the filling shoe 12 comprises a support axis 16 defined by
two support pinions 15. Opposite to the anchoring portion 14, the filling shoe 12
comprises a clamping portion 18 provided with a seal element 17 made of rubber,
wherein six inlet channels lead to said clamping portion starting at the suspension
bore hole 13.
In assembled state, the suspension bore hole 13 of the filling shoe 12 forms a
section of the associated suspension channel 7 of the filter plate 1 as illustrated in
FIG. 3. The support pinions 15 engage support bushings of the filter plate 1, which
are not shown, so that the filling shoe 12 is anchored in the filter plate 1, and
supported thereon pivotable about the support axis 16. With respect to the filter

plate 1 and the counter plate, not shown in FIG. 3, the suspension bore hole 13 of
the filling shoe 12 is sealed through circular annular seal elements 20.
During operation of the filter device according to the invention, a so-called
membrane filter press with vertically oriented filter plates 1, the filter plates 1 are
compressed in a steel frame of a press frame, which is not shown, to form a plate
pack 21, which is shown in a detail in FIG. 4. In the plate pack 21, the recesses 11
of the adjacent filter plates 1 form respective filter chambers 22, wherein a respective
filter plate 1 with its chamber side 9 is combined with the membrane side 10 of an
additional filter plate 1 as a counter plate. In the separation plane between the filter
plate 1 and the counter plate, one membrane 23 made from rubber and two filter
cloths 24 are disposed respectively in the filter chamber 22.
In order to assemble the filter device, the filter plates 1 are supported at the frame
through the upper extension pieces 2, 3. The extension piece 4 at the bottom right is
only bolted to the filter plates 1 after they are hung into the support frame. The other
extension pieces 2, 3, 5 are integrally formed at the filter plates 1. When closing the
filter chambers 22, the filter cloth 24 disposed between the filter chamber 22 and the
clamping portion 18 of the filling shoe 12 is clamped there between.
During filtering operation of the filter device, a suspension with a solid content is
inducted through the filling shoes 12 respectively between the adjacent cake sides of
the filter cloths 24 and into the filter chambers 22. During filtration, the suspension
initially permeates the filter cloths 24 towards their filtrate sides and flows as a
cleaned filtrate substantially without pressure from the filter chambers 22 into outlets,
which are not shown. Thus, the solid content of the suspension is deposited on the
cake sides of the filter cloths 24 as a filter cake, which is not shown.
In order to remove the filter cake, the filter chambers 22 of the filter device are
opened one after the other, so that they comprise a distance 25, through which the
filter cake can be removed. When opening the filter chamber 22, the seal element
between the filter plate 1 and the filling shoe 12, acting as a spring element, prevents
an upward tilting of the filling shoe 12. The clamping of the filter cloth 24 is thus

automatically removed and it can be removed easily, in particular without
disassembling the filling shoe 12.

Reference Numerals and Designations
1 filter plate
2 extension piece
3 extension piece
4 extension piece
5 extension piece
6 filtrate channel
7 suspension channel
8 pressure medium channel
9 chamber side
10 membrane side
11 recess
12 filling shoe
13 suspension bore hole
14 anchoring portion
15 support pinion
16 support axle
17 seal element
18 clamping portion
19 inlet channel
20 seal element
21 plate pack
22 filter chamber
23 membrane
24 filter cloth
25 offset

WE CLAIM
1. A method for filtering a suspension which is initially inducted through a filling
shoe (12) into a filter chamber (22) on a cake side of a filter cloth (24),
permeates the filter cloth to a filtrate side of the filter cloth, and flows from the
filter chamber (22) on the filtrate side in a filtered state as a filtrate, while a
solid content of the suspension is deposited on the filter cloth (24) as a filter
cake, wherein the filter chamber (22) in a closed state of a filter device is
configured between a filter plate (1) and a counter plate, and the filling shoe
(12) is anchored in the filter plate (1), and clamps the filter cloth (24) with the
filter plate (1) in a sealing manner in the closed state, and wherein the filter
device is subsequently opened, so that the filter plate (1) and the counter
plate have an offset (25) and the filter cake is removed, wherein the filling
shoe (12) automatically lifts off from the filter plate (1) and releases the
clamping of the filter cloth (24) when the filter device is opened.
2. A method according to the preceding claim, wherein the filling shoe (12) is
lifted off from the filter plate (1) through a spring force when the filter device is
opened, and the counter plate moves the filling shoe (12) against the spring
force onto the filter plate (1) during closing.
3. A filter device comprising at least one filter chamber (22), which is configured
between a filter plate (1) and a counter plate when the filter device is closed,
into which filter chamber a suspension can be inducted on a cake side of a
filter cloth (24) through at least one filling shoe (12) anchored in the filter plate
and clamping the filter cloth with the filter plate in a sealing manner, and the
suspension can permeate the filter cloth (24) to the filtrate side thereof,
wherein a solid content of the suspension can be deposited on the filter cloth
(24) as a filter cake, and the filter plate (1) and the counter plate are at an
offset (25) from each other when the filter device is open, and the filter cake

can be removed from the at least one filter chamber (22), wherein the at least
one filling shoe (12) is movably anchored in the filter plate (1), and the filling
shoe (12) is automatically lifted off from the filter plate (1) and the clamping of
the filter cloth (24) is released when filter device is opened.
4. A filter device according to the preceding claim, wherein the at least one filling
shoe (12) is anchored in the filter plate (1) and pivotable about an axis which
is parallel to the filter cloth (24).
5. A filter device according to one of the claims 3 or 4, wherein the at least one
filling shoe (12) is anchored in the filter plate (1) outside of a rectangular area
covered by the filter cloth (24).


The invention relates to a filter device comprising at least one filter chamber,
which is configured between a filter plate and a counter plate when the filter
device is closed, into which filter chamber a suspension can be inducted on a cake
side of a filter cloth through at least one filling shoe (12) anchored in the filter
plate and clamping the filter cloth with the filter plate in a sealing manner, and the
suspension can permeate the filter cloth to the filtrate side thereof, wherein
a solid content of the suspension can be deposited on the filter cloth as a filter
cake, and the filter plate and the counter plate are at an offset from each
other when the filter device is open, and the filter cake can be removed from the at
least one filter chamber. In order to simplify the disassembly of the filter cloth, it
is proposed that the at least one filling shoe (12) is movably anchored in the filter
plate, and the filling shoe (12) is automatically lifted off from the filter plate
and the clamping of the filter cloth is released when filter device is opened.

Documents:

http://ipindiaonline.gov.in/patentsearch/GrantedSearch/viewdoc.aspx?id=oq8g5JXNtpAbk8zv9ecyWg==&loc=wDBSZCsAt7zoiVrqcFJsRw==


Patent Number 271184
Indian Patent Application Number 4273/KOLNP/2009
PG Journal Number 07/2016
Publication Date 12-Feb-2016
Grant Date 08-Feb-2016
Date of Filing 09-Dec-2009
Name of Patentee OUTOTEC (FILTERS )OY
Applicant Address TUKKIKATU 1,53900 LAPPEENRANTA
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 BONN, HEINZ ZUR ALLMENDE 2, 52372 KREUZAU-WINDEN, GERMANY
PCT International Classification Number B01D25/21; B01D25/28; B01D25/30
PCT International Application Number PCT/EP2008/056538
PCT International Filing date 2008-05-28
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 102007027032.3 2007-06-08 Germany